# Question / Problem about re-loading .308s



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Ok,
so I always have a new question to ask, and I appreciate all your input that you have given me thus far.
But I ran into a new problem: I purchased a ton of once-fired brass from two sources (since I couldnt find any new brass or factory loaded ammo) for my Kimber 84M. I took about 50 re-loads out with me today (of varying bullet types and powders), and went to chamber one, and the bolt would not close! :evil: So I tried another bullet, and another, and another, not one would let me close the bolt? WTH?!
So I got home to see if I messed something up and made the bullets too long, and they seem perfect. I put some unfired loads in at home with NEW brass, and it fit perfectly. So there is something up with the once-fired brass I bought...
I re-sized the necks and made sure they werent stretched out, and everything seemed okay. But the bolt is about 1/8 off from sliding all the way forward with all the re-loads. Could it be that the once fired brass formed to the chambers of the guns they were originally fired in? Or am I missing a step here?

PS: these problem loads each ended up with a small nick in the bullet just above where the bullet meets the brass, almost like what you might expect from a misfeed on an auto-loader.
Dont know if that is useful info to explain what might be happening.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Did you full length size the used brass? or just neck size? Neck sizing only works well when you are sizing brass that has been fire formed to the chamber you are loading for. This is due to the variations in chambers due to manufacturing tolerances. Your Kimber (being the high quality piece that it is), most likely has a chamber cut to the smaller end of SAAMI specs, or has a match chamber. The brass you bought could have been fired in any number of different rifles, each with its own chamber dimensions, and are probably at the larger end of SAAMI specs. If the head space is on the tight side on your rifle, and generous on the once fired brass, you will end up with the same problem, brass that is too long for your chamber. Your solution is to get yourself a bullet puller and go to work disassembling those loads, then full length size the brass. Before you load them up again, chamber each one of them in your rifle to make sure that they will function.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Just making sure I understand what you are saying here Loke, (because I am new to re-loading)

So after pulling the bullets, you are suggesting getting a case trimmer and calipers to make sure that my cases are exactly the right length?
Or are there any other steps to full length sizing that I need to know about?
Thanks for your input 8)


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

After you pull the bullets, and dump the powder (you can re-use it), remove the decapping pin from your sizing die. But you need to replace the expander ball and stem. The pin is used to push the spent primer out of the case. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DECAP A LIVE PRIMER. IT WILL IGNITE. Adjust your sizing die so that it contacts the shell holder at the top of the stroke. Then size your brass. Remember to lubricate your brass prior to sizing. I prefer the spray from Hornaday. This will push the shoulder back to minimum specs, and will also size the case body to minimum specs. You need to do this with the expander ball in place, so that the inside neck diameter will allow you to seat a bullet in the case. What brand are your dies? They may or may not allow you perform this procedure.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Is the over-all length of your loaded cartridges within factory specs? Your loading manual should give you this info.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Loke said:


> What brand are your dies? They may or may not allow you perform this procedure.


I have Redding dies for my .308. But I am not entirely sure if it came with an expander ball...
It came with two neck sizing dies (One with the de-capping pin and one without, but the option to put another pin into it).


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Thanks for the advice Loke!
I dropped the die all the way down, and it did the trick  

I didnt consider the factors that would effect the brass when it was fired in another gun. I was just following the same procedures I normally do with my original brass that was only fired in my rifle, and couldnt figure out what had happened.  I guess that was a real duh moment.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm glad to hear that it all worked out. Most of my handloading knowledge came the hard way, and I am glad that others might learn from my adventures.
By the way, the expander ball is the bulge on the stem in your sizing die. It opens up the case neck so that it holds the bullet with the proper tension. That is the resistance you feel on the down stroke when you size a case.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

You are a wealth of knowledge Loke!

I am still confused why it fixed my problem by setting the die up that way, but I am glad it did the trick!

You rock 8)


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

By full length resizing you actually set the shoulder back a bit. That is probably where you were too tight in the first place. Ya, to full length size, the shell holder should bump the die when full up. Now they should fit any chamber. (within spec) You can try some in the gun before loading them.


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## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

Look at it this way, when you buy a pair of shoes, you have to try them on every single time because they are NOT always the same size even though they may all be marked "size 9" or whatever.
This is exactly the same thing with rifle chambers.
RARELY will two guns have exactly the same chamber dimensions, even if they are both MATCH grade. Though they will be a lot closer to each other than they are likely to be to any chamber which is NOT match.
So unless you happen to luck out and get once fired from an extra tight chamber, and happen to have a relatively loose chamber yourself, you will not be able to just randomly interchange them.
That is why full length resizing is necessary and desireable when buying once fired or even NEW brass, this assures you that the brass will fit in any chamber which has been manufactured to SAAMI specs for that caliber. Also you will want to use your calipers to make sure that the Over All Length of the _brass_ is short enough to chamber as well, you can actually do this one of two ways, either by the SAAMI specs in your reloading manual(best), or by measuring the cases you have that have already been fired in your rifle. Do this AFTER the full length resizing as this may affect the length.

Keeping ALL your brass the same length and neck thickness is one of the accuracy issues that match shooters and accuracy snobs (like _*me*_ :mrgreen: ) go through to assure a minimum of variation when we shoot.

Once you have fired it in YOUR gun, then you can neck size only at least a few times before having to trim and/or resize.
Also make sure that you chamber EVERY round you load in your rifle BEFORE hauling into the field, for exactly the reason you discovered. I have had batches of 50-100 rounds loaded that for some, as still yet undiscovered reason, suddenly quit chambering halfway through the batch. Never did figure out what adjustment got knocked off, but when I load now, I chamber EVERY round before I take it out.
In fact I have been known to pull rounds off the press and stick them right into the gun when feeling especially paranoid.

Hope that cleared up your confusion.


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