jpitt16
Member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
- Messages
- 14
Hi all, I am having an issue with 308 Win headspace and I’d love to hear what you think might be the problem.
Background: I have a Dillon650 that I’ve been using over a decade for various calibers and thousands of reloads later (mostly once fired mil brass), I’m having an issue with 308 which I recently started loading.
The first 100 rounds (new commercial brass, not 7.62) chambered and fired perfectly.
Now after reloading the once fired brass, the rounds fail to chamber in 308 lever action, keeping the gun slightly out of battery. They will chamber and cycle correctly in an AR-10, though I’m assuming the buffer/spring slamming them home is the only reason they seat in the chamber. When trying to eject a live cartridge in the AR10, it requires force and I believe I have a headspace issue (and that it’s dangerous as the weapon could be slightly out of battery).
Before this happened, each reloaded round was inspected, placed in a case gauge and “feel tested” on the base/primer to ensure no obvious fit issues, though they could be slightly out of spec (+0.002) and I would not have felt it.
After I tried firing the rounds and had the chambering issue, I was scratching my head wondering what could have prevented the cartridges from chambering properly; so I went back to the basics. In troubleshooting the headspace issue:
· I measured the now twice fired cases from the AR10 – each case was between 2.010 and 2.013 and “in spec” (beneath 2.015 max length and above the 2.005 trim length).
· I double checked the live reloaded rounds crimp position on the bullets to make sure I did not have a shallow seating issue. Every one was crimped at perfectly half of the bullet crimp “groove”.
· I then checked the sizing die adjustment. It was seated perfectly at the shell plate, but just to be sure, I loosened the lock nut, tightened it down and ran another round… same issue in the lever action; it was slightly out of battery.
I am no professional, but I am super meticulous. If there is anything that I could be doing wrong before I start to blame the equipment, I’d love to know what it is. I’ve exhausted everything I know to check, and at this point I can only figure there must be an abnormality in the sizing die? It sounds stupid, but is that a possibility? For clarity, I also removed the sizing die, inspected the inside (also considered tumbling it), but it was sparkling clean.
Note: Resizing the cases took more force than I’ve ever had to use. It made audible noises and I had used Hornady one shot lube (and was sure to get inside the case neck and apply generously). I was even considering mixing a lanoline case lube, but given the amount of friction, I doubt the difference between lanoline and Hornady one1 shot would make that tremendous of a difference.
The sizing die was part of the 3 die Dillon set.
Thoughts? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Background: I have a Dillon650 that I’ve been using over a decade for various calibers and thousands of reloads later (mostly once fired mil brass), I’m having an issue with 308 which I recently started loading.
The first 100 rounds (new commercial brass, not 7.62) chambered and fired perfectly.
Now after reloading the once fired brass, the rounds fail to chamber in 308 lever action, keeping the gun slightly out of battery. They will chamber and cycle correctly in an AR-10, though I’m assuming the buffer/spring slamming them home is the only reason they seat in the chamber. When trying to eject a live cartridge in the AR10, it requires force and I believe I have a headspace issue (and that it’s dangerous as the weapon could be slightly out of battery).
Before this happened, each reloaded round was inspected, placed in a case gauge and “feel tested” on the base/primer to ensure no obvious fit issues, though they could be slightly out of spec (+0.002) and I would not have felt it.
After I tried firing the rounds and had the chambering issue, I was scratching my head wondering what could have prevented the cartridges from chambering properly; so I went back to the basics. In troubleshooting the headspace issue:
· I measured the now twice fired cases from the AR10 – each case was between 2.010 and 2.013 and “in spec” (beneath 2.015 max length and above the 2.005 trim length).
· I double checked the live reloaded rounds crimp position on the bullets to make sure I did not have a shallow seating issue. Every one was crimped at perfectly half of the bullet crimp “groove”.
· I then checked the sizing die adjustment. It was seated perfectly at the shell plate, but just to be sure, I loosened the lock nut, tightened it down and ran another round… same issue in the lever action; it was slightly out of battery.
I am no professional, but I am super meticulous. If there is anything that I could be doing wrong before I start to blame the equipment, I’d love to know what it is. I’ve exhausted everything I know to check, and at this point I can only figure there must be an abnormality in the sizing die? It sounds stupid, but is that a possibility? For clarity, I also removed the sizing die, inspected the inside (also considered tumbling it), but it was sparkling clean.
Note: Resizing the cases took more force than I’ve ever had to use. It made audible noises and I had used Hornady one shot lube (and was sure to get inside the case neck and apply generously). I was even considering mixing a lanoline case lube, but given the amount of friction, I doubt the difference between lanoline and Hornady one1 shot would make that tremendous of a difference.
The sizing die was part of the 3 die Dillon set.
Thoughts? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
also I'm going to try the lanoline case lube with it as well. Thank you for the recommendation.
