Rifle reloads not chambering

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Muk

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I have been loading pistol for years but I have just started loading rifle (223) and when I load them in the magazine some will chamber in my ar15 and others the bolt will not close all the way and gets stuck and I have to use a screwdriver to pry it open. I am using the lee 3 die set one a classic turret with full length sizer and checking them on a chamber gauge.

Any suggestions?
 
I don't have an AR but on occasion I've had difficulty with getting my sizing die adjusted properly. I'm shooting a Remington 700. Bought a Wilson case gage and it helped show where my brass was out of spec and got my sizer adjusted properly. Now I have a case gage for each rifle caliber I shoot and use them to check my brass each time I resize.
 
incorrect measurment on something or might need SB die

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Most all 5.56 chamber are pretty generous and should not require a SB die.

My guess is the sizing die not set correctly or you crimped and buckled the necks. No need to crimp, causes more problems than benefit.
 
Muk said:
I have been loading pistol for years but I have just started loading rifle (223) and when I load them in the magazine some will chamber in my ar15 and others the bolt will not close all the way and gets stuck and I have to use a screwdriver to pry it open. I am using the lee 3 die set one a classic turret with full length sizer and checking them on a chamber gauge.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the majority of chamber gauges do not check the case diameter. My guess is the sizing die is not adjusted correctly or when seating the seating die is run down a little too far and pushing the case shoulder base out several thousandths. Pretty much as was already mentioned. Guess you could use a magic marker, dykum or similar and blacken or blue the cases. Now chamber them and let them get stuck. Remove the case and note where the scrape marks are.

Ron
 
Take a black sharpie marker and color the case and bullet, then try to chamber it. You'll see the ink rubbed off of the surfaces that are interfering with chambering. My guess is that the seating die isn't set up correctly and is buckling the shoulder slightly when the mouth of the case hits crimp shelf (not sure if that's what it's called, but works for me). Lee makes two different "Dead Length Seating Die" styles and the one that comes with the 3-die rifle set is designed to crimp. The die that comes with the Lee 2-die neck-size set doesn't crimp and has a somewhat different setup than the other.

Most chamber gauges only check that the case has the correct distance from the shoulder to the case head and they aren't cut with an actual chamber reamer. They usually won't catch buckled shoulders unless it's a horrendous example.

Matt
 
Screw your F/L die in another 1/8th of a turn. F/L size a fired case and make a dummy round (no bullet or powder) see if that chambers. That may be the problem. Not bumping the case shoulder back far enough. It's easy to do, see if it works.
 
I forgot to mention in the origial post that I was using the lee factory crimp die. I will try not crimping and see what happens
 
A lot of great replies I will try the sharpie trick and adjusting the die! I guess I should have thought to try the round in the chamber instead of relying on the chamber gauge.
 
There are generally three reasons a reload won't chamber:

1. Bullet seated out too far and hitting the lands.

2. Shoulder not pushed back enough by sizing die.

3. Base of case not adequately reduced -- this is where a small base die comes in.
 
I had a few slightly crumpled shoulders on some 300blk i was loading tonight that were caused by too light of a chamfer on the case mouth. Flat based bullets and soft brass, you almost couldn't tell that the shoulder was messed up, but it failed the plunk test. Thought my seating die was out of whack, but I finally found out what was going on. Might be something like that. But use the sharpie trick, it works!

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I guess these problems do not only happen with the Swiss K31. Visually inspect and confirm that the shellholder and die with cartridge brass in place do not have a gap between them, as you exert your max sizing force. Bad lubrication and press flexing can be culperts.Best
 
The LCT does have some flex in it. If you have some cases that are particularly hard to resize, I'm guessing that your sizing dies isn't set properly and the base of those cases isn't being sized. Be sure there's no daylight showing between the base of the die and the shellholder when the ram is at the top of the stroke, especially on those cases that require a lot of effort.
 
+1 Salmoneye!

90% of the cartridges I see at my gun club that won't chamber show very slight bulges at the neck/shoulder. This is due to attempting to crimp while bullet seating or poor adjustment of the bullet seating die so the cartridge case mouth encounters the crimp while seating. Seating and crimping need to be done as SEPARATE steps.
 
No issues using the Lee die to size .223 for my AR or Mini14 so I don't think you need a SB die. IF you don't have a case gauge (I use the Wilson one) pick one up.

Something is not adjusted right.
get a sharpie and color all of a loaded round. (bullet and case)
Try to chamber it. You should see scuff marks on wherever it is hitting that is preventing it from chambering and then you have an idea of what needs to be adjusted.
 
What I normally see happen is the cases aren't trimmed properly, the crimping is done when seating the bullet which can bump the shoulder back or machine gun fired brass that wasn't resized with a SB die.
 
**Update**

Well I adjusted the sizing die down 1/4 turn and loaded 50 rounds and each chambered and fired flawlessly.
 
high five! This reloading is a process...and it takes time. We're all here to learn, expand the craft, share, and have fun!

Now, go shoot those reloads !

Mark
 
I'm glad that you have gotten your reloads to chamber, but if your chamber gage said your brass was sized enough and it took another 1/4 turn to get them to chamber. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Did you buy once fired brass that was fired in an unknown firearm? Was the brass a new factory load that was fired in your rifle then you reloaded it?
 
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