Bolt Sticking! Is it my load?

[Planenut]

My new Sendero 7mag maxes out early too.

I tried H1000 recently and started with 68 grains. Bolt was just barely sticky. At 68.5 it was requiring quite a bit of resistance. Velocity at 68 was 2916 and 68.5 2950 if memory Steve's me correctly. I plan on trying some more at 67.5 grains.

I was using once fired and full length resized Hornady brass and Winchester large rifle magnum primers and Berger 168 VLD Classic Hunters. .040 jump.

Best load so far for me has been 64.2 grains of H4831 @ 2870 fps. .6 MOA

Hope that helps.

 

[Dick Tinsley]

+2 I would like to mention that a sticky or stuck bolt is the beginning of problems when brass is longer than the maximum length. The bigger picture is that when a round is chambered there is a potential that the brass will not be able to release the bullet before the case fails. The resulting pressure spike could have disastrous results for both the gun and/or shooter.

I agree 100%!!! I would at lest start with trimming the brass!

 

[Planenut]

I agree 100%!!! I would at lest start with trimming the brass!

Mine are measured and/or trimmed to SAAMI specs after each firing. I don't think that is my issue unless the barrel is cut wrong.

 

[Dick Tinsley]

Mine are measured and/or trimmed to SAAMI specs after each firing. I don't think that is my issue unless the barrel is cut wrong.

I have seen it happen before! Might be something to look into! Lest it's one thing eliminated! ( the brass issue) Just my 2cts!

DT

 

[Deederswy]

Sorry for the late reply, got a case trimmer, problem solved. Thanks everyone for the input!

 

[Trickymissfit]

dig thru the brass that stuck in the chamber (unsized). Look to see if there is a bulge in the brass just above the belt. Will show up as a bright ring. Then measure that ring as compared to the area just behind the belt. Most all full length dies don't size all the way down to the belt. This is a common problem with all belted magnums. Inovative Tech makes a die to resize that area all the way down to the belt
gary

 

[loaders_loft]

So many questions...

Before trimming brass, have you measured your chamber length to find the trim length for that chamber? Have you measured your chamber to find the maximum seating depth, and are you using a comparator for consistent readings? Are you measuring brass length each and every time after resizing? Are powder charges verified with scale readings?

Sinclair Chamber Length Gage | Sinclair Intl

HORNADY LOCK-N-LOAD OAL GAUGE (STANDARD) | Sinclair Intl

HORNADY LOCK-N-LOAD MODIFIED CASES | Sinclair Intl

HORNADY LOCK-N-LOAD BULLET COMPARATOR BASIC SET | Sinclair Intl

 

[loaders_loft]

one more thing, don't leave a loaded round in a hot chamber very long prior to firing. This can lead to preheating the round and generating more pressure than expected otherwise.