Brass is hard to chamber after full-length resize

[Teri Anne]

I'm reloading 6.5 PRC Hornady brass. Factory ammo chambers fine. After resizing the brass using a Hornady match full-length resize die, the brass barely chambers—the bolt is sticky loading and unloading the brass. I have the die set so the case goes as far into the die as possible (shell holder hits the bottom of the die and cams over). Hornady customer services says it's because the match-grade dies only bump the shoulder .002" and the custom dies will bump the shoulder farther back.

Does anyone know if this is true? Let's be honest, there's a ton of misinformation in the guns/ammo/reloading world, and I've learned not to trust something just because someone who should know what they're talking about says it (because a lot of them don't actually know, even though they should).

Seems to me that bumping the shoulder even .002" should be enough for it chamber without the bolt getting sticky. I'm suspicious that the resizing die I got is out-of-spec (happened before w/ a Hornady .308 custom die and the problem resolved when I got a .308 match die).

Should I just get another resizing die, this time not a Hornady, and see if that fixes the issue? Dillon doesn't make 6.5 PRC dies yet, so I'd have to get Forster, RCBS, or Redding. Recommendations on which one to get?

I have recently run into this same issue after upgrading from an RCBS Jr press to a new Turret press. Same dies that worked well in the Jr didn't in the turret. RCBS said to run the ram up to the bottom of the die and turn it farther down 1/8 to 1/4 turn more. 1/4 turn seems to have cured the issue which was probably caused by the flexing of the turret plate. Make sure that the cartridges are well lubed. Hope this helps.

 

[Greyfox]

Perhaps not relevant, but I had the same issue with Hornady 6.5x284 brass. I had no issues with Lapua or Norma brass, leading me to the speculate that their 6.5x284 brass would expand excessively in the web area…Well beyond the sizing range of my spec'd dies. Not sure whether this was a specific lot issue since I tossed the brass and discontinued further use. Maybe try another brand(or lot) of brass with your 6.5 PRC.

 

[Blkrflguy]

Just reading you're OP. I was going to suggest either your die isn't sizing all the way down, or, your chamber is cut on the shorth side and your die isn't sizing down that far.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

I'm reloading 6.5 PRC Hornady brass. Factory ammo chambers fine. After resizing the brass using a Hornady match full-length resize die, the brass barely chambers—the bolt is sticky loading and unloading the brass. I have the die set so the case goes as far into the die as possible (shell holder hits the bottom of the die and cams over). Hornady customer services says it's because the match-grade dies only bump the shoulder .002" and the custom dies will bump the shoulder farther back.

Does anyone know if this is true? Let's be honest, there's a ton of misinformation in the guns/ammo/reloading world, and I've learned not to trust something just because someone who should know what they're talking about says it (because a lot of them don't actually know, even though they should).

Seems to me that bumping the shoulder even .002" should be enough for it chamber without the bolt getting sticky. I'm suspicious that the resizing die I got is out-of-spec (happened before w/ a Hornady .308 custom die and the problem resolved when I got a .308 match die).

Should I just get another resizing die, this time not a Hornady, and see if that fixes the issue? Dillon doesn't make 6.5 PRC dies yet, so I'd have to get Forster, RCBS, or Redding. Recommendations on which one to get?

I'm reloading 6.5 PRC Hornady brass. Factory ammo chambers fine. After resizing the brass using a Hornady match full-length resize die, the brass barely chambers—the bolt is sticky loading and unloading the brass. I have the die set so the case goes as far into the die as possible (shell holder hits the bottom of the die and cams over). Hornady customer services says it's because the match-grade dies only bump the shoulder .002" and the custom dies will bump the shoulder farther back.

Does anyone know if this is true? Let's be honest, there's a ton of misinformation in the guns/ammo/reloading world, and I've learned not to trust something just because someone who should know what they're talking about says it (because a lot of them don't actually know, even though they should).

Seems to me that bumping the shoulder even .002" should be enough for it chamber without the bolt getting sticky. I'm suspicious that the resizing die I got is out-of-spec (happened before w/ a Hornady .308 custom die and the problem resolved when I got a .308 match die).

Should I just get another resizing die, this time not a Hornady, and see if that fixes the issue? Dillon doesn't make 6.5 PRC dies yet, so I'd have to get Forster, RCBS, or Redding. Recommendations on which one to get?

What brand rifle or action?

 

[chromatica]

Get yourself an RCBS case gauge in 6.5 PRC:

Precision Mic | RCBS

RCBS Precision Mics determine chamber headspace and bullet seat depth by measuring from the datum point on the case shoulder to the base of the case.

www.rcbs.com

Measure the length of an unfired factory case. Measure the length of a fired case. Measure the length of a sized case that comes out of your die. This will tell you where the problem lies.

 

[James Legg]

Try a small base die, I had the same trouble 7.62x39 and went to a small base. It fix the problem. A friend of mine had the same problem and he which to a small base die and it helped him

 

[sodakota]

On a similar issue I was told by the company's technician to turn the sizing die 1/3 turn past touching the base.

 

[chromatica]

Get yourself an RCBS case gauge in 6.5 PRC:

Precision Mic | RCBS

RCBS Precision Mics determine chamber headspace and bullet seat depth by measuring from the datum point on the case shoulder to the base of the case.

www.rcbs.com

Measure the length of an unfired factory case. Measure the length of a fired case. Measure the length of a sized case that comes out of your die. This will tell you where the problem lies.

 

[chromatica]

You might need to shave some material off the top face of your shellholder to get the setback that you want. Sized cases should be .002 shorter than the length of your chamber. You can measure the length of your chamber with a set of Lock-n-Load O.A.L gauges:

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges & Modified Cases - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauges Regulating seating depth and the resulting jump to the rifling is widely regarded as fundamental to improved accuracy. A few thousandths of an inch change between the bullet and the rifling can make the difference be...

www.hornady.com

 

[ORTW1]

I doubt it's a chamber too tight. That fired cases expanded 2thou near webs, at least, tells me you have plenty of clearance.
Opening the chamber further will just allow even more growth & kill case life.

If near webs are left in interference fit with the chamber then you likely have weak breech support for the cartridge & load.
If your die doesn't counter that, then the die may be right -but no good for you.
Personally, I'd have a custom die made from fired cases.

Where is the brass sticking? Is it the shoulder or the belt just ahead of the rim. Find this and you can diagnose the problem.

 

[450hunter]

I was just thinking about buying a Savage 110 Ultralite 6.5prc but now I'm wondering about that. It has a Proof Research carbon wrapped barrel. Maybe I might need to reconsider cartridge choices?

 

[jshepherd61]

I'm reloading 6.5 PRC Hornady brass. Factory ammo chambers fine. After resizing the brass using a Hornady match full-length resize die, the brass barely chambers—the bolt is sticky loading and unloading the brass. I have the die set so the case goes as far into the die as possible (shell holder hits the bottom of the die and cams over). Hornady customer services says it's because the match-grade dies only bump the shoulder .002" and the custom dies will bump the shoulder farther back.

Does anyone know if this is true? Let's be honest, there's a ton of misinformation in the guns/ammo/reloading world, and I've learned not to trust something just because someone who should know what they're talking about says it (because a lot of them don't actually know, even though they should).

Seems to me that bumping the shoulder even .002" should be enough for it chamber without the bolt getting sticky. I'm suspicious that the resizing die I got is out-of-spec (happened before w/ a Hornady .308 custom die and the problem resolved when I got a .308 match die).

Should I just get another resizing die, this time not a Hornady, and see if that fixes the issue? Dillon doesn't make 6.5 PRC dies yet, so I'd have to get Forster, RCBS, or Redding. Recommendations on which one to get?

This is 100% true on both the 6.5 PRC and the 300 PRC. There are hundreds of articles online regarding this topic. Redding has even manufactured specific does to alleviate this issue. The SAMI specifications the die manufacturers utilized in developing standard and match dies did not take into account the amount of length expansion in the PRC cases. An alternative to buying a full set of new dies (although I have four sets of both the PRC's) is to utilize the RCBS match extended shell holder with allows the die body to go slightly down over the shell holder allowing you to bump the shoulder to what you need.

 

[cactus02]

If the day is as low as it goes and you're still getting sticking try trimming the top of the shell holder a couple thousands see if that may be frees you up the other thing I would do would be paint the fire case with a magic with a magic marker run it in there and see if you can she visually where are you rubbing it off itIf the day is as low as it goes and you're still getting sticking try trimming the top of the shell holder a couple thousands see if that may be frees you up the other thing I would do would be paint the fire case with a magic with a magic marker run it in there and see if you can she visually where are you rubbing it off and where it's too tight.

 

[Russell Sonner]

I am assuming the fired cases are from your rifle? If they are, the fired case is sized to your chamber and should rechamber nicely. Compare the two. If when manually inserting the resized case does it compare the same overall with an unsized case?or is it at some point more difficult to slide in? If it is tighter then obviously your die is creating a bulge when it bumps the shoulder, probably because it is an out of spec die. You should be able to take your caliper and find where the bulge is. Could you be bumping the shoulder to much? bulging the base maybe? Before and after diameter measurements should tell the story.