Bullet touching lands reloading question

[Varmint Hunter]

Big E,

Thank you for the informative post. I have never seen such a wide variance in headspace tolerances. I may be spoiled by shooting custom chambered rifles and high quality brass. All of my reloaded cases are resized to provide .002" shoulder set-back.
With the variables you site, it isn't surprising that case head separation exists.

 

[bigedp51]

Big E,

Thank you for the informative post. I have never seen such a wide variance in headspace tolerances. I may be spoiled by shooting custom chambered rifles and high quality brass. All of my reloaded cases are resized to provide .002" shoulder set-back.
With the variables you site, it isn't surprising that case head separation exists.

You will love this...............

Below a Enfield rifle with .016 head clearance.

And below the cure for excess Enfield head clearance. You slip a small thin rubber o-ring around the case and the o-ring holds the case against the bolt face.

Below using 100 grain .312 pistol bullets and reduced loads to fire form cases.

You can not jam the bullet into the rifling on a worn Enfield rifle that has cordite powder throat erosion. The British cordite powder had more nitroglycerin in it than many pistol powders have today. (barrel burners)

 

[MagnumManiac]

Just so I have this right.........when I put an unfired and UNSIZED case in I should have some resistance ........and I do just a bit tight. But I FL resize my cases before I load them the first time for uniformity after that I do NOT have any resistance. Should I not resize them out of the bag? Just load them?

Thanks for your input..........Earl

No, the only things I do to new brass if the case necks are dinged is to run about half to three quarters of the neck length into the FL die, a better approach, at least for me, is to buy either a neck only die or a bushing style neck/FL die. The only other thing is to chamfer the case mouth inside and out.
There should be absolutely no LOOSE cases in the chamber when fire forming, they should be very tight with resistance on the bolt when closing, this is what the case is head spacing off of, the .005" negative distance of the chamber to the cases neck/shoulder juncture.
If it's tight as you say, then leave them that way and your brass problems will disappear.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

That has to be the least consistent brass I've ever heard of. Brass that is .010" short in headspacing is an issue. Brass that has to be crushed .005" in a SAAMI chamber is ridiculous.

It appears to me that the issue the poster has is caused by excessive headspace. But .... like I said, I'm not a gunsmith, just an avid shooter/handloader.

AI chambers are not governed by SAAMI, other than the 280AI submitted by Nosler, which btw has incorrect headspace anyway.
The reason there is a .005" negative headspace in an AI chamber is so the case stops on the shoulder/neck juncture, if it didn't do this, the case would stretch until it pulled in two, as the OP has discovered.
Going from a 28 degree shoulder angle to a 40 degree angle has no where for the 28 degree shoulder to touch the chamber to headspace off, other than where the neck meets the shoulder.

Cheers.

 

[earl1704]

Thanks to all..........lowered the powder to minimum load thanks MudRunner2005 spaced my shell holder so no loose cases, thanks MagnumManiac and Bigedp51. Went out shooting today very happy with results I can start fire forming and load development now.
My old man used to say things get real easy right after someone shows you how!

Again thanks to all.....................Earl

 

[MagnumManiac]

Thanks to all..........lowered the powder to minimum load thanks MudRunner2005 spaced my shell holder so no loose cases, thanks MagnumManiac and Bigedp51. Went out shooting today very happy with results I can start fire forming and load development now.
My old man used to say things get real easy right after someone shows you how!

Again thanks to all.....................Earl

You are very welcome.

Cheers.