Hard bolt Lift

[BALLISTICJESUS]

Do you get bolt "Click"? When you lift the bolt, on a fired case. Does the bolt handle click, kind of hang up at the top of the stroke and may require a little shaking or excessive pressure to the rear to remove the fired case from the chamber? In my experience, the first loads were excessive pressure wise and stretched the base of the case. The full length sizing die wont bring it back to a small enough dimension at the base to rechamber with out a slight crush fit.

You can check to see if this is the case. By measuring the dimension of a new case base just above the extractor groove. Then measure a fired case in the same spot. Then you can measure a full length sized case in the same spot. Another sign is a slightly shiny ring around the bottom of the case just above the extractor groove from a case dragging against the chamber wall.

I did this last summer with a 25 SAUM and ADG brass. My first few fire forming loads were to high. There were no pressure signs. On the second loading mine did exactly what your is doing. I tossed those cases. Dropped my fire forming powder charge and the issue went away.

 

[wonderman4]

OP'er hasn't been back since Sunday, so maybe he figgered out the cause and hasn't reported back.

Lots of suggestions, some make sense, some don't.

 

[martyj]

I'm still here just waiting on neck trunner that I ordered and hasn't shipped yet.
They sure are slow shipping stuff any more.
I didnt have one big enough for 338 lapua cases.

 

[Eric H]

I'm still here just waiting on neck trunner that I ordered and hasn't shipped yet.
They sure are slow shipping stuff any more.
I didnt have one big enough for 338 lapua cases.

Hopefully this solves your problem and you can get out and do what we all love to do which is shooting, shooting and more shooting.

 

[cookvineyards]

This has happened to a couple of times once was because I didn't have the brass resized appropriately. Neck triming a thou too long, something along the lines of case dimensions. The chamber itself might be a little tight, so a second firing makes the brass a little sticky. One time I had a bur that lodged inside the action that put extra pressure behind the bolt lugs, this created some galling behind the lugs so the new brass on first firing was fine, second firing I was un able to lift the bolt properly. I had the lugs polished and that fixed that issue. The second time was the headspace was probably a half a thou too tight, that second fired brass would fit fine when feeding but wouldn't come out well. Once I reset the headspace on the barrel that solved the issue. If course there is always the obvious over pressure on the load side. One time I accidentally loaded with magnum primers when I should have only used large rifle. It didn't take me long to figure that out, but a simple oversight can caus problems too. Good luck.

 

[LRHWAL]

Excessive case length is far more common than many expect, which was why I suspected that. Many assume that cases "don't stretch so fast". I hear this particularly with those loading for AR's on progressives because trimming is such a PITA. I've experienced excessive length from a first resize of fired factory ammo (brass). Also a custom chamber is far more likely to be less forgiving than factory chambers.

 

[BrentM]

If you get to a point you want to know exactly how much room yiunor don't have for trimming, get some Sinclair gauges. You will sacrifice a piece of brass but it tells you something you won't know otherwise, your specific case overall and trim to length. I will say that I find improper headspace as being one of the biggest issues, been there, when resizing a case using crappy calipers and headspace gauge. Now I have mit calipers and don't worry about accuracy of the readings.

 

[wonderman4]

Cartridge cases do not have headspace. Only the chamber has headspace. We size our brass cartridge cases to match the chamber headspace -0.001" to -0.002".

The actual headspace of any firearm is the distance from the breech face to the point in the chamber that is intended to prevent forward motion of a cartridge.

 

[BrentM]

Cartridge cases do not have headspace. Only the chamber has headspace. We size our brass cartridge cases to match the chamber headspace -0.001" to -0.002".

The actual headspace of any firearm is the distance from the breech face to the point in the chamber that is intended to prevent forward motion of a cartridge.

Sure would think everyone knows that here.

 

[Rob L.]

I've read that most size their brass to -0.001 to -0.002 thousands, which is exactly what I used to do.
Now, I set my brass to 0.000" to +0.001". After checking each shoulder with a Starrett tenth digital indicator, I then physically bolt close on each resized piece to check that the bolt still closes freely or just a smidgen of resistance...a tiny tiny bit if any.
I read about this method a few years ago. This set up suspends the cartridge between the bolt face and chamber shoulder, allowing best alignment to bore, plus reduced case stretch to some minimal degree.
The method made sense to me so I tried it.
I am NOT suggesting for others to do this, but once I tried it, it shrunk my groups and they were consistently better, especially with rifles that did not group as well as I wanted.
Rob-

 

[BrentM]

I've read that most size their brass to -0.001 to -0.002 thousands, which is exactly what I used to do.
Now, I set my brass to 0.000" to +0.001". After checking each shoulder with a Starrett tenth digital indicator, I then physically bolt close on each resized piece to check that the bolt still closes freely or just a smidgen of resistance...a tiny tiny bit if any.
I read about this method a few years ago. This set up suspends the cartridge between the bolt face and chamber shoulder, allowing best alignment to bore, plus reduced case stretch to some minimal degree.
The method made sense to me so I tried it.
I am NOT suggesting for others to do this, but once I tried it, it shrunk my groups and they were consistently better, especially with rifles that did not group as well as I wanted.
Rob-

Interesting. I've messed with this a little bit and wound up having to reduce charge too much to keep from getting sticky bolt and clicks etc. I am not sure this method works with all shoulder designs etc. Not experienced enough with all that but definitely feel too much head space is bad, too little can be.

 

[Dsmiley]

I already backed off 5 grains from firing the new brass.
Should I keep going in your opinion?

Sounds like headspace not bumping shoulder back enough

 

[Rob L.]

If your bolt lift was fine with your initial load, and if no signs of pressure, than I'd say it's not in the load, right?
It has to be because of sizing or trimming that does not reduce the brass to fit your chamber.

 

[martyj]

Tried turning necks and trimming cases and chamber still seems tight on resized brass compared to any other rifle i have ever reloaded for.
The brass measures shorter after resizing it full length but when put in rifle and bolt close it shines the head of the case just like shinny circle where the bolt is swiping and the brass in not loose in chamber.
Ordered a new resizing die. I was using Redding shoulder bump die to resize.
Might have to send it to someone smarter than me.