New to reloading

[Chas1]

I think you're on the right track. If you don't mind experimenting with one of the factory loaded cartridges try seating the bullet a little deeper in 0.005" steps. Maybe 3 or 4 steps should be enough to see if the bullet is touching the lands.

Another thought .... coat the bullet on one of the factory loaded cartridges with a permanent marker. Chamber the cartridge and then remove. Look over the bullet carefully too see if there was interference anywhere.

+1 That's how I eventually find exact length to lands and back off .010 and start load development.

 

[SSG Graybush]

I'm just getting into reloading and have a question. I have most everything I need as far as the tools needed. I don't have the components needed to make bullets, yet. I had a bunch of spent brass and set up my FL resizing die to bump the shoulders .0002. All good there, checked resized brass in the chamber with the firing/cocking mechanism and the extractor removed. Bolt handle drops with no help from me. I checked a Hornady 150 ELD-X cartridge and had a bit of resistance on the bolt handle. My Hornady head space gauge only showed a .0001 difference between the resized brass and the cartridge. Is that enough to cause that much resistance or can I assume the bullet is getting jammed into the lands?

It could be jamming. To find 0 jump clean the chamber and bore. Remove bolt. Take a loaded round or dummy thats brass is bumped back only 1.5 to 2 thou from fired, FL sized, and seat the bullet long. Shove it in the chamber, it hangs in the lands. Tap it out with a cleaning rod. Shorten by 2 thou at a time and repeat. Till it doesnt hang. You can find O jump this way. This method works great. Remember this tid bit. A seating depth node may only be 6 thou across.
Learn the Satterlee and OCW load development methods.

 

[Leatherneck]

I'll try and answer everyone's questions. I have a factory Remington 700 action mated to a Kreiger barrel chambered for 7mm-08. I also had them do their accurizing package when they installed the barrel. I'm using once fired Remington brass from this rifle. I measured several spent cases and zeroed my caliper and then bumped .002, then trimmed to 2.025. I removed the cocking mechanism and extractor from the bolt to check resized case fit. Bolt had no resistance at all. I'm new to this so be gentle on me . I have a box of Hornady 150 ELDx's, I chambered a few and encountered a bit of resistance. Basically my question is is this normal with the extractor and cocking mechanism removed? There is only a .001 difference on the shoulders between my resized brass and a Hornady cartridge. I haven't checked case length on the Hornady's yet.

 

[misterc01]

Ubnkess I missed something, IMHO you need some more measuring devices, not just a caliper. Also, depends on what kind of caliper you have. For instance:
Mitutoyo calipers accuracy - Starrett and Mitutoyo calipers measure to 0.001″ (thousandths) or 0.0005″ accuracy. Micrometers improve on this by measuring down to 0.0001″ (ten-thousandths) or even 0.00005″ accuracy. In addition to the highest accuracy, micrometers tend to be more durable.
Then there is the Hornady OAL gauge for 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 between average accuracy and real tack-driver performance You can also send once fired cases (tw0O to Hornady to have them tap them for the gauge so it matches your fired brass from your chamber. .At that point, you have a system for measuring

 

[DWier]

If I'm not mistaken I believe the Hornady Modified Case is about 0.005 longer than one you send them to drill and tap so you need to take that into consideration. Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[BoomFlop]

What is the freebore? It could be too short for the 150 ELD X. Like someone else mentioned, try coloring the bullet with marker. Chamber and see if the lands rub the marker off.

Keep in mind that every bullet's distance to lands will be different, even lots of the same bullet maybe different.

Steve

 

[Rflshootr]

What part of PA are you in? Any where close to the MD line?

 

[gbett308]

I have a bullet puller on the way, I thought about taking a couple rounds apart and experimenting. The marker trick sounds good. Thanks.

I bought some of those Hornady precision hunter 150 eld-x's for my 7mm-08 too and found the same issue with chambering. my rem 700 cdl-sf is factory and has not as of yet had the chamber reamed out, thinking I need to get this done to seat longer available 7mm bullets.
Anyhow, I did take apart the Hornady 150 eldx factory rounds to experiment and here is what I found: powder charges varied by up to .6 grains, bullet weights were all +/-.1 grain, brass sizing was good (all the same). So, here is what I did...evened up all the powder charges (some were over, some under) to the common charge found. I reseated the eld-x's in a hair so they load and chamber well. I then took them to the range and found I now had a very accurate round with solid muzzle velocities as advertised. In fact, The groups were highly competitive with my hunting loads. Remember, this is just my analysis of a single box of this ammo.

 

[Jim’s Hunt]

It sounds like the members are all giving you good advice. My guess is that bullet is touching lands and if you seat it deeper in small increments you will find your bolt will eventually close easy

Ive never see a factory load touch th lands because of pressure issues????

 

[DWier]

I agree with gbett308. Try seating your factory 150 eldx 0.001 deeper and I'll bet you won't have a problem. Also, unless you are planning on competing you probably won't need a micrometer. Use a bushing FL sizer and this will help minimize runout. Yes a micrometer is the only real way to measure runout but a bushing sizer will help keep it to a minimum and will keep the neck tight.
Just my thoughts and I am not an expert reloader.

 

[Leatherneck]

I bought some of those Hornady precision hunter 150 eld-x's for my 7mm-08 too and found the same issue with chambering. my rem 700 cdl-sf is factory and has not as of yet had the chamber reamed out, thinking I need to get this done to seat longer available 7mm bullets.
Anyhow, I did take apart the Hornady 150 eldx factory rounds to experiment and here is what I found: powder charges varied by up to .6 grains, bullet weights were all +/-.1 grain, brass sizing was good (all the same). So, here is what I did...evened up all the powder charges (some were over, some under) to the common charge found. I reseated the eld-x's in a hair so they load and chamber well. I then took them to the range and found I now had a very accurate round with solid muzzle velocities as advertised. In fact, The groups were highly competitive with my hunting loads. Remember, this is just my analysis of a single box of this ammo.

I went to the range today to get sighted in with my new scope. Vortex 6-24x50. Bore sighted at fifty and shot 5 rounds to adjust, Remington 140 Corlokt's. Moved over to the 100 and shot one 4 round group with the Hornady 150 ELDx's right out of the box. I was impressed with the group from a factory round. I'm gonna try seating a little deeper for my next trip to the range.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Nice going!

 

[gbett308]

I went to the range today to get sighted in with my new scope. Vortex 6-24x50. Bore sighted at fifty and shot 5 rounds to adjust, Remington 140 Corlokt's. Moved over to the 100 and shot one 4 round group with the Hornady 150 ELDx's right out of the box. I was impressed with the group from a factory round. I'm gonna try seating a little deeper for my next trip to the range.

Not bad for a jarhead, Semper Fi!!!

 

[Leatherneck]

Not bad for a jarhead, Semper Fi!!!

Yeah I was a little off but I'll take it.