Why won’t my bolt close?

[MNbogboy]

That's what I've been doing. Thanks

Referring to annealing...with no annealing the force applied to the neck sizing may be distorting the other case dimensions.
On the other hand over annealing the shoulder area may allow for distortion also.
Just another thought.

 

[LDHunter]

I guess I'll have to start FL sizing now that people tell me the neck sizing I've been doing for over 20 years simply won't work. Dang... And I thought all that great accuracy and simply using the Lee Collet die was great and all the time it saved was wonderful but now I've been edjemekated.... Heck I've even used neck sized only brass in my AR-15 with no problems... Boy was I stoopid... Isn't the internet wonderful?

 

[Todd Gansel]

Im shooting a Bergara B14 HMR in the dreaded 6.5 C M. Load is 143 ELDx, 41.5 gr. H4350 CCI BR2 primers, Hornady cases. Seated .015 off the lands. Here's the problem if I neck size a fire formed case the bolt will not close on about half of the rounds. I neck size everything except 223 and have never ran into this. Any ideas, suggestions. Don't really want to FL size if I can keep from it. Thanks!

The other side of the coin are you measuring the COL from the ogive or tip to base? I find that using these high BC bullets the ogive really varies and you are pushing into the lans.

 

[winsx3]

This may or may not help but I ran into this same problem once before. It turned out that the front action screw protruded just enough into the bolt lug recess that when the bolt was closed on a cartridge it wouldn't close the whole way. When the bolt was closed on a empty chamber you would never know there was a problem. All I did was just grind off .030" of the bolt and problem solved.

 

[rick523]

The other side of the coin are you measuring the COL from the ogive or tip to base? I find that using these high BC bullets the ogive really varies and you are pushing into the lans.

From ogive.

 

[misterc01]

I use a neck sizing die, and I have used the Lee Collet die, both do a good job. I also use and RCBS Precision Mic to check and set my headspace, and since I started doing the I have had no bolt closure problems.

 

[Nomad8961]

You get one of those free with every rifle purchase! Its called your chamber and none of them are alike! That is true I like them for pistol and semi auto reloads since I'm doing a larger amount of them and there is less need for as much attention to detail compared to my bolt gun calibers.