Reloader tip of the day.

[ItsLeo]

When you are reloading brass that was once fired from someone else's rifle. After you do a full length resize and trim. ALWAYS make sure the brass will chamber in your rifle BEFORE proceeding with weighing out powder and seating new bullets.

Using a bullet puller sucks!

It's been a long time since I reloaded brass that someone else shot. If I had remembered to do that it would have saved me some time yesterday.

[canny]

If you correctly full length resize and trim then there should not be any reason to chamber the brass before loading. I bet 50% of the brass I use was fired from someone else's gun, either purchased once fired brass or by getting from friends/family that do not reload.

[SOLID EAGLE]

Sorry for your problems. Bullet pulling sucks. If you are talking about 223 or 308 you might need to try a small base die. They will resize slightly smaller than standard dies. Some AR's can have feeding problems with some "regular" resized brass.

[M16]

If you correctly full length resize and trim then there should not be any reason to chamber the brass before loading.

If you correctly size the brass to fit your rifle's chamber it won't always fit other rifles. Sizing the brass to fit SAAMI spec chambers is not the correct way to size brass for your rifle. The correct way to size brass is to bump the shoulder just enough to chamber. Sizing it down further only creates more headspace leading to shortened brass life and possible case separation.

[PondPopper]

If you correctly size the brass to fit your rifle's chamber it won't always fit other rifles. Sizing the brass to fit SAAMI spec chambers is not the correct way to size brass for your rifle. The correct way to size brass is to bump the shoulder just enough to chamber. Sizing it down further only creates more headspace leading to shortened brass life and possible case separation.

Yes said a mouth full.

[SOLID EAGLE]

Sizing the brass to fit SAAMI spec chambers is not the correct way to size brass for your rifle.

It is when it's been shot out of another rifle or if it's being shot out of a semiauto or if you will be shooting it out of multiple rifles.

[Mike D]

If you correctly size the brass to fit your rifle's chamber it won't always fit other rifles. Sizing the brass to fit SAAMI spec chambers is not the correct way to size brass for your rifle. The correct way to size brass is to bump the shoulder just enough to chamber. Sizing it down further only creates more headspace leading to shortened brass life and possible case separation.

^^^^^^ This is why I now use Redding competition neck bushing dies and only neck size until it will no longer chamber and then I use the body die to bump the shoulder back again.

This is for bolt guns or single shot rifles only and for a single rifle only. If you have multiple guns in the same caliber, be sure to keep the brass/ammo separate.

[ItsLeo]

It is when it's been shot out of another rifle or if it's being shot out of a semiauto or if you will be shooting it out of multiple rifles.

YES!

Apparently some folks missed the part where I stated it was shot from another rifle.

Neck sizing only consistently works for reloading shells fired in the same gun.

If it has been shot from another rifle. I always do a full length resize first. Next trip to the bench is time for neck sizing.

[M16]

YES!

Apparently some folks missed the part where I stated it was shot from another rifle.

That was not the case. My post was not directed at your post. That is why the quote was included. Thread drift.

Semi-auto rifles in my experience are not tightly chambered unless they are custom built. I own a good amount of semi and full autos. I've never had to use small base dies for rounds to chamber.

[treestand]

If you full length resize and your die is adjusted correctly and you trim to length, the brass will meet SAAMI specs and will chamber in any rifle that also meets the spec. The first post in this thread said full length resize and trim so either the die was not adjusted correctly or the rifle is out of spec. Most likely the die was not threaded far enough into the press. You can get away with this if the brass came from your rifle but in this case you are neck sizing and possibly bumping the shoulder back but not FL sizing.

[ItsLeo]

If you full length resize and your die is adjusted correctly and you trim to length, the brass will meet SAAMI specs and will chamber in any rifle that also meets the spec. The first post in this thread said full length resize and trim so either the die was not adjusted correctly or the rifle is out of spec. Most likely the die was not threaded far enough into the press. You can get away with this if the brass came from your rifle but in this case you are neck sizing and possibly bumping the shoulder back but not FL sizing.

The die was screwed into the press until it touched the shell holder with the ram all the way up and locked in place.

I pulled the bullets on the problem cartridges.

Screwed the die in until it touched the shell holder with the ram all the way up, tightened the die an additional 1/3 turn. Locked the die in place. Resized. Retrimmed. The brass still would not chamber.

Am I doing something wrong or do I in fact have some crap brass?

[M16]

The die was screwed into the press until it touched the shell holder with the ram all the way up and locked in place.

I pulled the bullets on the problem cartridges.

Screwed the die in until it touched the shell holder with the ram all the way up, tightened the die an additional 1/3 turn. Locked the die in place. Resized. Retrimmed. The brass still would not chamber.

Am I doing something wrong or do I in fact have some crap brass?

It's hard to say. Could be the chamber of the gun or could be the dies. It shouldn't be the brass. You may have to use a surface grinder and take a few thousands off the bottom of the sizing die. I'd smoke the case or use a marking pen. Then try to chamber a round. You should be able to where the problem lies.

[canny]

That was not the case. My post was not directed at your post. That is why the quote was included. Thread drift.

Semi-auto rifles in my experience are not tightly chambered unless they are custom built. I own a good amount of semi and full autos. I've never had to use small base dies for rounds to chamber.

Like stated in another post the OP mentioned full length resize. Hence my response. I am well aware of fitting your case to your chamber but that was not what I took out of the OP. If I read it wrong then my apologies.

[ItsLeo]

It's hard to say. Could be the chamber of the gun or could be the dies. It shouldn't be the brass. You may have to use a surface grinder and take a few thousands off the bottom of the sizing die. I'd smoke the case or use a marking pen. Then try to chamber a round. You should be able to where the problem lies.

I've had the gun for 10 years. I also don't have chamber issues with any factory rounds or reloads from brass I've fired first myself.

It's a relatively new die and maybe the die is suspect. However, I have loaded almost a hundred rounds with it without issue.

So right now I'm scratching my head but thankful I wasn't on a hunt with cartridges that wouldn't chamber.

Which brings me back to my main point before the thread drifted. Check to make sure your reloads will chamber before you have to depend on them chambering.

[M16]

Which brings me back to my main point before the thread drifted. Check to make sure your reloads will chamber before you have to depend on them chambering.

That is an excellent point. Owning a case gauge and using isn't a bad idea either.