Collapsed case question

[clearwater]

Bolt wouldn't close on round. The case had collapsed. I don't think I did it in the rifle as I doubt I used that much force trying to close the bolt. Likely did it when either seating the bullet or when resizing. It still fit in the case gauge and the comparator length was identical to other rounds with that bullet. It was close to max charge with the powder, but I do not see how that would create the issue. I had tried all the cases before adding bullet and powder in the Lyman case gauge. 308 Kimber rifle, sized with RCBS small base die. Third firing of brass.

Where did I mess up? Sizing, seating, rifle?

 

[salmonchaser]

Need to adjust your seating die.

 

[salmonchaser]

I've also done that when distracted, Catherine can still get my attention, placed the round on top of the shell holder.

 

[clearwater]

The bullets I had seated in that batch prior worked fine. Putting on top of the shell holder is a possibility.

 

[JD338]

I've also done that when distracted, Catherine can still get my attention, placed the round on top of the shell holder.

I've never done that.

JD338

 

[sako2]

Is there more of the bullet then the others? Does the case have a heavy crimp?

 

[michsteve]

The bullets I had seated in that batch prior worked fine. Putting on top of the shell holder is a possibility.

How would that work? If on top of shellholder when you retract the casing would be stuck in the die.

 

[RL338]

I had an issue like that when seating HBN coated 300gr CC in the 340 Wby. The bullet would gull to the inside of the next crushing it down as you seated the bullet.

 

[Charlie-NY]

If the case was too long, the mouth could hit the crimp portion of the die and force the case into the bullet as it was being seated. This, in turn, could collapse the shoulder.
Just one possibility.

 

[clearwater]

The more I think about it, I think it happened in the case resizing. I did about 90 cases at once and was pretty tired. I remember a case that went in hard, like not enough wax lube. All cases fit in the case gauge after sizing, but I likely didn't eyeball things enough is my guess. Everything was trimmed and as mentioned, the loaded cartridge fits in the case gauge and also case length and OAL is the same as the rounds that chamber. The Kimber has a tight chamber compared to another 308 I own, that's why I full size with small base die. I think the gauge has larger dimensions than the rifle chamber.