Tight cases

[MarkUtah]

I have been working up a load for my 270 WSM with a 140gr AccuBond. I have been using Magpro powder and 72.5gr seem to give me the best velocity and group. I have noticed though that my cases are getting very tight to chamber. I am on the third loading of the brass I have been using. Even after I resize the cases they still chamber tight. Is this a sign of too much pressure? Am I not resizing correctly? I am not neck sizing the brass, I am resizing them full length. I checked the brass length and they are not above the max length (they are right on max). Is it time for a new batch of brass?

Mark

 

[talldrink]

I also own a 270WSM. I had the same problem when loading with IMR 4350 at 69 grns. After a few reloads I found them very hard to chamber. I backed off to 68.5 grns and have not had the problem.

 

[Ol` Joe]

1st let me say I have no experiance with this cartridge and am relaying what I`ve heard others give as an cause of similar problems.

The WSM brass (300, 270, 223, ect) is very thick in relation to most other cartridges. The brass is loaded by the factory to the max pressures allowed by SAAMI. The brass expands fully to the chamber geometry due to the higher pressures and looses some of its ductility within a couple of resizings starting to work harden the brass and it then doesn`t react to the resizer as it should and wants to remain in its expanded state. The shoulder area especially, with the little it is bumped back by the die doesn`t move back from resizing and causes stiff chambering.

Again, I`m not sure this what you are experiancing, but I have heard this offered a coupled times to similar complains.

 

[steve4102]

Sounds like you may need to bump the shoulder back a bit. If after FL sizing you are having a hard time closing the bolt turn the sizing down 1/8 of a turn. Lube and resize the brass. Clean off the lube and see if it will chamber easily. If not t keep turning the die down 1/8 of a turn at a time until the brass chambers easily.

Or you may need to trim your brass. Is your FL sized brass trimmed within specs?

 

[JD338]

Try bumping the shoulder back and they should chamber.

JD338

 

[normo]

I have a Rugerr M77 in 30-06 with a very tight chamber, if my brass goes through another gun all most no amount of resizing will get it back in my gun.
To help keep my brass from being to tight I make sure the shell holder gently bumps up against the sizing die as the hanlde on the press cams over, this ensures a full resize and prevents die, shell hoder or case movement once the stroke is completed.
It has worked well for me, and prevents a small case bulge in the web area, which can prevent or at least make chambering difficult.
Since you are full length sizing anyway you might want to try this and see if it helps.

 

[Guest]

I will second those who have said you probably need to adjust your die down a tad. I'll add to it that dies differ from one brand to another in terms of how much they size down the brass, so you might consider trying a different brand of die. I use Hornady dies, because I like their design, but I also found out not too long ago that they are a tad tighter in terms of resizing than other dies. It might be worth a try.