Voere .308 problem

[gunkingdom]

I am a new memeber of this forum. I am attempting to reload some 165 grain Nosler Partitions. I think I am having possible problems with headspace issues. Even with cartridges bought across the counter the bolt is sometimes hard to close. I an an ametuer reloader with only a about five years experiance. I have loaded for my other .308 or .30 caliber rifles without any problems at all. I don't have any of the signs on the cartidge of headspace problems after being shot. I am very happy with The accuracy of my loads in this rifle. It does not make much sense to me why some cartidges load smoothly and others are hard to close the bolt. All of the brass is new and resized with no priming problems. I cycle all of my cartridges through the chamber before setting it aside as shootable cartridges but I always have a few that are really hard to close the bolt and set them aside to take apart and resize and load again. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help? Thanks

 

[Ol` Joe]

Do sized empty cases chamber OK?
Are you full or neck sizeing your cases?
Are your bullets seated to the SAAMI (CIP) max lenght, or have you checked to insure the bullet ogive is back from the leade?
I`m not familier with the Voere rifle but I am assuming it is a break open single or multi barreled rifle?

If you can chamber empty sized cases with no binding then the head space isn`t your problem. Head space is the distance from BREACH FACE to a datum on the chamber shoulder. The case shoulder can be pushed forward dureing partial sizeing or pulled foreward by the expander plug when full sizeing and cause cases to chamber tight. Frequent neck sizeing without an shoulder "bump" every half dozen or so loadings can also have the case shoulder blown foreward a bit and bind.

Make sure your bullets are not so close to the leade you are jamming the odd one in the rifleing. You can`t seat evenly measuring off the bullet tip you have to use the ogive for this as it is a much more consistant part of the bullet, it also is the point of contact with the barrel. A Stoney Point or Sinclair comparator tool is a big help in checking on the distance the bullet ogive is from the leade. I use one and would not be with out one anymore.

Check to insure your primers are all seated below the case head and not high. A high primer will catch on the breach of a break action and will have to be pushed deeper in the primer pocket in any action by the bolt if it is.

Let us know what you find...

 

[gunkingdom]

Ol' Joe,

I took your suggestion and chambered one of my once fired casings into the chamber. The bolt on the Voere Mauser 98 action is fairly stiff when fully chambering the empty cartridge. The Voere Rifle is made in Austria and it comes with a set trigger that is just awsome for accuracy. I shot a Red Stag this past October in England with the Nosler 150 grain ballistic tip. It put that 500 pound beast down with one accuarate shot. I love the rifle but in situations where you need to chamber another round quickly it is a bit of a pain. Should I have a gunsmith check this out? Thanks for your input!!!

P.S. This company is most famous for it's caseless cartridge rifle that uses a solid propellant it looks similar to a foam or nerf material cartridge as a case.

 

[Brian]

I am a new memeber of this forum. I am attempting to reload some 165 grain Nosler Partitions. I think I am having possible problems with headspace issues. Even with cartridges bought across the counter the bolt is sometimes hard to close. [ . . . ]

I have a Mauser 98 in 6 mm Remington whose bolt is "difficult to close" even on an empty chamber. But it's a tack driver, and was built by a master gunsmith (Dan Dowling).

I don't understand what's going on with yours: the fact that factory loads -- which are well within SAMMI specs -- occasionally cause the problem mystifies me.

For your peace of mind, I'd have it checked by a gunsmith. It's worth the few dollars for peace of mind, if not safety.

 

[matts318]

i had a problem like that with my 308, i couldnt figure it out for about 2 weeks, what happened was the case necks somehow became missaligned making it hard to close the bolt and sometimes not at all, take one of the hard to chamber rounds and roll it on a flat surface and see if the bullet wobbles when you roll it, it was obvious when i did that.

Just another thing to check for, i have no idea why it happened on some of the cases but it did, good luck

 

[Brian]

With respect to all who have tried to help "gunkingdom" with his problem . . . I believe that the fact that FACTORY loads, occasionally, reproduce his problem rules-out a problem with his handloads.

I believe this is dispositive.

 

[Redneck Ron]

Pull the bolt out and get a sized and polished .308 brass only. Then feed the brass and remove the brass. Look for marks and espically around the shoulder.

You might just need to clean your chamber very good.. With chamber brush. I ran into this with my cousin .30-06 and fixed the problem.

Later,
Ron

 

[gunkingdom]

This site is great! Iwould like to thank all of the members who have made suggestions on my .308 problem. I am taking all of the advice given and will report what I find. Thanks again!

 

[Alaska]

Turn your sizing die down 1/4 turn then resize your brass.....do this until it chambers in your gun smooth then lock the die down.