Bolt not closing

[Gramps]

I have a Remi 700 in 223 with a 1 in 9 twist 20" barrel.

As background despite trying a multitude of powders and bullet combinations it has never grouped below 1". Also the cases I have used have only been neck sized so far.

I had some Lapua brass that had been fired in a Savage 4 times. To try to ensure the cases were back on spec to use in the Remi I full length resized them.

Having reloaded them the bolt would not close on the round.

I have about 80 Hornady cases that were once fired so with no sizing done I tried the empty cases in the Remi and the bolt closed on all the cases apart from four where the bolt closed but was a bit stiff.

I full length resized those four and now the bolt will not close on them!

I don't use a hot load where the base of the case might have expanded and the full length die has been set as per the Manufacturers instructions (Hornady)

Any suggestions as to what might be wrong?

[pbranthwaite]

Do the cases need to be trimmed?

[DedIdick]

Have you checked case length (after full-length resizing) and cartridge overall length?

[Daryll]

I've just had something very similar.... I've just started reloading some .308's for the first time, and the GGG cases i decided to use were fired in another rifle, so needed FL resizing.

I resized them, trimmed them, tumbled them and then primed them, then thought about checking seating depth. None of the cases would chamber.... they would get in so far, but not enough for the bolt to close.

After doing some googling, I found that cases do "spring back" after sizing, so may need more than one pass through the die. I ended up removing the decapping pin (didn't want to waste the 50 primers!!), then resized the cases, running the ram up and down 2-3 times per case.

I then tried them and they will all now chamber, although the bolt is still a little tight.

[Ruger_shooter]

I had the same problem with the bolt on my 308 with Lapua cases as well. Dumped them.

[angrybear]

Try colouring a case with a felt pen (or engineers blue) try & load it & look for the marking being rubbed off, that's where it's fouling.

I had this using a Lee neck collet sizer, which was putting a ripple/bulge right at the base of the shoulder on my hornet, if F/L sizing squeezing in the case sides might be elongating the length to the shoulder causing that to foul.

[pothunter]

I have a Remi 700 in 223 with a 1 in 9 twist 20" barrel.

As background despite trying a multitude of powders and bullet combinations it has never grouped below 1". Also the cases I have used have only been neck sized so far.

I had some Lapua brass that had been fired in a Savage 4 times. To try to ensure the cases were back on spec to use in the Remi I full length resized them.

Having reloaded them the bolt would not close on the round.

I have about 80 Hornady cases that were once fired so with no sizing done I tried the empty cases in the Remi and the bolt closed on all the cases apart from four where the bolt closed but was a bit stiff.

I full length resized those four and now the bolt will not close on them!

I don't use a hot load where the base of the case might have expanded and the full length die has been set as per the Manufacturers instructions (Hornady)

Any suggestions as to what might be wrong?

I reckon that you are close to perfect sizing.
As you squeeze the case in the die the brass has to go somewhere and it is pushing the shoulder of the case forward but not touching the shoulder area of the die.
Loosen the lock not, screw in the die by 1/16 of a turn, snug up the lock ring, lube and resize a piece of brass, clean and see if it chambers with slight force = crush fit.
If it doesn't, turn in another 1/16 of a turn, try again.
If a case chambers too easily there is more free space and on firing it expands further to hit the shoulder of the chamber and potentially shortens the life of the brass by being sized too much, then expanding, then being sized again.
The brass flows from the web and can lead to case separation.

[Gramps]

Thanks for the replies.

I had been using a Lee collet die to neck size but I haven't seen evidence of a ripple.

I will try resizing the cases that have already been F/L sized once to see if it makes a difference and try the engineers blue. I used to have some but it disappeared a while back so I'll have to buy some.

[sniper3]

Have you tried same cases before reloading? or it also may be the case (pardon the pun) the bullets are not seated deep enough so catching on the rifling.

Also check to see, the four you resized, have the shoulder expanded, because that's what happened to mine.

[ZAKDINGEL]

I have a Remi 700 in 223 with a 1 in 9 twist 20" barrel.

As background despite trying a multitude of powders and bullet combinations it has never grouped below 1". Also the cases I have used have only been neck sized so far.

I had some Lapua brass that had been fired in a Savage 4 times. To try to ensure the cases were back on spec to use in the Remi I full length resized them.

Having reloaded them the bolt would not close on the round.

I have about 80 Hornady cases that were once fired so with no sizing done I tried the empty cases in the Remi and the bolt closed on all the cases apart from four where the bolt closed but was a bit stiff.

I full length resized those four and now the bolt will not close on them!

I don't use a hot load where the base of the case might have expanded and the full length die has been set as per the Manufacturers instructions (Hornady)

Any suggestions as to what might be wrong?

Are you trying a unloaded case? or if you have seated the bullet could it be a seating depth problem this also could be why you have not got under 1" group and if you are under loading the case this can cause grouping problems

[plonker]

I reckon that you are close to perfect sizing.
As you squeeze the case in the die the brass has to go somewhere and it is pushing the shoulder of the case forward but not touching the shoulder area of the die.
Loosen the lock not, screw in the die by 1/16 of a turn, snug up the lock ring, lube and resize a piece of brass, clean and see if it chambers with slight force = crush fit.
If it doesn't, turn in another 1/16 of a turn, try again.
If a case chambers too easily there is more free space and on firing it expands further to hit the shoulder of the chamber and potentially shortens the life of the brass by being sized too much, then expanding, then being sized again.
The brass flows from the web and can lead to case separation.

Had this problem with my Tikka, tight chamber so just turned the die in a fraction at a time until the bolt closed with little resistance.

[enigma]

Had this problem with my Tikka, tight chamber so just turned the die in a fraction at a time until the bolt closed with little resistance.

As the man above says....I just did 1/8th of a turn until it fitted properly, which ended up being just a smidge over 1/2 turn extra. with the loads I am making now I get ragged hole groups with SBK out of my .223 remmy 700 SPS tactical.

[Spanner.]

I had the same issue with a Lee Neck Die which was not perfectly adjusted. The cases looked fine but wouldn't chamber, backed the Die off a fraction and they would. You live and learn.

[Elwood]

If backing off the FL die doesn't work you will probably need a small base die. Your full length die isn't sizing the very last part of the case head possibly due to a over size chamber on the Savage.

[Gramps]

If backing off the FL die doesn't work you will probably need a small base die. Your full length die isn't sizing the very last part of the case head possibly due to a over size chamber on the Savage.

I had kept the cases used in each rifle separate and labelled up as to how many firing they'd had.

It seems I am going to have to play around with the die settings first and then possibly get the small base die.

Thanks for all of the replies.