603Country
New member
This came as a huge surprise, and I haven't solved the problem yet. Thought I'd see what you other long-term reloaders have to say.
I had my 223 rebarreled and got it back late last week. Waited till today to start loading up rounds to see what combo the new barrel liked. All my resized brass and new Lapua brass chambered easily this weekend, so I set up the powder thrower and got to it. Seated a bullet (40 gr Nosler BT) to Nosler's suggested OAL of 2.26 inches. I had earlier measured the chamber and it would seat bullets out past that, so I'd start with the recommended OAL and then seat em further out once I found a good powder load. Rather than just load up a bunch before checking chambering, I went to chamber the round and it would not chamber. No way. Not even close. I couldn't believe that I had missed the OAL measurement, since I've been doing it for decades. I got out the mic and measured the neck with loaded bullet. No problem there. I punched out the barrel with a patch and cleaned out the chamber. Then I loaded a second round and tried to chamber it. No go. So I seated the bullet from 2.26 to 2.25. No go. Tried it at 2.24 and 2.23 and then at the Lyman suggested OAL of 2.215. The rounds will not chamber. I put some marksalot on the bullet and tried to chamber it. From that, it appears that the bullet, even seated deep, is hitting the lands.
When I got the rifle, the smith said he shot some factory rounds in it. The barrel had some carbon in it. If he shot factory loads, what the heck is going on? I have a call in to him, and an email. I don't have any factory loads, but my neighbor does. I'll call him and get a couple and see if they will chamber.
Maybe I'm just having a senior moment and I'm screwing something up on the reloads, but....what? I'm gonna go sit on the couch and think about this and then go back to the workshop and rethink the whole process. I do need a factory round or two for test purposes.
Your thoughts?
I had my 223 rebarreled and got it back late last week. Waited till today to start loading up rounds to see what combo the new barrel liked. All my resized brass and new Lapua brass chambered easily this weekend, so I set up the powder thrower and got to it. Seated a bullet (40 gr Nosler BT) to Nosler's suggested OAL of 2.26 inches. I had earlier measured the chamber and it would seat bullets out past that, so I'd start with the recommended OAL and then seat em further out once I found a good powder load. Rather than just load up a bunch before checking chambering, I went to chamber the round and it would not chamber. No way. Not even close. I couldn't believe that I had missed the OAL measurement, since I've been doing it for decades. I got out the mic and measured the neck with loaded bullet. No problem there. I punched out the barrel with a patch and cleaned out the chamber. Then I loaded a second round and tried to chamber it. No go. So I seated the bullet from 2.26 to 2.25. No go. Tried it at 2.24 and 2.23 and then at the Lyman suggested OAL of 2.215. The rounds will not chamber. I put some marksalot on the bullet and tried to chamber it. From that, it appears that the bullet, even seated deep, is hitting the lands.
When I got the rifle, the smith said he shot some factory rounds in it. The barrel had some carbon in it. If he shot factory loads, what the heck is going on? I have a call in to him, and an email. I don't have any factory loads, but my neighbor does. I'll call him and get a couple and see if they will chamber.
Maybe I'm just having a senior moment and I'm screwing something up on the reloads, but....what? I'm gonna go sit on the couch and think about this and then go back to the workshop and rethink the whole process. I do need a factory round or two for test purposes.
Your thoughts?