Problem with open bolt fired 308 brass

You can also make your own headspace gauge by buying a bushing that goes 1/2 way down the should. Then measure between the top of the bushing your the end of the head (Primer end). Then compare a fired case to a reloaded case. That will tell you if the headspace is too long.

Are you camming your press handle all of the way in the down stroke when sizing?
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I would agree of the case had head space and if the datum was half way between the case body/shoulder juncture and the shoulder/neck juncture; problem, the datum is not located half way between the two junctures and forget trying to convince a reloader there is a the case body/shoulder juncture has anything to do with it.

The 25/06, 6.5/06, 270, 280, 30/06 and 8mm06 have the same datum and not one of them has a datum that is half way between the two junctures. And then there is the 'be kind to your case' campaign. The be kind to your case campaign uses a beveled edge like radiuses. I know, most everybody is so confused but for me it is difficult to zero a gage if the gage has a radius/bevel.

F. Guffey
 
So how do you solve the fat neck issue without having to buy a separate roll sizing machine?
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The fat neck problem is on the opposite end of the case when with a fat case head problem. I have had cases with fat heads, I knew what caused the problem because I measured the case head before firing and again after firing. I apply the 'leaver policy' to the case head. I do not work case heads because working brass makes the brass brittle. I do not want my case heads to swarm and render me and the gun scrap. When I abuse a case I want the case head to expand.

I purchased cases from a recycling business. I found cases that I thought were magnificent cases' later I read somewhere there was a problem with the cases and that was the reason the arsenal recalled them. Seems they took shortcuts when annealing in the manufacturing process. I would argue the cases had brittle case heads because I had already fired 40 of them twice; for me? Not a problem, I moved the cases to the collectable drawer.

Then there are fat necks, I use fat necks to off set generous chambers.

F. Guffey
 
So I used a caliper on the diameter of the neck, and it is an issue of fat neck. I measured all aspects - so I thought - but had neglected to measure the diameter of the neck.

I find it strange that the resizing process doesn't resize the fat neck.

While I hate the idea of segregated 308 brass, I'll start segregating bolt action brass (I'm running out of room in my reloading room, as I'm about to add a 300 BLK dedicated 1050). Between adding a roll sizer machine and just an extra bucket/bin for 308, the bucket of 308 bolt action brass will take up much less space in the reloading room.

Thanks for the help, fellas. Everyone has been very informative.
 
I have seen this happen to brass with really loose 99 Savage lever guns and loads too hot for them. I tried setting the die past where it should stop (Now actually swageing the head) and the brass would still not chamber. Mic(Not dial calipers) the head area right above the rim. If it moved only a couple tenths, you could have trouble. If it is the neck, as already stated, you have to turn. Thick brass at the neck has always been a problem with MIL SPEC brass, but it usually will not let the bolt get that far.
 
So I used a caliper on the diameter of the neck, and it is an issue of fat neck. I measured all aspects - so I thought - but had neglected to measure the diameter of the neck.

I find it strange that the resizing process doesn't resize the fat neck.
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They are too fat after being resized or after you are done loading them?
 
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