Crapshoooter2
New member
I have been reloading for about a year…have used Firing Line as a resource on reloading. Thanks for all your assistance.
So during the past year I have loaded several hundred if not over a 1000 rounds of 223 for auto and bolt action rifles and about 500 rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor for a bolt action. Of course there was a learning curve but really no major problem. All the rounds load into my rifles with no problems. Also they would work easily in my friends rifles.
So as few weeks ago I decided to start reloading 204 ammo. I was not expecting any problems. I load some Hornady 32 grain Vmax and some Sierra 39 grain.
All cases were once fired Hornady cases tumbled … trimmed to ….. 1.840
The 32 gr Hornady were set to the load data to a C.O.L. of . …… 2.245
The 39 Gr Sierra Blitzking was set to the load data a t0 a C.O.L. …….2.250
32 gr factory Hornady ammo C.O.L .…. 2.254
Each case was sized using a Lee 204 full sizing die. Set at ¼ turn more down as detail in the Lee instructions.
All case where put in silver lynn go no go gage and were in between the minimum and max range.
Prior to reloading I had only shot Hornady 204 factory ammo in in my custom bolt 204 and my son’s Savage Model 12 204 with no problems with chambering.
So off to the range with both rifles, both 32 gr and 39 gr reloads. I chambered and fired a few of both reloads thru the Savage 204 with no chambering problem , they slipped right in with no excess force require.
I then try to chamber the 32 gr reloads into the custom 204 and they would not chamber. I did not want to use excess force. I them tried the 39 gr and the same problem. I then randomly selected some out of the 25 reloads I had each of 32 gr and 39 gr to find that none would chamber. I did fine one 32 gr that went in but need more pressure than was normally need. I did not fire and I had difficulty getting the shell out of the rifle.
I then took the remainder back and put each into a Lynn small rifle ammo checker. I found that most would fit into the ammo checker or just a fraction about the level but if you slightly touch the end on the case they would be level with the line. They did not fall in like the factory ammo.
I then checked the OJIVE on my reloads with a Hornday Compensator and they were all the same depending on the bullet
.
My assumption then was that either the sizing die was not set correctly or the shoulder push back was incorrect.
I still had some brass from the same batch which had not been resized so I rotated the sizing die down a bit and try to get a cased that would fit the custom 204 easily. I have adjust the die up and down and have veried the C.O.L Since the manufactured fits easily at a C.O.L. of 2.254 and using the same bullet I was using 2.450… I did not thing it was a length problem. I could not get an easy chambered case in the custom rifle. It is if the very bottom of the case or the case it self is not get sized correctly. But they all fit the Savage easily
There for I am thinking it is a a die/sizing problem. Your comments, suggestions would be appreciated
Crapshoootee2
So during the past year I have loaded several hundred if not over a 1000 rounds of 223 for auto and bolt action rifles and about 500 rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor for a bolt action. Of course there was a learning curve but really no major problem. All the rounds load into my rifles with no problems. Also they would work easily in my friends rifles.
So as few weeks ago I decided to start reloading 204 ammo. I was not expecting any problems. I load some Hornady 32 grain Vmax and some Sierra 39 grain.
All cases were once fired Hornady cases tumbled … trimmed to ….. 1.840
The 32 gr Hornady were set to the load data to a C.O.L. of . …… 2.245
The 39 Gr Sierra Blitzking was set to the load data a t0 a C.O.L. …….2.250
32 gr factory Hornady ammo C.O.L .…. 2.254
Each case was sized using a Lee 204 full sizing die. Set at ¼ turn more down as detail in the Lee instructions.
All case where put in silver lynn go no go gage and were in between the minimum and max range.
Prior to reloading I had only shot Hornady 204 factory ammo in in my custom bolt 204 and my son’s Savage Model 12 204 with no problems with chambering.
So off to the range with both rifles, both 32 gr and 39 gr reloads. I chambered and fired a few of both reloads thru the Savage 204 with no chambering problem , they slipped right in with no excess force require.
I then try to chamber the 32 gr reloads into the custom 204 and they would not chamber. I did not want to use excess force. I them tried the 39 gr and the same problem. I then randomly selected some out of the 25 reloads I had each of 32 gr and 39 gr to find that none would chamber. I did fine one 32 gr that went in but need more pressure than was normally need. I did not fire and I had difficulty getting the shell out of the rifle.
I then took the remainder back and put each into a Lynn small rifle ammo checker. I found that most would fit into the ammo checker or just a fraction about the level but if you slightly touch the end on the case they would be level with the line. They did not fall in like the factory ammo.
I then checked the OJIVE on my reloads with a Hornday Compensator and they were all the same depending on the bullet
.
My assumption then was that either the sizing die was not set correctly or the shoulder push back was incorrect.
I still had some brass from the same batch which had not been resized so I rotated the sizing die down a bit and try to get a cased that would fit the custom 204 easily. I have adjust the die up and down and have veried the C.O.L Since the manufactured fits easily at a C.O.L. of 2.254 and using the same bullet I was using 2.450… I did not thing it was a length problem. I could not get an easy chambered case in the custom rifle. It is if the very bottom of the case or the case it self is not get sized correctly. But they all fit the Savage easily
There for I am thinking it is a a die/sizing problem. Your comments, suggestions would be appreciated
Crapshoootee2