300 wsm issue

[speeders]

Well i have tired a few different powders and and have pretty good success as far as finding some decent load or lets say accurate. I just finished shooting 168 gr Ballistic tips over H4350. I started with 62 grains and worked up in half grain increments. Accuracy was ok, right at MOA until i hit 66.5 grains. I know it is higher than what is listed but i didn't show any sign of pressure as far as flattening primers or a sticky bolt. At 66.5 gr it shot 2 groups of 3 right at 0.5 MOA. ES was 12 and average velocity was 3197. Temp was 2 degrees celius. I was happy with that.

The problem started when it came time to risize and reload. I am using redding deluxe dies. I had about 50 once fired brass and so i started the process last night. I tried just neck sizing but there was no way i could get the bolt to close. I seated the die deeper in small increments to bump the shoulder back. still no go.

I have read lots with shorts mags and guys having to full length size only. I full length sized a few and at first the bolt was a little difficult. I seated the die a little deeper until I got the bolt closed firmly but not stiff.

Im using remington brass and Federal 215m primers.

I checked the brass after and found a bulge about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch up from the base.. I am by far an expert at reloading but have had success up to the WSM. Is this a headspace issue, die set up issue?

Any feedback is apppreciated.

Thanks.

[BountyHunter]

1. Custom or factory chamber?

2. Early reamers were often tighter than dies which has led to sizing issues with early reamers. So are even are using small base size dies on the early chambers. One of mine is like that, as it will not work with standard FL dies, but perfect with the small base die.


3. At 65,000 PSI in the WMS, FL sizing is a must. If the bolt is closing stiff, you are still probably a tad long on the shoulder. It should not be that tight. try another 1/16 inch movement around the die ring (not moving the down down but a couple .001)

4. IMO standard primers work better with the WSM.

5. H 4350 is a "go to" powder, but not normally the lighter bullets. RL17 seems much better with 168s

6. You need to measure the headspace and shoulder bump. Buy the hornady guage to do that or get a gunsmith to make a bump guage. I have the smith make a bump guage every time I get a gun chambered, as they use the chamber reamer to do it.

Nothing wrong with the group or ES, especially with magnum primers.

[speeders]

Bounty, its a factory remington 700. I tried standard primers with IMR 4831 originally. It shot decent but then i tried magnum primers and it shot a little tighter, about 1/4 in so i stuck with them with the H4350. I will try some standard primers with the H4350 and see if there is a difference.

If i could get my hands on RL 17 i would have. I looked all over Western Canada. Notta.

The bolt actually closes good. about the same as with no case in or just very slightly more.

Any idea on the slight bulge?

thanks for the info.

[Lefty7mmstw]

Sounds like you have a chamber that has a bit of lateral play in it. It's not really an issue if you can get the ammo to fit the rifle, but if it is fat enough you can split your dies like chopped wood. It happened to me once with a rem 700 in 7 rum. The tail end of the chamber was so fat I split three fl sizing dies before I gave the rifle back to the shop. Rem didn't seem to think they sold a bum rifle. You loose faith in a company that does that stuff.