? for folks smarter than me...well ok, ? for everybody

Ridge Runner · #1 04-18-2007, 05:05 PM

should you always be able to insert a bullet into a fired case by hand?
what would be a minimal neck thickness?
I turned the 6.5 casenecks to .012 and its alot better but I still can't force a bullet into the case by hand before resizing, in my resizing procedure, the hardest part is getting the expander plug through the neck on the UPSTROKE!
JS

royinidaho · #2 04-18-2007, 06:09 PM

jeez, I always wanted to be smarter than somebody ..... but I don't thing this is the time [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Back 'in the day' I modified some dies and made it so that my 222 REM light gun needed no resizing to hold the bullet. That would be the only condition I would thing that this is a good thing.

should you always be able to insert a bullet into a fired case by hand? Id say the short answer is yes.

Any possibility tat the case(s) are too long and stretching is grabbing th bullet upon firing?

goodgrouper · #3 04-18-2007, 06:31 PM

What is the neck diameter of your loaded round and what is the neck diameter of your chamber?

Ridge Runner · #4 04-18-2007, 07:37 PM

GG, loaded round neck diameter is .290, have no idea about chamber dia, I asked the smith to look at his reamer print and let me know.
anyone know a safe min. neck thickness?
JS

Ridge Runner · #5 04-18-2007, 07:41 PM

Roy, I asked the smith about brass length, he said trimming wasn't needed, so all I do is square the case mouths.
JS

Waltech Jim · #6 04-18-2007, 08:51 PM

James,

I have run into a somewhat similar problem. And my thinking was that there could be three reasons, if you have eliminated the "too thick brass in the neck" reason.

1. It was chambered with a tight neck, (you need to get the reamer dimensions as per GG above).

2. Your pressure is too low and the necks are springing back to the original dimensions.

3. Or you need to anneal the case necks. (take a couple of cases and anneal and shoot and see if it helps)

BTW, trimming to length is not the same as case neck turning. If cases are shot and reloaded they usually grow in length and need to be trimmed. I can't understand your smith's comment on case length.

Jim

goodgrouper · #7 04-18-2007, 09:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
anyone know a safe min. neck thickness?

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no such thing as "a safe min. neck thickness". I have guns that have .008" thick necks all the way up to .014" thick. The .008" necks are just as safe as the .014" necks. The difference is the .008" are very easy to dent.

What I think you are trying to be concerned about is neck clearance. This is the chamber neck dimension minus your loaded round diameter. If it is a hunting rifle and you're not anal, you need probably at least .003" of clearance. On a bench rifle, I like running .001" clearance to .0015" although I have one hunting rifle that runs these tight clearances. I have to check it and clean it very often and it never goes on an atv or horse without having a sock put on it so it keeps dust out of the chamber. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Back to the problem at hand: Your neck is .290 and your bullets don't have enough room to go back into the case? Did I read that right? If this is the case, your chamber dimension might be very close to .290 and your are running to tight of clearance and/or using too light of a load with it and/or your brass is naturally soft and has lots of "springback" and is basically closing up the hole and not letting a bullet go back in easily. You need to find out the neck diameter of your chamber before you fire any more shots through that rifle!