Hard to close bolt

[jjmp]

OP, you being a newbie need to understand that there is loads of reloading material in Print , it's in reloading manuals in steps from start to finish , reading is your Best friend ,reloading dies come with instructions for proper usage , if you don't have reloading manuals buy some used ones ,always tripple check what your doing , don't reload when tired ,or distracted , it's Very rewarding to brew your own , But Please get your basics down pat , yes were here to help but with Respect do your Homework it'll make it easier on us all , Cheers and happy reloading to you !!!

 

[SFC TONYM]

I'm pretty new to reloading. I've searched some but haven't found a fix yet. I have a Ruger M77 243 that I have decided to start reloading. I've some brass that I have shot plus some used brass found. Regardless which brass I try the bolt is hard to close. I made a few rounds using SMK 105 grain. At first I thought it was a case lenght issue. A few cases were over 2.045. But I've trimmed a few, no luck. I even tried an empty case with good dimensions, still hard to close. Any input is appreciated and sorry for the long post.

Check the headspace

 

[Txrockman]

I'm pretty new to reloading. I've searched some but haven't found a fix yet. I have a Ruger M77 243 that I have decided to start reloading. I've some brass that I have shot plus some used brass found. Regardless which brass I try the bolt is hard to close. I made a few rounds using SMK 105 grain. At first I thought it was a case lenght issue. A few cases were over 2.045. But I've trimmed a few, no luck. I even tried an empty case with good dimensions, still hard to close. Any input is appreciated and sorry for the long post.

 

[Poppadoer]

Get yourself rcbs sb die.I tried another brand fl die and they wouldn't chamber in my .308 bolt action.pulled the bullets reworked with the sb dies and never had another problem.I know sb dies work the brass more but they work better for me.Happy reloading..with RCBS SMALL BASE

 

[Buzzsaw]

wish you were here in Frisco, I could walk you through all this BS

 

[freddiej]

I have some advice for you if you are willing to do an experiment. run the resizing die down to where the case/shell holder meets the bottom of the resizing die, size one case, anneal and size again. see if it goes into your chamber and close the bolt, if it closes smoothly then take the case out, seat a primer in the case. insert the case into the chamber and close the bolt, GO OUTSIDE, pop off the primer, extract the case, get a pair of dial calibers, digital work as well. measure the case next to the protruding primer, then measure the case and the protruding primer. then subtract the two values/lengths. that is your excessive head space. then take a feeler gauge 0.002" smaller than the number your got. then set that between the shell holder and the bottom of your sizing die. this will ensure your brass come out very close but not equal to your chamber length.

 

[Hondo64d]

I'm pretty new to reloading. I've searched some but haven't found a fix yet. I have a Ruger M77 243 that I have decided to start reloading. I've some brass that I have shot plus some used brass found. Regardless which brass I try the bolt is hard to close. I made a few rounds using SMK 105 grain. At first I thought it was a case lenght issue. A few cases were over 2.045. But I've trimmed a few, no luck. I even tried an empty case with good dimensions, still hard to close. Any input is appreciated and sorry for the long post.

Have the brass that are hard to chamber been fired in this rifle previously or another rifle? Sometimes, if fired in another rifle with a fat chamber, a standard sizing die won't squeeze it down enough to go in your chamber. A small base die is in order if that's the case. It's likely you'll only need to use it once on the brass that were not fired in your rifle. Once you've fired the brass in your chamber, a standard size die will likely work.

The other possibility is you're not pushing your shoulder back far enough.

I highly recommend you get a shoulder bump gauge. If you are bumping your shoulder .001 to .002" and it is still difficult to chamber it is likely too fat and a small base die is in order.

John

 

[taly01]

You are not bumping the shoulder back far enough.

For setting your resizing die you need to use brass fired from YOUR GUN.

When resizing brass (fired from my gun) I like to see that the die has actually pushed on the front "shoulder" of the brass, you will see it has when its pushed the lube off when its contacting the shoulder hard. keep turning the die tighter until it does then you can go a 1/4 turn more to be certain of avoiding "spring-iness" of brass.

After resizing check case length has not grown longer than specification and trim it to length.

 

[crkckr]

Unless you're trying to produce really small groups, the need for sorting brass by brand/weight/?? is kind of a waste of time. If you're loading up your "best" hunting rounds then I would suggest you buy some new brass & keep it seperate from shootin' brass.

The best way to set up your dies for odd brass is to use a piece of used brass that will NOT chamber in your rifle. Lube it pretty well then screw the size die down a bit at a time, checking to see if will chamber. When it does chamber, give it another quarter turn in and size all your brass. It would be a good idea to chamber all your brass thus sized, just to make sure it will chamber ok. Brass that has been full length resized this way and then fired in your rifle should rechamber easily, for at least 2 or 3 reloads depending on how hard you're pushing them. Size as necessary to get the bullet to seat or perhaps neck size. It will eventually require the size die to be screwed in a bit farther to get the brass to chamber.

Watch for head seperation as well. It will first appear as a bright ring near the base of the brass. You can take a bit of stiff wire (coat hanger is too big!) and put a 90 deg. bend in and you can easily feel the head seperation. In the pic is a .243 case below with a wire used to find the seperation in the dark band. The .308 case above has a crack where the case is seperating.

Lots of stuff to watch for! Pressure signs, neck tension, case prep, and on and on. And the more you chase accuracy, the worse (or more fun for some of us!) it gets!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[ronstone09]

I'm pretty new to reloading. I've searched some but haven't found a fix yet. I have a Ruger M77 243 that I have decided to start reloading. I've some brass that I have shot plus some used brass found. Regardless which brass I try the bolt is hard to close. I made a few rounds using SMK 105 grain. At first I thought it was a case lenght issue. A few cases were over 2.045. But I've trimmed a few, no luck. I even tried an empty case with good dimensions, still hard to close. Any input is appreciated and sorry for the long post.

sounds like you have a shoulder problem ! sometimes when you don't bump the shoulder correctily .002 then you will get a problem in closing the bolt ! you need to pull the bullet and full length resize the brass and that should fix your problem !

 

[Alibiiv]

From your OP the only constant that I can see is that your bolt will not close on your Ruger 77. You have received some really good suggestions to address your problem. One suggestion is to purchase some factory ammunition and see if that works in your rifle, if it does then we have a reloading issue, if the bolt still does not close then you have a rifle/headspace problem. I think it would be prudent, and less expensive, if you purchased some factory ammunition and go from there. If the new ammunition works in your rifle, then you'll have at least 20 new pieces of brass to work with. With all that said you really have to "isolate" the problem before you can fix it! If it were me and just starting out, I would suggest that all of your components are the same. The key to making good ammunition is one's ability to replicate every step within the reloading process; that means everything, especially when first starting out. The more extraneous variables that are introduced to the process makes it more difficult when one tries to diagnose a problem such as what you are presently encountering.

I would suggest, as others have, to (1) first start out by screwing your resizing die down until it just touches the top of your shell holder and lock the die in place with the locking ring, and full-length resize your casing. (2) I would put a resized/trimmed casing in your press, put the seating die in the press, raise the ram of your press with an empty casing up until the ram stops, and screw your seating die down by hand until it will not go down any further and touches the mouth of your brass, (3) then back the seating die off by a half to full turn and lock the seating die with the lock ring. (4) After resizing, priming and charging your brass, I would then, with my seating die locked and in place, seat a bullet to the recommended COAL (case over all length); Nosler Reloading Guide #8 gives a COAL of 2.710 for the .243 Winchester. THEN try your completed reload in your rifle, in a safe place. You could have a situation where your seating die is set too deep and you are creating a situation where you are crimping your case where it is bulging the neck or the casing body ever so slightly, where you cannot see it, and creating a situation where the cartridge case does not match your chamber. It really should not matter with the .243 Winchester, but just curious about what you are using for a press? The .243 is one of the easiest cartridges to reload. As previously mentioned, try to be as consistent and repetitive as possible. Also "if" at all possible if you could find a mentor to show you the reloading process it would be of a great help to you.

 

[Wedgy]

Guys these days want to watch it done so here's a very basic youtube video that shows how to do it;

 

[Robby20]

From your OP the only constant that I can see is that your bolt will not close on your Ruger 77. You have received some really good suggestions to address your problem. One suggestion is to purchase some factory ammunition and see if that works in your rifle, if it does then we have a reloading issue, if the bolt still does not close then you have a rifle/headspace problem. I think it would be prudent, and less expensive, if you purchased some factory ammunition and go from there. If the new ammunition works in your rifle, then you'll have at least 20 new pieces of brass to work with. With all that said you really have to "isolate" the problem before you can fix it! If it were me and just starting out, I would suggest that all of your components are the same. The key to making good ammunition is one's ability to replicate every step within the reloading process; that means everything, especially when first starting out. The more extraneous variables that are introduced to the process makes it more difficult when one tries to diagnose a problem such as what you are presently encountering.

I would suggest, as others have, to (1) first start out by screwing your resizing die down until it just touches the top of your shell holder and lock the die in place with the locking ring, and full-length resize your casing. (2) I would put a resized/trimmed casing in your press, put the seating die in the press, raise the ram of your press with an empty casing up until the ram stops, and screw your seating die down by hand until it will not go down any further and touches the mouth of your brass, (3) then back the seating die off by a half to full turn and lock the seating die with the lock ring. (4) After resizing, priming and charging your brass, I would then, with my seating die locked and in place, seat a bullet to the recommended COAL (case over all length); Nosler Reloading Guide #8 gives a COAL of 2.710 for the .243 Winchester. THEN try your completed reload in your rifle, in a safe place. You could have a situation where your seating die is set too deep and you are creating a situation where you are crimping your case where it is bulging the neck or the casing body ever so slightly, where you cannot see it, and creating a situation where the cartridge case does not match your chamber. It really should not matter with the .243 Winchester, but just curious about what you are using for a press? The .243 is one of the easiest cartridges to reload. As previously mentioned, try to be as consistent and repetitive as possible. Also "if" at all possible if you could find a mentor to show you the reloading process it would be of a great help to you.

Thanks for all the info. Im using a RCBS JR2 press. I have a JR2 and JR3 that my grandpa gave me. My Hornady book says 2.630 for COAL on the 243.

 

[Alibiiv]

Thanks for all the info. Im using a RCBS JR2 press. I have a JR2 and JR3 that my grandpa gave me. My Hornady book says 2.630 for COAL on the 243.

The COAL that I gave you from the Nosler manual #8 is the maximum SAAMI COAL. The COAL will vary from bullet weight to bullet weight. The RCBS Junior press that your grandfather gave you is a great press. As posted earlier, it would be good if you tried some factory ammunition in our rifle. This ought to give you the ability to figure out whether you have a rifle problem, or.....an ammunition problem; I'm betting on ammunition problem for now. Something else that you could try would be to resize one of your casings, do nothing else to that casing (no powder/primer/bullet, and try it into your rifle to see how it closes. I am not sure if I was clear with my earlier post to you about your seating die. Most seating dies have a "crimp" capability. It is done by screwing your seating die down until it hits the top of the casing, then the die is screwed down ever so slightly. If the die is screwed down too much and the case is crimped without a cannular groove in the bullet, the case can bulge. Good luck and keep us posted.