Is this my FL die or is it really headspace separation?

[Jinx-)]

I asked this question before " http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/any-sign-alarmed-headspace-separation-50318/ ", but this is new rifle and I haven't seen anything like it, so I would like to ask your opinion on this, is this headspace separation I'm observing? The chamber on the rifle just been redone and this brass was only fired twice and last FL sized.

 

[rinodods]

Kinda does look stretched but that could be a photo problem. Maybe get a paper clip, straighten it out and put a little crook on one end. Use it to feel around in the inside of the case near the base. Odds are you can feel a difference in the internal wall if the thing is getting ready to fail.

 

[Jinx-)]

If I write with the marker over it I can feel bump, but that's outside. Previous chamber was very hard to turn and it was scratching brass like this:

with this new chamber I have no problem cycling bolt. By the way my FL size die made by Redding, its their bushing FL die and I only bump shoulders 0.001".

 

[Jinx-)]

Just shot 40 of them, checked everyone inside with paper clip, nothing inside, it must be my Redding die, but I'm only sizing half of the neck and slightly bumping shoulders. Could be chamber differences, my chamber is 6 mm BR Norma and on Redding box states 6mm BR Remington, but I was buying "Redding Type S Bushing Full Length Sizer Die 6mm BR (Bench Rest)"...

 

[boomtube]

I see nothing that looks like you're heading for a seperation. And, proper die justmemt would stop it anyway.

 

[Jinx-)]

boomtube, what would be proper way? I can lower it, but that will bump more then I need in the shoulders, moving it up will not resize it.

 

[Gunpoor]

Jinx, I don't know how much you are moving the shoulder upon F/L sizing but if you have to set the shoulder back very much you maybe should switch to neck sizing which will save your brass from an early demise. I had to go this route on a custom chambered 264Win. as I couldn't even touch the neck with the FL sizing die until the shoulder was pushed way down, and I can only assume that the chamber was very over-sized. And people wonder why I really don't like belted magnums, as they are headspaced on the stupid belt instead of the radius of the shoulder. You never know what you will end up with on a custom barrel/chambering with them.

 

[Jinx-)]

I only bump 0.001" that's all, but what I noticed measuring previously fired brass before FL size and after i fired it again using stoney point headspace gauge increase by 0.007".

 

[Gunpoor]

I have never used a Stoney Point guage, but I guess you mean the case length is growing .007" after one firing. If this is the case, you don't need to get upset because some cartridges just get brass flow in this manner. Yes, the brass will eventually thin out just in front of the webb but unless you want to shoot very reduced loads it is just the nature of the beast (so to speak). Some calibers that I think will be hard on brass doesn't seem to suffer at all and others that I think will be real easy on brass will need trimmed after every firing and will have to be replaced more often. In my thinking, if I can't get 6 loadings out of a piece of brass before having to throw it in the junk bin I am loading too hot or it is being over-worked because of an out of spec chamber. If you are only setting the shoulder back .001" during FL sizing you don't have a too long chamber at all. BTW, what cartridge is this in the picture? It looks like a 6mmBR, but I am usually not too good of guesser

 

[Jinx-)]

Yes it is 6mmBR, and its headspace didn't grow at all, just at the field I took measurements, but after I removed primers it remain the same as it was before FL sizing. This is Norma brass, not very common for 6BR, usually Lapua is used. The Stoney Point headspace gauge is now made by Hornady here is what it looks like:

I think 6br is not bad for long range plinking ;-) at 500 yards it does less then 3" that's 5 shot groups using 105 - 107 grain bullets

 

[Jinx-)]

After I resize and bumping 0.001" of the sholders they start looking better, I think what I experienced has to do with new chamber, and brass was fireformed for the old Savage 6mm Norma BR. here what the brass looks now, nothing points to headspace separation....