280ai clickers

[spin-one]

Barnes shows max load at 60.9gr for this bullet. Your load is at 60.0 gr. It is not unusual to hit pressure before max load. Your load is only 0.9 grains below max and some would say pretty warm load. Nosler brass also runs a bit soft so you may be seeing clickers from being close and with Nosler brass. Do you have any other brass to try? I bet Peterson would give you what you want. I would also try different brass before I decided any chamber mods. I really don't think you have a problem other than brass.

View attachment 350768

When I was doing my load development I had 2 nodes, one at 59.7gr to 60.3 gr and one at 59.0gr to 59.5. Started having the slight click at 59.0 gr. I guess I will keep using the Nosler brass if it doesn't get any worse. In the meantime I will keep my eyes open for other brass. I am a Lapua brass guy so maybe I will find some.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Is this AI brass or was it straight 280 you have to FF? Not familiar with what is out there.

I have a 300 RUM that I get clickers with unfired/virgin ADG brass. Yes unfired...It also pressures up way faster than book data I was given. I think the necks are tight on those causing this.

Chamber an unfired/virgin case if you have one. See if the click appears with that.
Unload it and see if you have swipe.
If so, could be chamber is short/tight or even ejector spring is a little tight/long. Could just be the soft Nosler brass.

 

[LISBON]

Clickers and swipe ?

please. help a newbie out here with definitions.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

This video explains swipe on fired cases pretty good.

the Clicker is at the top of the bolt lift typically on a spent case that has an issue. Typically over pressure for that rifle, but not always.

I get swipe on some of my unfired cases in a couple rifles (Rem actions). I believe it is sloppy machine work.

Here is a virgin/unfired case. Not sure if you can see the shiny smiley/swipe.

 

[spin-one]

Is this AI brass or was it straight 280 you have to FF? Not familiar with what is out there.

I have a 300 RUM that I get clickers with unfired/virgin ADG brass. Yes unfired...It also pressures up way faster than book data I was given. I think the necks are tight on those causing this.

Chamber an unfired/virgin case if you have one. See if the click appears with that.
Unload it and see if you have swipe.
If so, could be chamber is short/tight or even ejector spring is a little tight/long. Could just be the soft Nosler brass.

It's ai brass and it didn't do it new or when sized

 

[LISBON]

Thanks for the help. This site is great for learning.

 

[spin-one]

Thanks for the help. This site is great for learning.

I have been reloading for 7 years and am self taught. I load for several different calibers. Once I found this site it really helped improve my reloading. I would like to thank everyone on this site for all your help

Scott

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Spin one. Try loading at a book start charge and see if you still get the click. If not, work up in one grain increments until you do and call it max. Maybe drop down in bullet weight if you want the velocity.

That is how my RUM was. Just didn't close to the velocity I thought I should have....I used what others were posting on what they were getting and used as my baseline. I still shoot the heavy 245, but not fast...but it is accurate.

Just wasn't in the cards...

 

[Beluebow]

What do you mean by the .200 line?

Two basic reasons for clickers.
1. Over pressure.
2. Dies don't match the chamber.

Is this a factory barrel?

 

[Mike Matteson]

What do you mean by dreaded clicker? Case to long at the shoulder, or neck thickness to thick? I don't totally understand. Please enlighten me. I just saw the info above.

 

[Muddyboots]

One other option is to try 143gr HH (1:925 tw or faster) which allows you to get velocity and possibly eliminate clickers.

 

[Mike Matteson]

View attachment 350864

Two basic reasons for clickers.
1. Over pressure.
2. Dies don't match the chamber.

Is this a factory barrel?

I can see the clicker or heavy bolt lift in over pressure. I would think that if the case isn't to spec or chamber isn't. The bolt wouldn't close or producing a click if able to close. I would think that would happen at the start. I don't see it after first fired cases, you would have the case fire formed, and it should work. If I was having problems from the start. I would have a smith check it out. I do know if having a problem chambering a round and it doesn't want to go. There a problem. Stop and figure it out.

 

[Beluebow]

I can see the clicker or heavy bolt lift in over pressure. I would think that if the case isn't to spec or chamber isn't. The bolt wouldn't close or producing a click if able to close. I would think that would happen at the start. I don't see it after first fired cases, you would have the case fire formed, and it should work. If I was having problems from the start. I would have a smith check it out. I do know if having a problem chambering a round and it doesn't want to go. There a problem. Stop and figure it out.

Mike, typically clickers will start showing themselves on the 2nd-3rd firings if it's a die/chamber mismatch. The die isn't creating enough clearance during the resizing operation. Small base dies can be the cure or having a custom made die that will size the base smaller. Or having a reamer dimensions changed at the .200 line. Seldom is chambering a round an issue......If you're having clickers on the first firing with virgin brass, it's pressure or a super tight cut chamber or something else. Which all will need to be addressed.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Mike, typically clickers will start showing themselves on the 2nd-3rd firings if it's a die/chamber mismatch. The die isn't creating enough clearance during the resizing operation. Small base dies can be the cure or having a custom made die that will size the base smaller. Or having a reamer dimensions changed at the .200 line. Seldom is chambering a round an issue......If you're having clickers on the first firing with virgin brass, it's pressure or a super tight cut chamber or something else. Which all will need to be addressed.

I never had that problem, but now I understand better, and hopefully I don't run into that problem. I am having a 6mm-280AI being built. I had the reamer built for that. I use Sierra spec's to build the reamer. I did reduced the neck area. It ended up a little tighter. The necks have to be cut to .0125 instead of .013 thickness is what I tried to achieve. I have acquired 500 280AI Peterson brass for it. I am looking at rechambering my 25-06 to that case design in the 280AI case.
Thanks for the input.