Another 280 AI Issue

[slas]

This is another first for me in my several years of reloading. Prepared a bunch of once fired brass, annealed it, resized and trimmed it. Loaded it up and seated the bullet, took me about 8 before I noticed the neck looked different. Seating the bullet is squashing the neck down just enough that it won't chamber. It's not like there's a bunch of resistence while seating the bullet, goes easy, then the neck is squashed down just enough to cause a problem.. Redding premium die set, nothing out of the ordinary. Cases where trimmed to 2.525 for my chamber. Trim to is 2.515 but my chamber is long, I can't imagine that is causing the issue with the seating. Any ideas? Was thinking the maybe the Nosler brass was extra soft for some reason? Annealed like always, by hand turning until I'm able to feel the warmth, nothing excessive and have always had success with all other calibers. I load 308,243, 260 and 300wm and have never had the issues I've had with the 280 AI.

 

[slas]

Ok, so....following the usual instructions again, screw down until you touch and back off a bit, well, with this caliber is back off a lot, several turns. Here's the gap required to NOT affect the shoulder. Again, something I've never had an issue with up until now.

 

[Plinker147]

I have had that happen when I forget to deburr after I trimmed cases.

 

[Aviator]

Have you checked for donuts?

 

[Edd]

Where did you get Lapua brass that can be sized to a 280 AI and will trim to 2.525"?

 

[slas]

Where did you get Lapua brass that can be sized to a 280 AI and will trim to 2.525"?

Sorry, Nosler.....

 

[lancetkenyon]

I had this problem when I set up my my seating die for my .280AI as well.

These were extreme cases.



I ended up backing out the seating rie body a long ways, and then running down the actual seating stem a little at a time until I had the depth I needed. Did the trick.

 

[slas]

Yep, after backing the die out and putting the gap in, and then working the seating stem down a little at a time I'm good to go. Guess the 280 AI just needs a little special attention to detail. As you can see from my pics they're not as squashed down as what your's show so I should be able to run then through the FL die again and pick up where I left off.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Yep, after backing the die out and putting the gap in, and then working the seating stem down a little at a time I'm good to go. Guess the 280 AI just needs a little special attention to detail. As you can see from my pics they're not as squashed down as what your's show so I should be able to run then through the FL die again and pick up where I left off.

Not necessarily, I've had to do this with multiple cartridges. I was going to suggest the same thing you did, but I see you got the problem rectified before I got a chance to post.

If they'll fit in your chamber, and the bullets aren't touching the lands (where they could cause pressure problems), I would just fire them in your rifle and let them naturally form back out to your chamber, instead of trying to manually manipulate them back out by pulling on them. Then, try again the next go around (after cleaning) now that you've gotten your die adjusted properly.

 

[Morrison]

This is another first for me in my several years of reloading. Prepared a bunch of once fired brass, annealed it, resized and trimmed it. Loaded it up and seated the bullet, took me about 8 before I noticed the neck looked different. Seating the bullet is squashing the neck down just enough that it won't chamber. It's not like there's a bunch of resistence while seating the bullet, goes easy, then the neck is squashed down just enough to cause a problem.. Redding premium die set, nothing out of the ordinary. Cases where trimmed to 2.525 for my chamber. Trim to is 2.515 but my chamber is long, I can't imagine that is causing the issue with the seating. Any ideas? Was thinking the maybe the Nosler brass was extra soft for some reason? Annealed like always, by hand turning until I'm able to feel the warmth, nothing excessive and have always had success with all other calibers. I load 308,243, 260 and 300wm and have never had the issues I've had with the 280 AI.

I've seen this with my 280 AI and again with my 7 RUM. Your seating die is the issue. Back the die out some and use a separate crimp die if you want. However, you are correct the Nosler brass is softer, at least until you fire it. This fixed my reloading issues.