Once fired Lapua brass necks don't seem to expand with firing.

[Savage102]

I'm shooting a brand new Tikka T3 .308 right out of the box, I'm using Lapua brass (.015" neck thickness - UN TURNED) and 168 grain Berger VLD hunting bullets loaded with 42.2 grains of Varget. The problem (or is it?) is that after I fire the round the first time AND clean the brass, the neck is so tight that a new bullet will not even come close to sliding through the neck. In other words, it seems I don't even need to neck size the brass for the next reloading. Nor is the brass growing much in length (it does grow minimally) so trimming is not required after the first firing. There are NO over pressure signs in this round.

Is this normal?, has anyone else had this experience in a factory rifle?. BTW, this thing is a sub MOA tack driver, do I need to worry about anything here?. I've never seen this before. Usually a new bullet will fall freely through once fired brass in my other (non Tikka) rifles.

 

[Predator 22]

I have a 6.5x55 Swede built on a pre -64 model 70 that does the same thing. I just figured it was a combination of the minimum spec reamer and lapua brass. Never had any pressure problems when working loads and brass seems to be lasting so I haven't worried about it.

 

[eklarsen]

I doubt there is an issue but if you want to know for sure call Tikka and ask them what the chamber was reamed, I assume it is SAMMI spec which would be .343 for a .308 Win.
Based on what you said you have, .308 +.15+.15 (brass size) = .338 so unless it is a tight chamber it should expand to .343 at max which is perfect, but if the chamber is tight or your brass is actually thicker (which I bet it is) there is your answer.

Did you mic your brass? If your brass is actually .17 you have no room to expand (.308 +.17+.17 =.342) and should turn your necks down a bit to allow for 2-3 thousand clearance. You can usually feel this when you load a round, it will be tight.

It all boils down to how much room it has to expand

 

[MRiksheim]

I'm shooting a brand new Tikka T3 .308 right out of the box, I'm using Lapua brass (.015" neck thickness - UN TURNED) and 168 grain Berger VLD hunting bullets loaded with 42.2 grains of Varget. The problem (or is it?) is that after I fire the round the first time AND clean the brass, the neck is so tight that a new bullet will not even come close to sliding through the neck. In other words, it seems I don't even need to neck size the brass for the next reloading. Nor is the brass growing much in length (it does grow minimally) so trimming is not required after the first firing. There are NO over pressure signs in this round.

Is this normal?, has anyone else had this experience in a factory rifle?. BTW, this thing is a sub MOA tack driver, do I need to worry about anything here?. I've never seen this before. Usually a new bullet will fall freely through once fired brass in my other (non Tikka) rifles.

I know that this is years old, but I am having the same problem... with brass that I have outside neck turned. I know it can't be the chamber as I have measured the necks against other brass I have reloaded. Did you ever figure it out? Seating on my arbor press is spinning the dial, and I am concerned with my bullets getting deformed from scraping

 

[pdshooter2]

start a new thread and giver us DETAILS.
WITH A MICROMETER, not a caliper, measure bullet at the base, the loaded round at he bullet base, and the fired brass