Pressure signs with factory ammo

WGTX

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Like the title says factory ammo, I do have questions related to reloading though. Little background, very new to reloading, I've successfully made a few hundred .223 & .308 lately just tryin to learn the basics. The issue/questions are about a 26 Nosler that I traded for. It supposed has low round count but who knows. Came with 80 rounds of 140 ab and 60 of 142 ablr. I have had it quite a while but had only shot a few rounds through it about a year ago and didn't think much about it. So forward to now and with the limited knowledge I've gained (a lot of it from this site) made me question what I saw yesterday from this factory ammo. First picture is the 142s, second the 140s. The 142s cbto averaged 2.706, the 140s 2.766. I pulled one of the 142s to measure with, I was surprised how scared it was when I did, I've only pulled a couple .223s that I've loaded,they didn't look like this (3rd pic), had 71.1gr of whatever Nosler loads. So using the Hornady tool jammed all the way I come up with 2.839 and just touching 2.703. This is where the questions start, I'm unsure of my process measuring, jammed all the way seems simple enough, just touching much harder to be consistent. I started out yesterday with a clean, pretty close to bare, dry bore and chamber. All rounds resulted in stiff bolt lift, not have to death grip or pick up the rifle but definitely stiff. Would it make sense to pull/reseat bullets in the factory ammo for some jump ? Or dump the powder and try something different ? BTW velocity average was 3251 and of the powders listed in the Nosler manual 71.1 should be pretty mild. With a bore scope I can see what maybe a carbon ring starting ? after 15 rounds that wasn't there when I started. Am I overthinking this ? Couple years ago I'd have looked at the brass and thought that's weird and kept right on stuffing and shooting, lol. Any advice is appreciated. Hope the pictures load, my sat internet is pretty lame.
 

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Yes, they look over pressure to me.
Tweaking seating depth may or may not make a difference.
The powder used will be a blended powder not available to reloaders. Ammo makers use the fastest powder blend they can get away with...why you ask? 71gr is far cheaper than 82gr of a slower powder. The 26 Nosler is a large case, pressure will rise quick due to bore size and overbore capacity.

Cheers.
 
I looked at the few I had fired and the cases that came with it, a pretty much the same primers and swipes. Don't remember the temperature when I shot it last but it was warm.
 
The 26 Nosler has a working pressure of 65,000 PSI.

SAAMI lists a 129 gr bulllet at 3,400 fps.

A hot day may add some pressure.

The firing pin hole can be fixed. The brass flow into the ejector hole will keep happening.


bushing the pin
 
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Nosler tested load data shows a COL of 3.300" for 140-142 gr bullets. Base of shell to bullet nose. I would think your factory ammo should be close or near the same?

Any signs that the "factory" ammo has been reloaded?


Nice rifle. https://christensenarms.com/ridgeline/
 
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The 26 Nosler has a working pressure of 65,000 PSI.

SAAMI lists a 129 gr bulllet at 3,400 fps.

A hot day may add some pressure.

The firing pin hole can be fixed. The brass flow into the ejector hole will keep happening.



Enlighten me why can't you use a firing pin sized to the hole instead making the hole smaller never could figure that one out. David
 
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