7mm chambering “issues”

[bowhunter-tw]

New to loading a belted magnum cartridge, though that might not matter. I noticed the bolt requires a decent bit of force to rotate and lock the lugs when a reloaded cartridge is placed in the chamber. There are no rifling marks on the bullet so I know (think) my seating depth is ok. Is it possible I am not bumping the shoulders back far enough? How would I confirm?

[PRDATR]

How is the case length?

[bowhunter-tw]

18 minutes ago, PRDATR said:

How is the case length?

I have them trimmed to ~2.49 after resizing.

[Azdiy]

That length should be good according to the books. It doesn't sound like your bullet is touching the lands. You could smoke a case or color it with a sharpie before you put powder in it and see if it is contacting anywhere. If you don't have a headspace gauge, they are great to give you a minimal shoulder bump. Usually it will increase accuracy and definitely will make your brass last longer. Check everything you can and also make sure your chamber is clean

[recurveman]

Are you full length sizing or just neck sizing?  

Were these cases fired in your gun once already? 

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Bulging at the belt most likely 

[firstcoueswas80]

Crank your sizing die down about a 1/8th of a turn until the problem goes away.

[1denogean]

Or if your using a Remington the head space is way stupid short I've seen this on 4 that wouldiny even load factory ammo

[bowhunter-tw]

16 minutes ago, recurveman said:

Are you full length sizing or just neck sizing?  

Were these cases fired in your gun once already? 

 

Full length, not fired in this gun. Headspace gauge read 2.120 bumped them back to 2.115 and the bolt closes easy now. New question, those cartridges that are bumped to 2.120 and close tight should I pull them and bump them to 2.115 or are they ok to fire? 

[bowhunter-tw]

8 minutes ago, 1denogean said:

Or if your using a Remington the head space is way stupid short I've seen this on 4 that wouldiny even load factory ammo

Its an older browning A bolt stainless

[Azdiy]

Lots of good suggestions. Try them one at a time. Also try trimming a case back about .010 at a time and chamber a resized case without seating a bullet. Possibly a carbon ring?

[Azdiy]

Overlooked your post, glad you got it figured out. Those cases should be fine to fire, but as always, look for pressure signs. Lots of knowledgeable reloaders on this site. With a hard bolt close, possibly a problem with galling? Make sure there's a small dab of Grease on the lugs where they lock everything tight

[1uglydude]

..

[bowhunter-tw]

5 minutes ago, Azdiy said:

Overlooked your post, glad you got it figured out. Those cases should be fine to fire, but as always, look for pressure signs. Lots of knowledgeable reloaders on this site. With a hard bolt close, possibly a problem with galling? Make sure there's a small dab of Grease on the lugs where they lock everything tight

I will put a little grease/lube on the lugs, I may pull the 10 loads I did just to be safe, if I can find a .284 collet. then re size to bump the shoulders 5 thou more. 
 

Any issue firing a case with dented shoulder? Had a little to much lube in sizing and it dented the shoulder in a few places, I imagine it would just fire form to the chamber when fired? 
 

 

[recurveman]

24 minutes ago, bowhunter-tw said:

Full length, not fired in this gun. Headspace gauge read 2.120 bumped them back to 2.115 and the bolt closes easy now. New question, those cartridges that are bumped to 2.120 and close tight should I pull them and bump them to 2.115 or are they ok to fire? 

Yes.   bump them all to 2.115 and load them up.   EVERYTHING needs to be the same.......unless you are changing something on purpose for load development.    Typically my brass remains as a constant except for maybe neck tension but I normally keep my neck tension at .0015 for hunting purposes.   

So I would load these up and fire them in your gun.   Then I normally bump it back a .001 or .002 with once fired brass (in your gun) and call it good.