Thread: Resized Cartridges Won't Chamber

Had the same issue with son's new Tikka 243 recently. Discussed on this forum same as here. After all the fancy answers about headspace and grinding this or that it turned out to be a simple RTFM issue. Lee die. Lee instructions - Raise ram, turn die in to touch shell holder, lower ram, turn die in a quarter to a half turn more. Voila! All reloads, mixed HS and all chambered seamlessly. FWIW, PPU factory ammo off the shelf would not chamber either.

I had got into the habit, after reading various forums on the subject of shoulder bumping, of turning the die a quarter to a half turn up from the shell holder. Why? on loose chambered military 303B and the like, as well as older sporter rifles in various calibres, there is sufficient room in the chamber to benefit the brass from not working it too much by relaxing how much the shoulder is bumped back. Accuracy is meant to improve etc. Not having cast any of my rifle's chambers the practice of less shoulder bump was something I approached by way of a wet finger in the air. By the time I got to reload for a new Tikka, I'd pretty much forgotten I even did that. Fortunately, before I got the grinder out, scoured the world for chamber casting gunk, or sold my left testicle to a gunsmith, I re-read the manufacturer's instructions on using the dies I bought. I've noticed this with Lee gear before.it pays to attend to their directions. Your mileage may vary.