Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

Terminator Alpine


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 27 of 27
Like Tree51Likes

Thread: A couple of hunts and a reloading debacle.

  1. #16
    Gone but not forgotten
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Hamilton
    Posts
    4,129
    I usually visually check the tray of charged cases before seating the projectiles, looking for any differences in powder level.
    I forgot this step once and ended up with some 243 rounds with no powder. Must be Murphy’s law as I have never had empty cases when I have checked. Luckily I picked up on the issue before firing any.
    Another time I had one case with noticeably more powder than the others, it had several grains more when weighed. I still don’t know what happened but I suspect the beam on the scales was touching the powder trickler.
    Moa Hunter and Micky Duck like this.

  2. #17
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    Okawa Hawkes Bay
    Posts
    3,070
    Quote Originally Posted by tikka View Post
    I did check the dies after pulling the bullets, unscrewed die 1/8 turn out sized up 5 cases and they wouldn’t chamber in the Sheridan gauge and hard to drop bolt and chamber so not the dies. I still think it’s wind breeze on the scales.
    Greetings @tikka,
    I had not heard of the Sheridan gauges before so looked them up. They only check if your cases match factory specs and do nothing to make sure they are not too loose in the chamber. 1/8th of a turn of the die works out to 0.227mm or about 0.009" so I certainly hope that they would not chamber. There are four 308 rifles in my cupboard and all have different chamber lengths and I neck sized for years until I broke open the piggy bank and got a Hornady comparitor kit and a Redding Competition die set so am able to ensure that all cases are snug in their chamber. The only reason I know for a head separation that I know is excessive head space from either the rifle or the dies. This is where you need to look for the problem. The comparitor kits are not excessively expensive and measuring new, fired and resized cases should show the problem to you.
    Regards Grandpamac.
    Longranger and Moa Hunter like this.

  3. #18
    Member zimmer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    4,986
    The flat primer supports the excessive headspace as well. A lot of reloaders incorrectly assume a flat primer is just due to excessive pressure.

    @tikka have you decapped the case and if so what is the primer shape like? Has it developed a "top hat".

    I had to look up the Sheridan as well. They state it is cut to minimum SAAMI dimensions.

  4. #19
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hastings
    Posts
    2,650
    Quote Originally Posted by Cigar View Post
    I usually visually check the tray of charged cases before seating the projectiles, looking for any differences in powder level.
    I forgot this step once and ended up with some 243 rounds with no powder. Must be Murphy’s law as I have never had empty cases when I have checked. Luckily I picked up on the issue before firing any.
    Another time I had one case with noticeably more powder than the others, it had several grains more when weighed. I still don’t know what happened but I suspect the beam on the scales was touching the powder trickler.
    We load 100 cases at a time. Lifting each case after putting in powder you get a "feel" if the podwer is miles too short or a fraction over. Amazing how sensitively your fingers can assess.
    Micky Duck likes this.

  5. #20
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hastings
    Posts
    2,650
    2C. If you dont anneal any issue with sizing is going to magnified with work hardened brass. Never had a case seperation but then again we anneal everytime.That ejector mark has been printed so there was some pressure existing.
    Micky Duck likes this.

  6. #21
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Blenhiem
    Posts
    1,108
    Quote Originally Posted by grandpamac View Post
    Greetings @tikka,
    I had not heard of the Sheridan gauges before so looked them up. They only check if your cases match factory specs and do nothing to make sure they are not too loose in the chamber. 1/8th of a turn of the die works out to 0.227mm or about 0.009" so I certainly hope that they would not chamber. There are four 308 rifles in my cupboard and all have different chamber lengths and I neck sized for years until I broke open the piggy bank and got a Hornady comparitor kit and a Redding Competition die set so am able to ensure that all cases are snug in their chamber. The only reason I know for a head separation that I know is excessive head space from either the rifle or the dies. This is where you need to look for the problem. The comparitor kits are not excessively expensive and measuring new, fired and resized cases should show the problem to you.
    Regards Grandpamac.
    Hi Grandpamac, I haven’t needed a comparator kit until now and will order a kit to be on the safe side. I do use Redding Competition S die sets in 223, 308 and 270 with great results. Don’t anneal brass yet but it is on my list of wants among other things.
    @zimmer no I haven’t decapped case.

  7. #22
    Member zimmer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    4,986
    @tikka if you're going to decap it have got a decapping only die? If not make sure you remove the bushing in your S die otherwise you risk seperating the top section of the case and leaving it stuck in your nice due.
    tikka likes this.

  8. #23
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hastings
    Posts
    2,650
    Quote Originally Posted by tikka View Post
    Hi Grandpamac, I haven’t needed a comparator kit until now and will order a kit to be on the safe side. I do use Redding Competition S die sets in 223, 308 and 270 with great results. Don’t anneal brass yet but it is on my list of wants among other things.
    @zimmer no I haven’t decapped case.
    Annealing is an 18v drill. Decapping is a Lee Universal decapper. This die is bullet proof and top of the podium for decapping even though we run Redding gear.

  9. #24
    Member SPEARONZ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    Nth island
    Posts
    396
    Great shooting tikka, go the 308!

    Reminds me of the Rimutukas.

  10. #25
    Member ANTSMAN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    2,511
    those 168tmk are a ferkin hammer alright!

  11. #26
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Bell Block NZ/Northern Alberta Canada
    Posts
    1,137
    Good shooting and nice report,
    I am with most of the others, in that the shoulder, has been pushed back to far, the brass stretches Apon firing, until the shoulder and base contact the chamber shoulder, and bolt face, the brass must flow to do this, normally from just above the web, Others have given the solution, and like you i have had a similar result, a long time ago, that pushed me to buy a comparator. pushed the shoulder back to far, for a 6x45 cooper, ruined a few dozen brass.

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. One of those hunts
    By stagstalker in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 06-04-2020, 01:40 PM
  2. a couple of winter ruahine hunts
    By stagslayer 12 in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 26-08-2013, 02:02 PM
  3. Some day hunts.
    By Malhunting in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-07-2012, 07:04 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!