Into the looking glass...6.5 CM

boisepaw · Sep 27, 2020

It's been a little while since I've done any resizing but I just ran into a situation I don't understand. I wanted to reload some 6.5 CM. I put in a brand new Redding die and could not get the casing through the die without a herculean effort...even after lubing the cases.

To make it even stranger, I tried to chamber one of the empty cases in the rifle that had fired it just a few weeks ago and I couldn't chamber it either.

What the heck is going on???

I'm ready for all the ideas (and abuse no doubt) that y'all have for me today.

85MikeTPI · Sep 27, 2020

full-length resizer?

Is the expander button set up too far into the neck of the die?

Is it a "S" die? They don't come with neck bushings.

micrometer the expander button to see if an incorrect (larger) one was mistakenly included in you set
(My "A" series expander is 0.262" diameter)

boisepaw · Sep 27, 2020

I have the 3 die set and tried both the FL sizer and the neck sizer. Neither worked.

But even more confusing was that I couldn't chamber an empty casing from the rifle that had fired it just a couple of weeks ago...

85MikeTPI said:
full-length resizer?

Is it a "S" die? They don't come with neck bushings.

micrometer the expander button to see if an incorrect (larger) one was mistakenly included in you set

85MikeTPI · Sep 27, 2020

boisepaw said:
I have the 3 die set and tried both the FL sizer and the neck sizer. Neither worked.

But even more confusing was that I couldn't chamber an empty casing from the rifle that had fired it just a couple of weeks ago...

An empty casing that had been resized, or straight from the ammo case back into the rifle chamber? Is it a bolt gun or gas gun ?

boisepaw · Sep 27, 2020

Bolt gun...Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I fired the round (actually hundreds of them), tumbled it and put it in a Tupperware container to await resizing. When I tried to chamber it...and a second, third and fourth empty case...they wouldn't chamber in the gun that had been used to shoot them in the first place.

85MikeTPI said:
An empty casing that had been resized, or straight from the ammo case back into the rifle chamber? Is it a bolt gun or gas gun ?

85MikeTPI · Sep 27, 2020

boisepaw said:
Bolt gun...Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I fired the round (actually hundreds of them), tumbled it and put it in a Tupperware container to await resizing. When I tried to chamber it...and a second, third and fourth empty case...they wouldn't chamber in the gun that had been used to shoot them in the first place.

I just checked some brass I fired last weekend and tumbled and they
re-chamber fine in my AR10-6.5cm.

Verify you're working with 6.5cm brass and not 308 or 7mm-08 :innocent0

Otherwise start taking case measurements and get out the SAAMI doc and see where the problem is..

KRC · Sep 28, 2020

At what chambering depth do the cases get stuck/not go in further?
Part way in (too fat), or further in where the mouth might engage the neck portion, or just at the very end and closing the bolt (possible length issue)?

Have you tried magic markering the cases to see where they scrape on chambering attempts?

Do fired but untumbled cases chamber properly?

Is there a LOT of powder burn on the fired cases, all the way down the case length or just down to the shoulder (before tumbling)?

Are the fired cases that won't fit from commercial ammo, or your reloads?

Possibilities: (suggested)
1) Cases have stretched on firing, and now mouth of cases get stuck on end of chamber lip.
2) Tumbling has put a lip on the outside of the fired case necks so now chamber neck size is exceeded by case neck diameter, just at the lip.
3) High pressure loads overexpanding the cases.

Augie · Sep 28, 2020

Not making much sense to me, I use Redding 6.5 dies and the are smooth with little effort plus you say a fired round won't chamber in the same rifle that fired it.

Are you absolutely positive the brass you are working with is 6.5 Creedmoor?

Speed3 · Sep 28, 2020

Good video on how to setup FL sizing die...

I really like how he dials in the shoulder bump. Measuring from lock ring to bottom of die and adjust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htvk1UYOXm8&list=TLPQMjgwOTIwMjDhUoXXj88WSA&index=1

Uncle Duke · Sep 28, 2020

Is this your first attempt in reloading brass from that rifle? Rifle is new, or new to you maybe?

Wondering if what you're dealing with isn't reloading related at all, but rather a rifle chamber that is out of round.

atblis · Sep 28, 2020

I would clean the die with a solvent (Acetone is fine). I would then apply a light coat of lube to the inside of the die.

I've found that for whatever reason, when Redding sizing dies are dry, the cases are much harder to resize even with the cases lubed.

boisepaw · Sep 28, 2020

So...update...

I went out today and was able to use the neck resizing die just fine. I could also use a Hornady decapping dies (obviously) quite easily.

But I went back to the full length resizing die and...yes...rookie mistake...I got a case stuck in the die. I actually got one to go through with a modicum of effort but the next one I pushed too hard and got it stuck.

The rifle and the die are new to me. I've been reloading for several years but I was farming out my brass prep for quite awhile. I know...lazy. So I just ended up priming, powder and seating the bullets for the last couple of years. And that was for different rifles...6CM and 308 and 243. So this was my first attempt for sizing with this rifle and these dies.

The strange thing is that I still have a very hard time getting the spent cases to re-chamber in the rifle. I was able to get one in this afternoon but then had a dickens of a time getting it out.

It is always the last little bit that is a problem. Whether with the resizing die or chambering an empty case.

Next question...any good suggestions for getting the stuck casing out of my die?

Speed3 · Sep 28, 2020

Look here some good alternatives. I had the same issue at one point, I think most of us have stuck a case or 2.

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=132679

lazarus · Sep 28, 2020

boisepaw said:
So...update...

I went out today and was able to use the neck resizing die just fine. I could also use a Hornady decapping dies (obviously) quite easily.

But I went back to the full length resizing die and...yes...rookie mistake...I got a case stuck in the die. I actually got one to go through with a modicum of effort but the next one I pushed too hard and got it stuck.

The rifle and the die are new to me. I've been reloading for several years but I was farming out my brass prep for quite awhile. I know...lazy. So I just ended up priming, powder and seating the bullets for the last couple of years. And that was for different rifles...6CM and 308 and 243. So this was my first attempt for sizing with this rifle and these dies.

The strange thing is that I still have a very hard time getting the spent cases to re-chamber in the rifle. I was able to get one in this afternoon but then had a dickens of a time getting it out.

It is always the last little bit that is a problem. Whether with the resizing die or chambering an empty case.

Next question...any good suggestions for getting the stuck casing out of my die?

You are checking the case overall length, right?

Because it sounds like they are over max. 1.92” is the max case length for SAMMI spec.

It’s also possible that your rifle has a short chamber, but since it has a hell of a time in the resizing die right at the end.

Measure PRIOR to resizing for case length and then after. See how much it is stretching the cases. Grab a loaded round and pop her open and check the case length (then load the powder and bullet back in to it if you’d like).

Doco Overboard · Sep 28, 2020

boisepaw said:
Bolt gun...Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I fired the round (actually hundreds of them), tumbled it and put it in a Tupperware container to await resizing. When I tried to chamber it...and a second, third and fourth empty case...they wouldn't chamber in the gun that had been used to shoot them in the first place.

Sounds like your brass is forming itself to the chamber dimensions in a particular manner.
Next time you fire the rifle on any brass that allows the bolt to close, put a hash mark with a felt pen on the head of the case (index) and then after a while try to re-chamber that piece of brass.
See if it will chamber in only the position that was marked initially.
Afterwards if you detect particular results, pen in the brass an see if you can determine where the interference is occurring.

Sometimes it's possible for a cartridges to HS on a small part of the chamber that controls it, not the entire circumference of the chamber datum.

It would no be anything extraordinary for a rifle bolt to be a little sticky on closing the bolt from a round fired from the same chamber.

Especially without bumping the shoulder back a small amount.
I think you are just fire forming your brass in a chamber that will only accept it afterwards by being placed in a particular position.

Try some of your spent brass and rotate it as you attempt to close the bolt.
You may be able to determine what I'm describing without actually firing the rifle.

Into the looking glass...6.5 CM

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