Sticky Brass

Hunter

Hunter

Chasin' the Sunset
I've got several pieces of brass that have been fired several times (maybe 10-15) and they are hard to chamber and hard to extract, even having been FL sized. In trying to determine the problem I tried several things, including the following:

1. Once-fired brass (not resized) chambers and extracts easily.
2. Some multiple-fired brass, resized with no expander ball and no bullet seated are hard to chamber and extract.
3. Some multiple-fired brass, resized with no expander ball and no bullet seated are not as hard to chamber an extract as those at # 2 above.

Any ideas as to what's causing the hard chambering and extraction problem?
 
Is your sizer correctly adjusted to bump the shoulder and if so, how much are you setting it back?

Was all the brass shot with the same bullet/powder combo?
 
Yote said:
Is your sizer correctly adjusted to bump the shoulder and if so, how much are you setting it back?

Was all the brass shot with the same bullet/powder combo?
Click to expand...

The sizer is set low -- in other words, it bumps the shell holder. I suspect the multiple-fired brass has shot different recipes, as well as the same recipes.
 
This can occur for several reasons, a few of which are:

  • The brass is getting older, more brittle & doesn't spring back as much as it used to. The solution could be to resize with a small base die, or just ditch that brass & buy some new cases. Price might help you decide, as the new die mightn't do the job anyway - or not do it for long.
  • The chamber has expanded over time from heavy loads so it's now bigger than the sizing die. Solution - ?
  • You've used some heavy loads which have expanded the case head excessively. If this is the case, it's generally accompanied by a l-o-o-s-e primer pocket.
  • You've been sizing your cases more than they need (just size until they chamber like a factory round, or maybe a hint of drag on the bolt handle) which has caused the base of the case to expand back violently until it touches the bolt face, gradually rivetting the head of the case until it expands beyond recovery.
 
Brass workhardens. Your shellholder may not bump the die with those cases inserted. You may have to adjust the die down a little to allow for the press flexing. Jon
 
Neck I.D. Check

Before sizing a fired case, see if a new bullet will slip into the neck. If not, the neck has become too thick and must be turned, reamed or the case discarded. Neck thickening will cause pressure to rise and can contribute to chambering issues. Fred in Colorado
 
Degrease your tight cases and color them all over with a marker, let it dry, then chamber them, and see where the marker is rubbed off. Let us know.
 
Problem Solved

I called RCBS and asked about the problem; the guy said to be sure the die was screwed down 1/4 turn below where it touches the shell holder. I assured him that it was turned below where it touches the shell holder; he said to be sure it was 1/4 turn below. I tried his suggestion, and it solved the problem. Just call me stupid. :)
 
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