Lapua 220 wont chamber in Go-gauged chamber?

D

docsleepy

Guest
Newbie here.

Switching savage barrels (yes, with the nut). When I set the headspacing so that it easily closes on a Forster "go" gage, and not at all on a Forster "no-go" 6ppc gage,

then when I try to chamber a new Lapua 220, the bolt closes only with significant difficulty!

It is acting as if the Lapua 220 is fairly close to the "no-go" gage length.

Question: Should I just let the barrel back out a bit until it easily closes on the factory Lapua220 case?

(I have neck sizing die, no full length die, and why would I want to have to resize all new cases??) I'm confused. I thought the go/no-go gages were very important, but they seem to have led me into a problem! Do other people have to resize factory Lapua 220 before fire forming? I can't imagine that fire forming will make the case fit EASIER???
 
I would and do use imperial sizing wax on the shoulder of the brass (very lightly) and use liberal and repeated use of bolt lube on the bolt lugs. It is a good thing to have a firm close on the virgin brass so the fireforming does not stretch the brass in the web area and so the stretching of the brass during fireforming happens in a consistent area and manner from round to round. Keep the lugs lubed to avoid galling them as that is really bad juju. You may have to back it off just a hair. Perhaps a good deal less than an actual hair.
 
Sounds like you've got it headspaced perfectly. That "crush" fit that you are feeling is exactly what you want. Follow Ray's instructions and you'll be good to go.
 
If it bothers you,

.....just bump the case back a thou and seat your bullet OUT a bit and they will go in easily with out a crush but still blow out just fine!
 
No Big Deal

My chamber's are pretty close to "standard" as far as headspace goes, and a 220 Russian case is pretty "crunchy" going in.

Keep in mind, that case is only hitting on a small ring down toward the case neck junction.

I would not back off the barrel, as this could lead to problems with your sizing die. I would simply set your sizing die untill it touches the shoulder of the case enough to where there is just a slight feel.

In other words, trust the headspace gage.


I also put a thin film of sizing wax on the body of the case, so as Ray said, it will come back against the bolt face and not stick to the chamber walls. Keepinmind, a fire forming load is pretty low pressure.

I go through about 400 to 500 cases a year, and for some reason, Lapua has a little problem making the shoulder the same on all. Some are really tight right out of the box, and some are not. Of course, we are only talking about a few thousanths one way or the other.

If you get a box of cases that are on the high side of the tolerance, and you set your barrel on the low side, we could be talking about as much as .005 or so, hence the problem. You do know that there is a fairly large tolerance between a Go and No Go gage when compared in Benchrest terms........jackie
 
THANKS AGAIN!! Great education from you guys.

Several hours later and I finally have figured out just about exactly how much to turn the neck, and where the lands are. I probably should buy some more measurement devices, but a lot of trial and error with an empty case and one bullet and a bullet puller and I got a set of dimensions worked out. Quite relieved to be able finally to get a case/bullet to go IN and come OUT.

Thanks again for all the education,
gordon
 
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