.308 issues for a beginner
Quote from Reloader on May 4, 2012, 2:19 amI started reloading .308 and thought I was doing well. Turns out I was probably just darn lucky.
Although I read all the instructions, the reloading guides, and watched the Dillon video on how to use my machine, something isn't working out.
The first rifle I reloaded .308 for was a Springfield M1A. After learning how exacting you have to be to make that work (and avoid slam fires), I feel lucky that I had no other problems than cycling issues.
I ended up loading a large amount of .308, thinking I had everything figured out. Once I learned that I wasn't loading for the M1A correctly, I decided to get a bolt action rifle to use up the surplus (any excuse to buy a new rifle).
I got a Ruger American in .308 and took it to the range. I brought a couple of boxes of store bought ammo to use to sight in my scope and to keep from voiding the warranty should there be a problem with the rifle. That all went well, except for my shoulder taking a beating from such a light rifle.
The first time I tried to feed in one of my reloads, the bolt wouldn't close. I could slide it forward but could not lower the bolt handle. I tried a couple more with the same results. I tried some from a different box that I had loaded and, not surprisingly, had the same situation.
These are the same rounds that would sometimes feed and fire in the M1A.
Is this a head space issue? I lubed, resized, and deprimed all of the cases and then checked them in a Dillon case gage. I sorted out all of the over length ones for trimming and only reloaded those that weren't over length. I had some surplus LC brass and swaged the primer pockets.
Until I can master reloading for the bolt action, I'm not going to even entertain the idea of reloading for the M1A.
Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
I started reloading .308 and thought I was doing well. Turns out I was probably just darn lucky.
Although I read all the instructions, the reloading guides, and watched the Dillon video on how to use my machine, something isn't working out.
The first rifle I reloaded .308 for was a Springfield M1A. After learning how exacting you have to be to make that work (and avoid slam fires), I feel lucky that I had no other problems than cycling issues.
I ended up loading a large amount of .308, thinking I had everything figured out. Once I learned that I wasn't loading for the M1A correctly, I decided to get a bolt action rifle to use up the surplus (any excuse to buy a new rifle).
I got a Ruger American in .308 and took it to the range. I brought a couple of boxes of store bought ammo to use to sight in my scope and to keep from voiding the warranty should there be a problem with the rifle. That all went well, except for my shoulder taking a beating from such a light rifle.
The first time I tried to feed in one of my reloads, the bolt wouldn't close. I could slide it forward but could not lower the bolt handle. I tried a couple more with the same results. I tried some from a different box that I had loaded and, not surprisingly, had the same situation.
These are the same rounds that would sometimes feed and fire in the M1A.
Is this a head space issue? I lubed, resized, and deprimed all of the cases and then checked them in a Dillon case gage. I sorted out all of the over length ones for trimming and only reloaded those that weren't over length. I had some surplus LC brass and swaged the primer pockets.
Until I can master reloading for the bolt action, I'm not going to even entertain the idea of reloading for the M1A.
Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
Quote from Reloader on May 4, 2012, 2:36 pmIt sounds like the sizing die is not down far enough. For a semi-automatic rifle such as the M1A, the sized, lube-free case should drop in flush with the lower step on the primer end of the case gage. The lower step is minimum headspace. To verify, drop a factory loaded cartridge into the gage. It will almost always drop in so the primer end of the case is flush with the lower step.
It sounds like the sizing die is not down far enough. For a semi-automatic rifle such as the M1A, the sized, lube-free case should drop in flush with the lower step on the primer end of the case gage. The lower step is minimum headspace. To verify, drop a factory loaded cartridge into the gage. It will almost always drop in so the primer end of the case is flush with the lower step.
Quote from Reloader on February 4, 2013, 8:59 pmThanks for the suggestion Dillon, was having a few slam fires on my LE 901 colt, guess i will be pulling all my rounds and starting over now. I really appreciate the input.
Thanks for the suggestion Dillon, was having a few slam fires on my LE 901 colt, guess i will be pulling all my rounds and starting over now. I really appreciate the input.