Sticking/jamming Cases?

[Gtown]

OK, next saga of my, to date, short life in F class.....

I have been reloading for a quite a few years (hunting, .243) so I am very familiar with the processes, but I have never had this issue before.

Lately I with my .308 F class cases I find that some are sticking or jamming when I put them into the shell holder (Lee Shellholder) to run them through the necking die (Simplex ‘O’ Frame press, Lee Collet die), similarly when I put them into the primer hand tool (Lee primer tool with Lee shellholder) and then to seat the projectile (Redding comp die) they are either tight, stick or jam in both shell holders?

Here is the thing.....not all of the cases stick or jam, and not all of them have the witness mark. My cases are batched and I reload and shot those batches as a unit

There are witness marks on the flat outer edge of the bases of the cases that match the sprung pin (Omark rifle with original bolt and barrel, no issues with feeding or extracting the cases, no miss fires) on the bolt (not the firing pin, the other pin) but that mark is proud, not concave as I would have expected if the cases were fire forming out.

I am running 308 Win Lapua brass, loaded at 44.4 gns of 06H and use Fed Match primers with 155 gn HBC’s, they have been reloaded **checks reloading book**…….6 times since new. I have never trimmed them, and apart from washing every 2nd reload in the ultrasonic cleaner have not done anything else with them.

Is this a sign of a headspaceing problem, all very strange!


Thks in advance.


Paul

[David B]

Hi, Omark barrels with lugs machined in the barrel are prone to wear this increases head space which wrecks brass, eg sticking and seperating
David

[bobeager]

Paul, I have the very same problem with a particular batch of Lapua .223 Rem match brass using a Lee shellholder. Give me a ring, come over, and I can lend you some alternate brands of shellholder. Worth a try.

[johnk]

I've had shellholder issues too with some batches of brass. In one isolated instance, it turned out that the shellholder just needed a good cleaning - the rest were just brand/manufacturer tolerances.

[AlanF]

Yes I had a simialr problem with some Lapua 6.5-284 brass once. From memory I got some fine emery paper and took the sharp edge off the top of the bevel that goes around the U shape of the shell-holder. In my case what was happening was the heads were expanding a little causing the extractor groove to shrink a little (longitudinally).

Alan

[DannyS]

Hi Paul,

When working up handloads I use a shell holder as a means of checking for excess pressure, ie if the case is getting stuck in the shell holder then pressures are too high.

Whilst your load may normally be ok sometimes things happen that cause pressures to increase.

Have you shot in the rain lately? Damp cases can cause excess pressure, as can lube.

[Norm]

Check that your decapping pin rod is not adjusted too long.

If so it will bottom out on your cases and deform them. This could result in the sticking shell holder problem that you are having.

[bruce moulds]

paul,
did the cases fit in the shellholder when new?
if so, there is a chance that the diameter of the rim has increased.
you really need to take a measurement of this before the cases are fired so you have a control.
any diameter increase of a rim suggests that pressure could be too high for that case. other cases that don't get that problem are probably safer.
if rims are bent the cause of this needs identifying.
if you are getting a mark from the hole that contains what i assume is your ejector plunger, pressure is too high for that case, because brass is moving in the case head, as it would be it the rim diameter is increasing.
2206 is a faster burning powder than 2208, thus having the potential for more sudden and higher pressure spikes for the same velocity.
if you are having no problem closing the bolt,your headspace is certainly not too tight, and after 6 loadings it is probably not excessive either.
when brass moves, it work hardens and for this reason might not move further. on this basis, if an rcbs or redding shellholder will fit, the brass might have more life as long as the primer pockets are still tight enough.
we all read about how good lapua brass is, but sometimes a comparison with winchester is worth the cost.
keep safe,
bruce moulds.

[Malcolm Hill]

Paul
I go along with all Bruce has mentioned. Any extrusion of brass into the ejector hole says pressure is way too high for some reason. If the case head is deforming such that it will no longer fit in shell holders or priming tools then it is a clear indication that this is the case. Maybe check your scales against someone else's to verify their accuracy. If you are getting these pressure indications you should as Bruce says mike the case heads before and after firing to check for expansion using a new case for the testing. I am surprised that you have had no extraction problems with the Omark. You must have a Wednesday extractor and a well set up extractor cam.
Regards Malcolm.

[Gtown]

Hi All

Thks very much for all of your advice. I will work my way through it and see what I come up with and let you know how we go.

All of the brass fitted first time it has slowly been occuring over the last few weeks. First one or two, the another couple, then another few....no pattern that I can see.

In the meantime, anyone wish to sell some cheap brass?....lol

Malcolm, for a first rifle I think I got a great deal, extracts fine, actually, throws the empties very well. I also use an electronic scale on random loads to check that the weight is OK, so far no issues there either. My scales are Redding balance beam with magnetic damper.

Bruce, the primers seat beautifully, no issues there.

Bob, I am away at the moment, I will catch up with you when I get back, thks.

Danny, I did shoot in damp conditions recently, but this started before then, thks.




Thks again

Paul.

[bruce moulds]

paul,
if your brass fitted first time and the problem is manifesting itself as you describe, you are just over the red line.
brass is moving in that area. this indicates excessive pressure for that brass in that gun period.
keep safe,
bruce.

[AlanF]

...this indicates excessive pressure for that brass in that gun period...

And you may find that the particular batch of brass has at least contributed to the problem (as happened in my case), so I would try some new/different brass.

Alan

[mike H]

Paul,
I would try another shell holder,my Lee .308 shellholder has done the same to me with once fired Winchester factory loaded cases. Another older shellholder I have had for many years,never baulks at the same cases.All cases fit the rifle boltface as well. This doesn`t mean you should ignore the advice given by others here,re pressures.

If you do change shellholders please watch your headspace as they may be different,mine are.
Mike.

[AlanA]

Gtown
I have exactly the same problem. My load is 44.5grn 2206H in Lapua cases. Fullbore rifle is RPA CG2000, Cases have been reloaded 16 times so far. Barrel has 3000+ rounds now so headspace has probably blown out a bit but cases are fire formed and I only bump the shoulder about 2-3 thou every third loading.

At about 10 reload point some cases got very tight in shell holders both in Lee priming tool and press. Had to push in with thumb. No apparent explanation. No signs of pressure, no brass flow, no chambering or extraction problems, no flattening of primers, and absolutely no signs of case head separation.

In the absence of any other signs I decided to push on. That was more than 12 months ago, problem is still there but has not got any worse. I cleaned the shell holders which semed to help a bit. Maybe the suggestion to change shell holders would also help.

It's a mystery to me but if you can see no other pressure signs then I suggest you push on. Maybe dropping your load back 0.5grn would fix it. I'll watch this space with interest.