Cartridges will not chamber

[The mailman]

I couldn’t go the price for a custom built rifle so I bought a Savage 12 in 6br Norma. Got some new Lapua brass and loaded it and the rifle shot great, very accurate. Took the once fired brass and cleaned it sized it. It even fits right into a Wilson case gauge. The empty brass will chamber in the rifle. After I seat the bullet the cartridge does not chamber.  I have seated the bullet to where it almost looks like a wad cutter. I have bumped the shoulder back as far as I can. All the measurements appear to be saami specs. Someone please offer some suggestions.

[RED333]

The hard way, chamber cast. Before that try some lip stick, I like red, but green might look better for you. Spread as thin as you can, drop in a easy as you can, slowly close the bolt, when you open the bolt do not let the round eject, inspect the case for the smear.

Wait, what about a ring in the chamber, close to the start of the rifling?

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffnt&q=ring+in+rifle+chamber&ia=web

[Quavodus]

This has got me puzzled. I've had problems a few times with brass that was fired in another rifle, sized and reloaded. Then wouldn't chamber in another rifle than the one originally fired in.  But, not like your dilemma. Hmmm.

[DaveTN]

Does the "Dies and Reloading Gear" section of this article help any?

https://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html

 

[Darrell]

Since your resized but unloaded brass chambers properly, and since you've seated bullets much deeper than spec, that leaves me to believe that the bullets are expanding the necks of your brass. 

When your reloaded ammo won't chamber, are there land marks on the bullet? I'm betting not with deeply-seated bullets. If not, then it's unlikely that the bullets are running deep into the lands.

You might carefully measure the neck diameter of a few factory loads that chamber properly, then measure the neck diameter of a few of your reloads that do not. If there's a difference, then either your bullets are too large or perhaps your bullet seating die isn't crimping properly. Have you tried more than one brand of bullet? (I've never had a problem with factory bullets, but I suppose it's possible.)  One possible solution is the Lee factory crimp die. They're not expensive, but they seem to do a really good job of making sure a reloaded round is concentric and "unbulged" for lack of a better term.

Good luck!

Edited December 6, 2020 by Darrell

[AuEagle]

^^^^^

That was my first thought, neck expanding.

[Grayfox54]

You might be crimping too hard which can expand the shoulder. The .30-30 is notorious for this. Remove the depriming pin and run a loaded round through the sizing die again. Then see if it chambers. 

[The mailman]

3 hours ago, Darrell said:

Since your resized but unloaded brass chambers properly, and since you've seated bullets much deeper than spec, that leaves me to believe that the bullets are expanding the necks of your brass. 

When your reloaded ammo won't chamber, are there land marks on the bullet? I'm betting not with deeply-seated bullets. If not, then it's unlikely that the bullets are running deep into the lands.

You might carefully measure the neck diameter of a few factory loads that chamber properly, then measure the neck diameter of a few of your reloads that do not. If there's a difference, then either your bullets are too large or perhaps your bullet seating die isn't crimping properly. Have you tried more than one brand of bullet? (I've never had a problem with factory bullets, but I suppose it's possible.)  One possible solution is the Lee factory crimp die. They're not expensive, but they seem to do a really good job of making sure a reloaded round is concentric and "unbulged" for lack of a better term.

Good luck!

 

[RED333]

An answer on this?

[Ray Z]

check your cartridge after loading. hat will tell you if the neck wall thickness is off or maybe the OL too long.

[Mowgli Terry]

If the sized case is OK something must have gone haywire after that.  First place to look is for a buckled shoulder, Start with the simplest event that could cause the malfunction. Wonder what would happen if a bullet was pulled for another try in the chamber? 

[The mailman]

...and the winner is “Darrell.”  I got a lee factory crimp die and did a few cartridges.  Smooth as butter now.  Previously I wasn’t crimping at all.

[The mailman]

On 12/13/2020 at 12:56 PM, RED333 said:

An answer on this?

See below

[RED333]

Glad it worked out well.

24 minutes ago, bluemailman53 said:

...and the winner is “Darrell.”  I got a lee factory crimp die and did a few cartridges.  Smooth as butter now.  Previously I wasn’t crimping at all.