RELOADING 308 WINCHESTER FOR BROWNING BLR

[lshel]

MY 1970 BLR LEVER ACTION CYCLES REMINGTON 150G , WINCHESTER 150G , AND HORNADY 165G BRANDS OF NEW MANUFACTURED AMMO WITH NO PROBLEM. IT WILL ONLY CYCLE INTO CHAMBER RELOADS WITH BRASS BY PMC, PPU, WINCHESTER . OTHER BRANDS LC, R-P, AND FC THE ACTION WILL NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY AND ALLOW LEVER ACTION LATCH TO CLOSE.  HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERENCED THIS PROBLEM IN A BLR.

CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY WHEN RELOADS ARE SIZED, SAME BULLETS, AND OAL BUT MIXED BRASS WHEN RELOADED. THESE FUNCTION OKAY IN RUGER GUNSITE SCOUT 308 BOLT ACTION.

HELP WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS. THANKS

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by lshel

[Grayfox54]

You might wanna check case length. Some of that brass may need trimming. Also possible that the barrel has a short throat and tight chamber. You may need to adjust OAL accordingly. Third possibility is that  your over crimping and slightly bulging the shoulder. 

 

[Omega]

A few methods to discover what is going on, using a sharpie, darken the bullet and neck of the "bad" cartridge and see what is hitting what.  Do a chamber cast to see what your rifle needs, and or use a Hornady OAL gauge to see where your lands and grooves are and seat accordingly. 

[MikeW]

All of what GF54 said and:
is the headspace on all of the brass set the same.  Do you have headspace gauges for .308? What about measuring to the Ogive rather that OAL.  Oh, and remember to adjust your Lake City powder load down when using the LC brass.

 

[gregintenn]

Screw your sizing die in another quarter turn and see what happens.

[Alleycat72]

I would try small base dies.

[lshel]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I checked OAL and LC reloads were at .05 longer so I seated .05 deeper on LC brass, didn't help in chambering. I'll try some of the other suggestions. I reloaded mixed brass at same time and the PMC, PPU, and  Winchester would chamber while other manufacturers would not. I measured brass at base of bullet on those that chambered and those that didn't and they were very close to same measurement. I will darken the bullet and neck of those that don't chamber and try chambering again.

[lshel]

It was headspace problem. I read an article "Dealing with Headspace" by Todd Spotti. I followed his directions on setting up sizing die for my rifle. Back of sizing die 1/2 turn and size a case, try it in rifle. If doesn't chamber screw sizing die down 1/8 turn and try chambering. Keep turning sizing die down until casing chambers.

I then reloading 12 LC brass with new sizer die setting and all 12 finished rounds chambered. when I get new front sight I will sight in using these rounds.

Thanks for everyones input.

[Sunfish]

On 10/20/2021 at 3:19 PM, Alleycat72 said:

I would try small base dies.

This

[Mowgli Terry]

The easiest answer is not to use that brass.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Mowgli Terry