22-250 probelms

SkwentnaMan

SkwentnaMan

New member
Gun is a Rem 700 22-250, the problem is that about one out of every 3 rounds wont chamber. I cant lock the bolt down without extreme force.

Rounds are once fired brass, trimmed to length, full length resized, OAL is 2.350 inches.

All my factory rounds load fine they have a OAL of 2.320 I thought maybe my handloads were to long but that dosent explain why some load and some dont. Bullets are 50 gr speer spitzer sp.

Any help would be great.
 
Sounds like you aren't getting consistent sizing or seating.

Take a black marker and mark up a round that isn't chambering. Then try to chamber it and pull it out carefully. The black will be marked up where it is making contact. This should tell you whether your sizing is the issue or your seating is the cause.

Either way, all things are not being done the same each time if some have a problem, and some don't.

Could be primers not getting seated properly as well. If they are sticking out the case head too far, they will result in a headspace problem, so to speak.

Lots of variables here... so you need to do your part and fill in the blanks as far as what equipment you are using and what process you are going through to reload.
 
Most likely you are not pushing the shoulder back far enough. The best way is to use a case shoulder length gauge, measure a fired case, adjust die so you push shoulder back about .0015".

Jack
 
My 22-250 does the exact same thing. Only mine is a tc venture. I won't change anything and 8 outta 10 rounds will not chamber. But I can put the same rounds that wouldn't chamber in my venture s d run them through my savage m12 and they chamber just fine. I don't understand this
 
What kind of dies? I've had this problem with Lee dies more than once with that crappy locking ring they use.

The other thing I've seen is that if the brass is worn/soft, when seating the bullet, the shoulder bulges out a bit and won't chamber properly.
 
Getfoxy,

I'll bet your Savage has a bigger chamber or longer headspace. Try taking a round fired in the savage and see if it will chamber in your other rifle, I bet it won't.

SkwentnaMan

I'll also bet your not sizing the brass enough, like said earlier.
 
I too have seen this happen when someone doesn't set the die up correctly.. Try resetting the die. Make sure it fully resizes the brass.
 
Jack Robert's comment is your answer. The shoulder's need to be bumped back. My 22-250 needs the casing bumped about every third time because of a loose chamber/free space of .080. I do it by using a Redding Body Die and Redding Competition Shell Holders so as to move the shoulder in small increments rather than large increments so as not to overwork the brass anymore than I have to. And if that brass was once fired in another rifle and the bolt won't close, guaranteed its the shoulders since you have all the other concerns/variables already covered.
 
Brass was shot out of same gun. Dies are Lyman. How do you bump the shoulder back? I have screwed the die down until it bumps the shell holder hard. I reloaded some more and same thing is happening. The fired shells chamber good. Is there a way to neck size with a full length die?
 
What brand/kind of press are you using? If they chamber in the same gun they were fired in before resizing, then something else is going on with your reloading process or tools.. Have you checked case length after resizing?? Do you lube the case necks on the inside?? Check the expander ball size? Check the gap between the ram and the shell holder at full press?

Do you know anyone with a different brand of dies and a press that you can resize a few brass in and try?? Yes you can neck size using a FL die. Just has to be set up correctly..

Here's a review of die set up.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/adjust_reloading_dies.htm
 
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I backed off the die about an 8th of an inch off the shell holder and lowered the primer pin. The brass seems to load good now. Thanks for all the help.
 
if this intermittently reappears,do as zilla said.....check the expander ball size or condition.....you may want to polish it a tad to avoid stretching your cases excessively....or convert over to bushing dies,such as Redding's S-type Bushing.
 
Actually a good cheap alternative to a bushing die is the Lee Collet die. It works just about as well as the bushing dies..
 
It is rare that I use full lenght sizeing dies. Lee collet die, Redding body die , and bench rest style bullet seater. I like the RCBS vickers style competition seater the best. The classic Lee turret press helps speed things up.
 
Originally Posted By: DiogeeGetfoxy,

I'll bet your Savage has a bigger chamber or longer headspace. Try taking a round fired in the savage and see if it will chamber in your other rifle, I bet it won't.

SkwentnaMan

I'll also bet your not sizing the brass enough, like said earlier.


I'll try that thanks
 
mine was doing same thing. i changed dies and before that i noticed that the bottom of the brass was expanding and you could feel where it started. so i got new dies and made sure that when i sized them i could go down as far as possible before the brass was deformed.
 
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