FL sizing brass...?

[Stix]

Can someone explain what im doing wrong...

A given chamber has a measurement of say 1.564" to the shoulder, as measured with the Hornady comparitor gauge on a once fired case, and a measurement of say 0.464" at approx the web. (specifically in this instance a 22-250).
So...
I set a FL die in the press...(Redding--only 12-18 months old)
I size brass, each stroke/sizing i check the measurement to the shoulder...
I get to 1.964 and the case is still tight to chamber...
I need to keep sizing down to 1.561 (winding the die in bit at a time) before the case will chamber without feeling tight.
Sometimes at this point, the measurement comes out a crazy random 1.558" or something stupid...

At the 1.564" length, the case diameter is the same at the head and the web as the fired case that chambers easily...
The firing pin is removed and still tension on a case that is measured at 1.562"-1.563"...??...

Ive had this before with the same dies, but i figured the chamber i was trying to bump the shoulder of the cases back for was excessively large (1.5675"), so i just figured the die was pushing the shoulder back & not sizing the wall/body of the case...
But in this instance, this cant be the reason...

Why are the cases still tight...???
What am i doing wrong...???
Do i have to buy another die set to compare and see if there is something wrong with the die set i have...?
Im going crazy...

[marksman]

I have only quickly read your post but think you might be getting a bulge in the case
I would paint the case with a texta and chamber it to see if you get a wear mark after chambering
does it get easier to load after you have chambered the same case a couple of times?

the tikkas are known for there tight chambers, IMO a good thing, eg some have trouble chambering thicker brass like ppu
if that is the case you will need a small base die like a forster for that brass or try win brass, maybe

will it chamber factory ammo easy

[Stix]

Yes Marksman, it does get slightly easier if forced chamber a couple of times...
and yes it chambers factory easy...
It also chambers "full" FL sized brass easy...

Im not educated enough on these small base dies--never heard of them infact...(aside from yours & sungazer's suggestions of them recently).

This bulge you mention, that is what i figured was happening to the cases in the other rifle/chamber, but as i said, i figured it was because of the very long chamber, and thus the shoulder getting pushed down with no die holding the walls....

But as i said, in this instance, the wall diameter is the same as cases that do chamber...
Im puzzled..

[marksman]

sometimes the bulge is very apparent, you can see it at the start of the shoulder area, sometimes
if you take a straight edge and lay it along the case from casehead to neck and hold it up to light you will see if there is a bulge
trying at different sides as well
are these cases fired from another rifle?
I would try a different full length sizing die if you can get one on loan
if the cases are bulged the only way you will get them to work is to fire them in your chamber, if you can

[sungazer]

Sorry but I cant see any chamber that would be 400 thou different from another one. I think that might be a typo. Again I think that it is a bulge at the base not a long chamber issue that will be fixed by a small base die. Best of luck hope you sort it out.

[marksman]

if it is a bulge at the base you can file a few thou of the bottom of the die or the top of the shell holder to try and bring it in tighter
might be worth a try
but a forster small base die would be better, if you can see or measure that the base is bulged

[Oldbloke]

Might be easier and cheaper to buy some cases, new or once fired.

[anthillinside]

Are the rounds going to be fired only from the original gun?
If so get hold of a Neck Sizing Die, makes life easy.
A FL Die is designed to set all dimentions of a case back to spec, so the case needs to be fully pressed into the die for that to happen.
Pushing the case part of the way in is an invitation to bulging the case as the Die usually presses the Neck, Shoulder, & Body in that order
I know there are reasons for not doing that, pre fire forming, re purposing etc.
Sometimes a die just won't do what you want it to, it might be at one end of tollerance range and you need the other end.
If your trying to do something out of the ordanary then you'll probably need extra ordanary equipment.
OR if at first you don't succeed .... Give Up

[Stix]

Sorry but I cant see any chamber that would be 400 thou different from another one. I think that might be a typo. Again I think that it is a bulge at the base not a long chamber issue that will be fixed by a small base die. Best of luck hope you sort it out.

Yes mate...obviously a typo...should be 1.564"...

[Stix]

Thanks guys...

My guess is it is the bulge thing happening...

What i was trying (hoping to do) was to effectively bump these cases so the shoulder was just right...
But obviously it wont work as its bulging the walls out.
At 1am last night(this morning) i think found the sweet spot.

I didnt get away today after last nights disappointment, so im back on it now...ill size a heap more cases & try them...
Im assuming all will be good, and ill just have to fireform them properly.

Ill report back later...And have to look at one of these small base dies in the mean time...

Cheers

[Stix]

Might be easier and cheaper to buy some cases, new or once fired.

Thanks OB..i do have hundreds of once fired cases so dont really need to buy any more...

Call me greedy, but im just trying to get the rest of life out of these cases.

Rekon Marksman is right...just a bulge...thats come about from me thrying to bump the cases back instead of giving them the full depth of the die.

FWIW, the reason i tried this is because it worked with my 7-08...i can run once fired .308 brass through my 7-08 FL die & give the shoulder a .001" bump it needs from the chamber--sweet as--its as close as fire formed brass as you can get without firing...!!!...i thought (just assumed) it would happen this time too...
Live and learn.

[sungazer]

They are a great die if you have brass from another gun. I am having a bugger of a time with some once fired brass I bought. Turns out it was imported from the US I suppose that makes sense and it is 223 or probably fired in a 5.56 NATO chamber which are long, fat and ugly. I should have bought the ADI brass, the extra 20 bucks is nothing to the amount of time effort and extra tools needed for the job to get it back to bolt action specs.