Seating bullets causes the necks to bulge

[jripper]

It's been a while. I have a couple of questions. Are the bulged rounds fired rounds, or are they coming straight from the press like this?

Are you using new brass, or fired brass?

Do the good rounds in the picture run through your gun?

Do you have any access to Corbon Factory ammo? If so, try this and see if you have the same problems.

Joel

[jripper]

Before you answer, I have two suggestions.

1. Since you are using dummies, seat the bullet considerably deeper, and try the dummy that did not work again (don't use a bulged case).

2. Also, if they are coming out of the press bulged, again, do not run the expander stem all the way down. raise it up until it just fully expands the neck.

It reallly sounds like number 1 here. If you are seating the bullet real close to the rifling, the bullet may be getting stuck on the rifling. I ran into this problem with 125 Remington bullets. If you ease the rounds into chamber, they may extract fine, but they may not be actually going as far as they would if the bolt/spring pushed them in.

Even though the OAL may be OK for some bullets, and they fit in the magazine, many bullets have different contours, even the same weight bullets from differnet companies. The contour on one brand may be enough that it will not hit the rifllings at one specific OAL, but a diffeerent brand's contour, even at the same OAL, may hit the rifling. the bullet will stick, and the round will not extract easily. If the bullet sticks hard enough, and it is a new, non fire formed case, that has some extra space in the chamber, the force of the bolt/spring could possibly even be causing the neck bulges.

Seat the bullets deeper and give it a try.

Joel

[TORSTEIN]

It`s hard to work in the dark, not having the gun and components in hand.
If you will be my eyes, we give it a shot.

I think you have one (or more) of the following problems:
1. Reloading
2. Headspace not to spec.(case)
3. Headspace not to spec.(gun)
4. Parts out of spec.

We will make a dummy round(only one).

If you have the Redding 3 die set, take die marked 300/221 REM NK M3 and hide it. Do not use this one in your AR.

Use FL die marked 300/221 REM FL M3.

If possible use single stage press.

We will not follow the Redding instructions for this one.

Work with new 221 rem case, if by hand.


FL DIE
Use 270 tapered size button. Adjust it so the decapping stem is 3.0 mm out of the die.

Move ram all the way up and hold tension on the handle.
Set Fl die against ram.
Lower ram. Adjust die in 1/2 turn.
Ram up+tension. Lock the nut.
Look between ram and die.
Note where the contact point is.(see some light/no light?)
Lube case.
Insert case. Ram up+tension. Is the contact point the same?
If so, move on.
If not. The tapered size button butt against the "floor" of the case. Back it up some and repeat test.

Repeat all of the above with .30 tapered size button.

Trim case to 1.30"
Chamfer inside&out.


WHAT IS MY C.O.L.???
Close the bolt. Take yout cleaning rod(not the threaded open end, but flat end) and insert it from muzzle end until it touch the bolt.
Mark rod at muzzle. Remove bolt assy.
Insert bullet of your choise in chamber. Hold bullet against rifling with a pensil. Insert rod. Mark at muzzle.
Difference between marks is max C.O.L.
Subtract 0.1" from this measurement. (For use in this test only)
This is what C.O.L. is for test


BULLET SEATING DIE
Ram(with case) up+tension. Adjust die down until you feel a little resistance. Back die up 1/2 turn and lock it down.(=no crimp)

Insert bullet to C.O.L.(for test)

This is your dummy round.

What would I say next???
Run to your gun and.......
NO NO NO.

Pleace do not do it.

Wait for me.(more instructions. He he he)

Post when ready.

Have a nice day.

[Kanttori]

Torstein and Jripper, thanks a ton in advance. Too bad I've been extremely busy the past few days...all the christmas stuff..I hope I can make it to the press on 25th.

Thanks again!

[Kanttori]

Jripper,

I have somewhat solved the bulging problem. Obviously the seater die is a crimping one, so I adjusted it further up and it's not bulging the cases anymore. The rounds in the picture won't extract, but they don't get stuck in the chamber either. Also, there's a pic of the bulged rounds that obviously don't work at all.

[jripper]

It looks like we have cut most of the variables, and I have to agree with the others that it must be a head spacing problem.

I would send it back to whoever made it, and have them look at it.

As far as I can tell, it can only be headspacing or the chamber deminsions out or of spec.

Good luck.

Joel