30-06 reload

twgreen · March 16, 2009, 01:05 AM

I have been loading my own 30-06 rounds for a few years now and have recently been having some issues. Some of the rounds are now hard to load into the chamber. It is always the last quarter turn of the bolt that gives me trouble. I have checked the die (Lee 30/06-B3) full length sizer. It appears that the last quarter inch of the case (by the head) it not getting sized because it doesn't show scuff marks. This is also the area that is coming out of the chamber scuffed up when it is hard to load. I believe I have everything set up, I have done it according to the instructions that came with the dies. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated.

**Unclenick** · March 16, 2009, 01:29 AM

You didn't say how many times the brass had been reloaded before? The last quarter inch is where the head brass is and it is not normally resized there because that portion of the case does not normally expand with the rest of the case, being too thick. If the head is expanded, your loads may be too warm. Another possibility is that your necks and shoulders need annealing because they are getting springy from work hardening and are not resizing fully. Try the trick of running the case into the sizing die, counting to five, then withdrawing it and counting to five, rotating it 180 degrees, then running it back up into the die and counting to five again. That often takes another couple of thousandths off the headspace length of the case. Also check that when you chamber a round in the gun, the case rim is getting under the extractor hook OK? Over time the rims can get beat up and make the thing hard to chamber if the chamber is tight.

It should be the case that any round you fired in the chamber will fit back into it. Check that this is happening alright?

twgreen · March 16, 2009, 02:23 AM

Well unfortunately I load rounds for myself and a friend of mine so I don't know which rounds came from which guns. This also holds true for the number of times the cases have been reloaded. I have only loaded about 5 times and a lot of my brass is once fired so I would say a max of 6. I do load my round towards the higher side but never over the recommendations. Usually about a half a grain less. I measured the area by the head and was getting about .464" to .468" I don't have any spec. for this measurement nor do I have a factory round. I would guess that my loads are a little hot and maybe the cases are just getting old. I was hoping with the price of brass I would be able to make them last longer. Maybe just load them to the min. or just over next time.

FM12 · March 16, 2009, 08:16 AM

#1, welcome to TFL and the handloading forum!

#2, never mix brass from more than one gun
#3, some rifles have "tighter" chambers than others, causing difficult chambering
#4, you might need a different sizeing die
#5, if you're shooting in a bolt action, consider using a neck sizing-only die, Lee's collet die set works well for me. Much less working of the brass, making for longer case life, and sometimes more accurate ammo.
#6, if it's difficult to chamber, the case may be too long, causing overpressure (a not-good thing). For max loads, always measure your brass to make sure it meets SAAMI specs. Trim as needed.

March 16, 2009, 01:05 AM	#1
twgreen Junior Member Join Date: March 16, 2009 Posts: 3	30-06 reload I have been loading my own 30-06 rounds for a few years now and have recently been having some issues. Some of the rounds are now hard to load into the chamber. It is always the last quarter turn of the bolt that gives me trouble. I have checked the die (Lee 30/06-B3) full length sizer. It appears that the last quarter inch of the case (by the head) it not getting sized because it doesn't show scuff marks. This is also the area that is coming out of the chamber scuffed up when it is hard to load. I believe I have everything set up, I have done it according to the instructions that came with the dies. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated.

March 16, 2009, 01:29 AM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	You didn't say how many times the brass had been reloaded before? The last quarter inch is where the head brass is and it is not normally resized there because that portion of the case does not normally expand with the rest of the case, being too thick. If the head is expanded, your loads may be too warm. Another possibility is that your necks and shoulders need annealing because they are getting springy from work hardening and are not resizing fully. Try the trick of running the case into the sizing die, counting to five, then withdrawing it and counting to five, rotating it 180 degrees, then running it back up into the die and counting to five again. That often takes another couple of thousandths off the headspace length of the case. Also check that when you chamber a round in the gun, the case rim is getting under the extractor hook OK? Over time the rims can get beat up and make the thing hard to chamber if the chamber is tight. It should be the case that any round you fired in the chamber will fit back into it. Check that this is happening alright? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 16, 2009, 02:23 AM	#3
twgreen Junior Member Join Date: March 16, 2009 Posts: 3	Well unfortunately I load rounds for myself and a friend of mine so I don't know which rounds came from which guns. This also holds true for the number of times the cases have been reloaded. I have only loaded about 5 times and a lot of my brass is once fired so I would say a max of 6. I do load my round towards the higher side but never over the recommendations. Usually about a half a grain less. I measured the area by the head and was getting about .464" to .468" I don't have any spec. for this measurement nor do I have a factory round. I would guess that my loads are a little hot and maybe the cases are just getting old. I was hoping with the price of brass I would be able to make them last longer. Maybe just load them to the min. or just over next time.

March 16, 2009, 08:16 AM	#4
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	#1, welcome to TFL and the handloading forum! #2, never mix brass from more than one gun #3, some rifles have "tighter" chambers than others, causing difficult chambering #4, you might need a different sizeing die #5, if you're shooting in a bolt action, consider using a neck sizing-only die, Lee's collet die set works well for me. Much less working of the brass, making for longer case life, and sometimes more accurate ammo. #6, if it's difficult to chamber, the case may be too long, causing overpressure (a not-good thing). For max loads, always measure your brass to make sure it meets SAAMI specs. Trim as needed.