270 WSM Reloads

WildHorse · Member Joined: Feb 17, 2005 Posts: 184 Location: Nebraska

Any one out there having trouble reloading the 270 WSM?
I shot some new ammo through my rifle-I then resized full length and loaded them with similar bullets and tried to put them through my rifle.
I find that they will not chamber and the bolt will not close. I have tried
re-sizing the cases again and they will not chamber. I have made adjustments to the die and the loader but no luck there either. I cannot figure it out--its driving me crazy Mad

Any suggestions?

slimjim · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

Check the case length. Trim below max and try again - before you load the bullet. I've had new .270 Win cases grow beyond max with one firing on a tight chamber.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

Is your OAL to long ??? (bullet contacting rifling)
Try putting a re-sized case in the chamber to see if the bolt will close.

Bad re-sizing die maybe ???
Do you have a headspace gauge or a case gauge to do some checks with ?
I've seen the shoulder of a case relocated due to lack of lubricant when the expander comes back through the neck.
If your chamber is a little short on headspace the die will not be able to set it back far enough.

Is this a new set up for you or have you been loading for this gun using this die already ?

PaulS · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

Sounds like a shoulder is being crushed.
Take a fired round - unsized - and see if it fits and the bolt closes on it (it should) then run the case through your sizer and see if it chambers and the bolt closes - it should - if not then the sizer is set wrong or you are crushing the shoulder with the neck plug or pushing it back too far with the die.
If it fits after sizing then stick a bullet in it and see if it chambers - it should if it has fit all the other times but if it doesn't then measure the case neck with the bullet seated and compare it to a factory cartridge. Use some lamp-black or prussian blue on the case and see where it is interfering.

Take it a step at a time with the same case to find out where things go south - then you can identify the problem and fix it.

Elvis · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:46 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

great suggestions PaulS The only other quick check is do your resized cases fit in a different rifle if not the dies are bung for sure. you may have a tight chamber and loose dies.

Vince · Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:37 am Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

I'm with Paul on this one...check the shoulder of the re-sized cases. As Paul says, try chambering a fired case that has not been re-sized and see if it chambers...I would also consider seating a bullet in a fired case and see how it chambers...could be the OAL.

Get your vernier or micrometer out mate and do some measuring. A visual check might not pick up a buckle of the shoulder where it joins the body of the case. Measuring the case will pick it up if its there. I had a similar problem with the setting of the FLS Die for my 30.30 and it took me a little while to figure out the only loose nut was the one behind the butt. A reset of the die solved the problem.

Cheers, Vince

cbsweeney · Member Joined: Jun 18, 2010 Posts: 197 Location: New York

I think PaulS is on the money. I reload 300wsm and have found that it is very easy to crush the shoulders. You have to adjust your FL sizing die carefully. I ruined a few cases before I figured it out. I also bought a neck sizing die so I only FL size after I've noticed them getting a little hard to chamber.

WildHorse · Member Joined: Feb 17, 2005 Posts: 184 Location: Nebraska

Thanks for all the great ideas.
I have company this week but will get right on this after they leave.
I will report back

Thanks fellas
Cliff

slimjim · Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

cbsweeney wrote:

I also bought a neck sizing die so I only FL size after I've noticed them getting a little hard to chamber.

I see another opportunity to learn here. I only neck size. I can load a case a dozen plus times for my .270 Winchester and the only time I have troublen closing the bolt is when the case length eventually increases beyond spec. Why would a WSM shoulder move forward more than a .270 Win? Because its bigger?

Does anyone have a picture of what a crushed shoulder looks like? It sounds subtle.

PaulS · Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:30 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

The shoulder only moves forward when the cartridge is fired. Then it can only move as far forward as the chamber allows. As long as the pressures don't exceed the guns limits the case will shrink back and fit fine.
When reloading, the die can be set so that it sets the shoulder back and expands it so that it won't fit a chamber. The expansion plug that sizes the neck inside diameter can sometimes put enough pressure to collapse the shoulder too. I have also seen bullets colapse the shoulder when they were seated.
You just have to take each step and find out where the case is being modified to the point it will not chamber - then you can correct it and reload happily ever after... until the next challenge.

slimjim · Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:55 am Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

Thanks Paul. I eventually will have to learn the tricks of case sizing.

PaulS · Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

We all had to at some point - It took me a while to get my presses so I spent a lot of years loading with the small and inexpensive Lee loadall kits. I still have them but I don't use them any more. I just keep thinking that some day I may need them..again.

chambered221 · Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

PaulS wrote:

When reloading, the die can be set so that it sets the shoulder back and expands it so that it won't fit a chamber. The expansion plug that sizes the neck inside diameter can sometimes put enough pressure to collapse the shoulder too.

These are just a few of the reasons why I like having a headspace gauge.

Slim. I agree with Paul 100%.........the problem is most re-loaders tend to load as close to max pressure as possible, by doing this you usually need to FL re-size after only a few firings.

SingleShotLover · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:45 am Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

I cast my vote for PaulS's analysis too. I have had 22/250 cases with shoulders set back enough to expand shoulder/body and causing chambering issues when setting dies up exactly as the factory suggests. Since then I always use smoked cases to adjust new sizing dies to just "nudge" the shoulder of the case and then try it in the rifle. If the fit is too snug I screw the die in another 1/8th of a turn and try it again. It might take a few of adjustments to get it just right, but I've never run across that issue since.

Another thought: Are your sizing and seating dies aligned perfectly with your shell-holder? I have seen cases sized or even bullets seated just enough out of alignment to cause chambering problems. The coarse nature of the threads on loading dies is not accurate-alignment friendly. With no case in the shell-holder, place enough washers (I keep a handful of thin "fender" washers handy) on the shell-holder to come into firm contact with the adjusted die base when the press ram is fully extended. This pressure helps align the die squarely with the shell-holder. Holding this pressure firmly on the die, tighten the die's locking ring. (Do the same thing to your seating die for better bullet seating alignment.)

Keep trying and let us know what you find out.

slimjim · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:21 am Post subject: Re: 270 WSM Reloads

I feel very lucking to neck size only and get away with using my cases 12+ times while still achieving .5 MOA accuracy with my .270 Win bolt action. I just throw my cases away when the reach max case length. I don't even neck-size with my single shot .45-70. All the extra process steps and equipment just make me shy away from full-length case sizing. I know I will eventually have to go there with my .223 but I'm dragging my feet. I'll also need to get my work shop a more organized (like Bushy's) to handle the extra equipment. Glad you all will be around to lend your experience when I finally do.