Reloads dont fit!

[deadeyerick]

Question. I reloaded some AA brass with Nosler 120 gr. ballistic tips. Went to the range and found some would not fire. It was very difficult to open the BCG on the AA 14.5 bbl gun. So I thought the length was too long. Shortened the OAL, they still stick. Some other rounds I loaded up at a later time fit fine. They all fit in the Wilson gauge. Then I thought I would try to see if they fit in my Precision Firearms Grendel, 24 inch bbl. They fit fine and extract easily with the BCG. Could the AA chamber be too tight? incorrect?

[VASCAR2]

I feel your pain, I have a J&T 16" upper in 6.5 Grendel and a newer 20" DCM profile Shilen 6.5 Grendel upper. My brass fired in the 16" won't always chamber in my 20" even after resizing. I have noticed this using Hornady Brass so I have a couple hundred to AA Lapua brass I started shooting in my Shilen. I just decided to keep each brand of brass for a particular 6.5 Grendel rifle.

I checked the neck/shoulder set back, use my Wilson chamber/cartridge gauge and overall length of seated bullets. I still can't find why my reloads used in my J&T won't always chamber in my Shilen barrel. I have a lock n load chamber gauge on back order but until I wise up I guess I'll keep my brass segregated for each 6.5 Grendel rifle.

Both rifles function 100 % with factory ammo and my Shilen barrels has worked 100% with AA brass which was first shot in the Shilen. The Shilen is problematic with Hornady brass fired in the J&T.

[GLShooter]

Question. I reloaded some AA brass with Nosler 120 gr. ballistic tips. Went to the range and found some would not fire. It was very difficult to open the BCG on the AA 14.5 bbl gun. So I thought the length was too long. Shortened the OAL, they still stick. Some other rounds I loaded up at a later time fit fine. They all fit in the Wilson gauge. Then I thought I would try to see if they fit in my Precision Firearms Grendel, 24 inch bbl. They fit fine and extract easily with the BCG. Could the AA chamber be too tight? incorrect?

Both chambers are probably in spec. One is just smaller than the other. You will have to size for the smaller one if you want to shoot the ammo in either on demand. Maybe one is minimum and the other is max. I segregate my brass/ammo between three different rifles. That way I don't over work the brass and I know that each will give me optimized performance.

Greg

[NugginFutz]

Both chambers are probably in spec. One is just smaller than the other. You will have to size for the smaller one if you want to shoot the ammo in either on demand. Maybe one is minimum and the other is max. I segregate my brass/ammo between three different rifles. That way I don't over work the brass and I know that each will give me optimized performance.

Greg

+1

I've run into this with various .223 and 5.56 chambers, as well.

[Zapp]

Question. I reloaded some AA brass with Nosler 120 gr. ballistic tips. Went to the range and found some would not fire. It was very difficult to open the BCG on the AA 14.5 bbl gun. So I thought the length was too long. Shortened the OAL, they still stick. Some other rounds I loaded up at a later time fit fine. They all fit in the Wilson gauge. Then I thought I would try to see if they fit in my Precision Firearms Grendel, 24 inch bbl. They fit fine and extract easily with the BCG. Could the AA chamber be too tight? incorrect?

The Wilson is not a loaded ammo gauge, it is designed to indicate headspace and trim length. There was a good email from Wilson posted on the 300blk forum about this.

Did you try just dropping the round into the Precision Firearms Grendel chamber, to see if it drops in without using the bolt?

[deadeyerick]

I also have the loaded ammo gauge. It drops in. Yes it drops in without using the bolt, but I am not sure if it is 100% in. Looks like it is in all the way

[deadeyerick]

The 14.4 bbl AA gun I purchased used

[deadeyerick]

er I mean 14.5

[Tedward]

Since I'm trying to get all my reloading items together now your adding more tools... Thought I was getting close.

Will this be needed for what your describing? They are in stock and on sale at Midway.

L.E. Wilson Stainless Steel Bushing Neck Sizer Die 6.5 Grendel

Also many other items but not sure if I need all of these things yet. I would like to have them if needed but not sure if it's overkill.
1- Lee Case Length Gage and Shellholder 6.5 Grendel
2- Hornady Lock-N-Load Overall Length Gage Modified Case 6.5 Grendel
3- L.E. Wilson Case Length Headspace Gage 6.5 Grendel
4- Frankford Arsenal Cartridge Overall Length Gage
5- Hornady Chamfer and Deburring Tool 17 to 45 Caliber

I just ordered my RCBS Rockchucker from Cabelas for $300 delivered and $50 mail in rebate. So I just want to have everything "incase" and so when my freind rus thru my training course I have all the needed parts to ensure proper training and questions are asked.

thanks

[ricsmall]

Tedward

I prefer the Sinclair oal gauge over the hornady. One tool, all guns. You may want to buy the adapter sleeve for ar's, though I just use my Sinclair ar cleaning rod guide in its place. In place of all the case gauges, I would think the hornady LNL headspace gauge set will get you by, along with a good set of calipers. Don't skimp on caliper, as the higher quality ones will save you money in batteries. Chamfer and deburring tools are pretty much the same, unless you go to the Sinclair vld chamfer tool that goes in a drill. Possum hollow makes a good power adapter for Wilson, rcbs, and redding chamfer/deburring tools. If you have any trouble finding these let me know and I'll link them or get part numbers. Hope this helps.

Edit: I would also recommend the hornady cam lock bullet puller, and LNL bullet comparators to measure to ogive. You can buy those separate and they attach to the same comparator body as the LNL headspace bushings.

Richard

Ps. There are lots of caliber specific "magic tools" out there, but there's no magic to reloading the Grendel. Make sure you bump the shoulder back about .004, make sure col is right for your gun, stay under max loads, and you'll be fine. Plenty of folks here to help out.

[Tedward]

Tedward

I prefer the Sinclair oal gauge over the hornady. One tool, all guns. You may want to buy the adapter sleeve for ar's, though I just use my Sinclair ar cleaning rod guide in its place. In place of all the case gauges, I would think the hornady LNL headspace gauge set will get you by, along with a good set of calipers. Don't skimp on caliper, as the higher quality ones will save you money in batteries. Chamfer and deburring tools are pretty much the same, unless you go to the Sinclair vld chamfer tool that goes in a drill. Possum hollow makes a good power adapter for Wilson, rcbs, and redding chamfer/deburring tools. If you have any trouble finding these let me know and I'll link them or get part numbers. Hope this helps.

Edit: I would also recommend the hornady cam lock bullet puller, and LNL bullet comparators to measure to ogive. You can buy those separate and they attach to the same comparator body as the LNL headspace bushings.

Richard

Ps. There are lots of caliber specific "magic tools" out there, but there's no magic to reloading the Grendel. Make sure you bump the shoulder back about .004, make sure col is right for your gun, stay under max loads, and you'll be fine. Plenty of folks here to help out.

Thanks Richard! I keep all of the tips from you guy's and save them for reading when I have more questions. There are just so many options and lots of the tools are so different until i use them they sometimes don't make total sense.

I'll look over the parts to get another look at them and keep reading too.

Thanks again....

[Zapp]

I also have the loaded ammo gauge. It drops in. Yes it drops in without using the bolt, but I am not sure if it is 100% in. Looks like it is in all the way

When you dropped it into the chamber did it make a nice "plink" sound, and then slide back out just by flipping the barrel over? If so, it was probably all the way in and good to go.

Which loaded ammo gauge are you referring to? Just to make sure I understand what you are describing. I make the Sheridan one, and am confident that if it fits that, the ammo is good to go. If it is another one, then it'd help to know which one you are describing.

BUT, assuming it's the gauge I make, and it also fit the other chamber fine, then the next questions would go back to the barrel that isn't fitting right.

Any idea when the barrel was manufactured, or how many rounds through it? Have you checked empty brass in it? Or checked to see how much shorter the OAL needs to be to work in that barrel?