case base dimensions?

[toolsofthetrade]

I had an interesting experience with a new build, had a loaded round jam in the chamber, bolt not locked in and I couldn't get it to extract with the charging handle, had to beat the snot out of it to get it to open, anyway, the round that stuck was one of my handloads, i measured the base and it measures approx .444-.443 where as a new factory hornady is .438-.439, what should my die be sizing cases down to?
SAAMI spec is what like .441?

[LRRPF52]

I don't think your base is the problem. Did you make a dummy round to determine what would work or not in your chamber? It might have just been a jammed projectile. Are there rifling marks on the bullet near the shank (not scratches on the ogive from the feed ramps)?

When sizing brass, I like to make sure that I'm good before going any further in my loading because the brass needs to fit and drop free from my chamber. I don't use any special gauges, so I just drop the sized brass into the chamber and see if it will go all the way forward. I then tip my upper so the brass can fall out, which I expect it to do on its own weight. If it doesn't do that, I'm not happy.

Then I seat a bullet in that brass long, at the maximum length my mags will allow: 2.300". I then try the dummy round with the long-seated bullet into the chamber. If it sticks early without even using the bolt, I seat it deeper until I can get the bolt to close on it and the projectile isn't jammed into the lands. I use black marker on the bullet to see where the rifling starts to engage the bullet.

[toolsofthetrade]

no i did not measure for COAL, Im using my ammo to test out a new build, with same manufacture of barrel. these rounds are set at 2.275 if I remember right, yes there are marks around the shank, thats probably the issue.

[LRRPF52]

What bullet it is? The only bullets that will let you load that COL are ones with a long secant ogive, like the 129gr SST, 123gr A-MAX for me, and the Berger VLD's.

2.275" is pretty long COL for the Grendel, and won't work with pills like the 120 or 100 NBT's. You also might not want to pull the trigger on such a load if the bullet is jammed that hard into the lands, because it has no jump, and will spike the start pressure something fierce if you're even close to max loads.

[NugginFutz]

This seems like about the eleventy ninth time this question, or one of its close relatives, has popped up in the previous month. Without bashing anyone new to reloading the Grendel, (or new to reloading, in general) I have to say that "Search is your friend"!

A Quick search for "Stuck Case" revealed the following:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?7017-Trouble-with-reloads

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?6842-Stuck-Live-Round

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?7028-New-AR-build-wont-feed.-Rounds-not-seating-in-bolt-face

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?5816-Rookie-mistake.-HEELP!

And another search for "Ejection Problem" revealed the following:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?7102-Help-me-trouble-shoot-new-build

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?2103-Dented-case-on-ejection

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?5397-Ejection-Problem

All results are on the first page.

So, the next logical question is "How does this simple path get conveyed to someone who doesn't employ search, in the first place?"

If searches aren't getting utilized, then I would at least like to see a sticky in the "6.5 Grendel Ammunition & Reloading" forum, where a newcomer would be able to see it immediately.

It would cover some of the more common issues people have with Reloading, in general, and the Grendel, in particular. Something like that already suggested before, by DavidJ, in:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?3787-alright-reloaders-seen-this-before

To start with, it might be a simple list of the A B C's of proper case sizing and bullet seating, with emphasis on shoulder bumping. (This one seems to be at the root of 80% or so of the issues mentioned, lately.) I've seen several really great discussions on these issues by some of the horde, so it should be easy to generate, once started.

In any case, it could serve to help some of the new to Grendel reloading either avoid or quickly trouble shoot issues with malformed loads.

What do you say, guys?

[Klem]

What mags do you use that allow a COAL of 2.3"?

I measure the internal clearance of aly mags to be 57.15 (2.25"), and use 57mm as my max OAL

[mseric]

Here is my experience.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?7189-Resized-brass-will-not-chamber

[LR1955]

What mags do you use that allow a COAL of 2.3"?

I measure the internal clearance of aly mags to be 57.15 (2.25"), and use 57mm as my max OAL

Klem.

Have an OAL that fits the magazine with some room at the tip. Then tune the OAL so the cartridge can chamber and extract without rifling marks being left on the ogive.

You don't need guages, and it isn't magic. You won't blow up a rifle if the OAL is not exactly, or even near, a spec printed in a manual. However, blindly following a printed OAL may lead to dangerous situations if your chamber is cut a bit short.

LR1955