Tight PPU cases

[Redgum]

I'm using some Federal and PPU cases in 243 at moment, the PPU's for 100grain heads and the Federals with 85grain heads. They are marked and loaded seperatley but are deprimed, necksized and cut to length together so their pre loading state is identical.

I loaded a batch on the weekend, they are on their third firing all in my gun, and have noticed the PPU's are pretty tight in the chamber compared to the Federals. On their second firing there was no sign of pressure and the load isnt that hot,39.3grains of H414, cci lge rifle primers, 100grain sierra prohunters AOL 2.650, lee crimped. Is this anything to worry about.

[Redgum]

Think I have solved the problem, I did notice that I didnt have to cut much off the PPU cases when cutting ta length. I havent measured the thickness of the PPU cases but I think they are a bit thicker than the Federals. When using the Lee collet neck resizer I give it enough grunt so the bullet can't be pushed into the prepared case. If I hadnt given it enough grunt then the neck wouldnt have been pressed enough thus not stretching the brass forward to need much cuttin to length. Checked the AOL and that is well off the lands, the cases are cut to the correct length regardless of how much came off em, I rechecked em with my verniers. Next reload I will give em more grunt and try them in the chamber after resizing and prepin.

[Redgum]

Not alot of response on this one then,sizing wasnt the problem. I had been out zeroing some sierra 85grainers, come back and gave the gun a good clean along with the wildcat mod. I always look down the barrel to make sure there is no obstruction but what I failed to see was a thread of cleaning cloth in the chamber, when bolting in a 100grain head load it felt quite tight understandably because of the thread. Because I was using PPU's and they are always are abit harder to resize I assumed my reloading was the problem. The brass wasnt tight in the chamber when I fired them on their second time around and I have been using the recipe for a little while. Its always unnerving when something doesnt feel right isnt it, cleaned the chamber and all feeds nicely for neck sized ammo once again. Glad I didnt pull all the rounds.

[njc110381]

I think cases can tighten up in the chamber after a number of firings? That's why if you neck size you have to full length them every few loads? I don't know, up until now I've always bought at least 100 cases to reload with and I either lose enough in the grass to go out and buy a new batch after 3-400 rounds or sell the rifle and move on!

 

I think my .22 Hornet was the only rifle I've had that seen enough rounds for me to have to buy a second batch of brass or worry about full length sizing. As those cases are so small and cheap and I use them a lot with the lamp I tended to lose a lot anyway. I often had to buy more!

[Redgum]

That makes sense, I didnt know that you have to resize every now and again. If the cases are neck sized only, each time they are fired they would become slightly more snug in the chamber, eventually becoming tighter. Maybe its a good idea to just chamber a case after 3 or 4 firings after neck sizing, if its too snug re size it and then reload.

[jamie g]

That makes sense, I didnt know that you have to resize every now and again. If the cases are neck sized only, each time they are fired they would become slightly more snug in the chamber, eventually becoming tighter. Maybe its a good idea to just chamber a case after 3 or 4 firings after neck sizing, if its too snug re size it and then reload.

 

yes just keep a eye on it. and the trim length as that can make it hard to bolt also. if its abit longer then book length for your caliber