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Posted: 8/5/2007 8:28:55 AM EDT
| I just put together my first build. I purchased a Colt BCG and barrel of the exchange. The person I bought it from told me it headspaced. I worked up some reloads to save some money. When I chambered a couple rounds it didn't seem as smooth as I thought. Upon cycling some cartridges I noticed that some of them were dented on the shoulder. I full length sized them. Anybody have any insight in this matter? I am planning on buying some good factory amm o to compare to and I guess a mic and some headspace gauges, but is this a common problem? Seemed like when they were getting chambered they were getting dented. I have a VLTOR upper. Any help appreciated. |
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Usually shoulder denting is caused by excessive lube. But if you are getting the dents from chambering then you are not sizing the cases all the way and/or the chamber is short. Make sure your sizing die is adjusted right. You didn't say whose you were using but with a single stage "O" press you insert the shell holder into the ram, run the ram to the full up position and screw the sizing die down until it just touches the ram. Then lock the locking ring on the die. As a quick and dirty way to see if the chamber is short, buy a box of US factory loads and chamber a few. If they are dented/crushed when you pull them out then the chamber is short. You did look to see if there was anything wrong with the chamber, right? |
| Ya, I checked it as best I could. I use Redding dies and set them up that way. According to the specs in my Sierra reloading manual my cases are good, which would leave me to believe it would be something with the chamber. I also have another barrel, much newer and better in shape I might use instead, 16" vs. the 14.5 that's on there. I wanted to try this one first, 1/7 twist v. 1/9 . Anyways bought two because I didn't know which I'd like. I just don't have headspace gauges and relied on this combo headspacing. Another problem I am having is my Magpul mag doesn't want to lock in unless I really hit it or the bolt is open. Does that tell you anything? USGI mags work fine. I guess maybe I'll inspect everything real well again. |
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