.204 Hornady Ammo and Brass

coxy95 · #1 02-11-2016, 08:22 PM

Hey guys I picked up a box of 32 gr hornady vmax for my .204 on Tuesday and when I tried to load it (CZ 527 American) it gets tight and I can't close the bolt. So I tried it in my dads Remington 700 vtr and same thing. Looks like it's getting tight approx 1/4" from primer end. While I was doing this I tried a couple out of a new box of unprimed hornady cases and same thing. Is anyone else having this issue? Previous hornady rounds worked fine not sure if this is just a bad lot or what?

lannie · #2 02-11-2016, 08:41 PM

I have a CZ527 that is a couple years old and some hornady ammo about a year old and cycled a couple rounds a minute ago and there was no problem. I would check the head stamp as anything can happen and if its correct get out your vernier or a micrometer and start measuring.

Hunt4Ever · #3 02-11-2016, 09:27 PM

I've put about 500 rounds of store bought hornady Vmax 32gn and 40gn rounds through my 204 Rem with no issues related to the brass. Now I'm using that brass for reloading...no issues so far. Maybe it's a bad batch.

Fowl91 · #4 02-12-2016, 06:37 AM

I had the same issue on my Rem 700 with factory hornady 32gr v-max. Bolt closed but very stiff. Fired them just fine, after I measured the OAL and everything checked out. Not sure what the problem was. I should mention that not all of them closed stiff. I cleaned my rifle throughly and have not had a problem feeding the reloads yet.

Dean2 · #5 02-12-2016, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coxy95

Hey guys I picked up a box of 32 gr hornady vmax for my .204 on Tuesday and when I tried to load it (CZ 527 American) it gets tight and I can't close the bolt. So I tried it in my dads Remington 700 vtr and same thing. Looks like it's getting tight approx 1/4" from primer end. While I was doing this I tried a couple out of a new box of unprimed hornady cases and same thing. Is anyone else having this issue? Previous hornady rounds worked fine not sure if this is just a bad lot or what?

Are you sure it is actually 204 ammo in the box? If it is 204 and doesn't fit either chamber call Hornady because the ammo and brass is not built to SAMI specs and is therefore defective.

coxy95 · #6 02-12-2016, 10:22 AM

It is definitely .204 ammo. I have had the calipers out and the only difference I can find between a cartridge that will chamber and one that won't is the neck is .0025 wider on the case that won't. Still within the published Sami specs though. Nothing noticeable in the chamber as far as I can see. Has been cleaned very thoroughly. I will have access to a bore scope Monday to see if there is anything in the chamber that looks out of the ordinary.

Dean2 · #7 02-12-2016, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coxy95

It is definitely .204 ammo. I have had the calipers out and the only difference I can find between a cartridge that will chamber and one that won't is the neck is .0025 wider on the case that won't. Still within the published Sami specs though. Nothing noticeable in the chamber as far as I can see. Has been cleaned very thoroughly. I will have access to a bore scope Monday to see if there is anything in the chamber that looks out of the ordinary.

If you don't have a comparator set to check shoulder angle and location: Try running one of the brass through the FL sizing die with the die set 1/8 turn below contact with the shell holder on the press ram at max extension. It may be that the shoulder is too far forward.

coxy95 · #8 02-12-2016, 12:43 PM

I don't have a comparator set but will give the full length resize a go tonight when I get home. Just looking with the naked eye you might have nailed it. Looks like the shoulder is just a bit higher on the new case compared to a once fired.

aardvaark · #9 02-26-2016, 05:22 PM

I bought a bunch of the Hornady 204R ammo with the intention of re-using the brass after it was fired. Brown box with red lettering. I got 4 boxes each of the 32gr as well as the 40gr.

First of all, it didn't group very well at all - IIRC it was around 1" to 1.25" MOA. Same for both 32 and 40.

Then when I went to use the brass, it was all different weights, don't remember the numbers but quite a ways off of my standard which is 2 grains from min to max.

This was about 3 years ago so maybe its changed since then. I've used lots of Hornady components before and since then and always had good success with their components. This experience has put me off their loaded ammo, tho.

Dean2 · #10 02-26-2016, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coxy95

I don't have a comparator set but will give the full length resize a go tonight when I get home. Just looking with the naked eye you might have nailed it. Looks like the shoulder is just a bit higher on the new case compared to a once fired.

What was the end result of what you found with the brass.