Tikka Loading Problems

[lzrlightshow]

I bought a Tikka T3 Hunter 30-06 two month ago, and when i got to shoot it for the first time, the bullets would not load properly and the bolt did not close. I am using home made bullets and I tried shortening them past the indicated C.O.L in the Hornady book, which did nothing. The same bullet that jammed in my riffle fitted fine in my dads 30-06.
I am not sure whether i should return the riffle, or if there is a simple fix out there for my problem.
thank you for your answers.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by lzrlightshow

I bought a Tikka T3 Hunter 30-06 two month ago, and when i got to shoot it for the first time, the bullets would not load properly and the bolt did not close. I am using home made bullets and I tried shortening them past the indicated C.O.L in the Hornady book, which did nothing. The same bullet that jammed in my riffle fitted fine in my dads 30-06.
I am not sure whether i should return the riffle, or if there is a simple fix out there for my problem.
thank you for your answers.

I'd try factory ammunition first and then only reload brass that has been shot in that rifle.

[bulletman]

209x50 is right on! Try some factory ammo, and forget about that old ammo for now!

[elkhunter11]

Try factory loads, then try a full length sized case, with no bullet seated. It is very,very likely that the problem is your reloads, and that there is nothing wrong with the rifle.

[lzrlightshow]

thanks alot guys, i will try factory rounds.
but that still doesnt explain why the bullets fit into my dads but not mine.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by lzrlightshow

thanks alot guys, i will try factory rounds.
but that still doesnt explain why the bullets fit into my dads but not mine.

Diiferent chambers have slightly different dimensions...were the rounds you tried to load handloads you made using brass fired from your rifle?

LC

[elkhunter11]

thanks alot guys, i will try factory rounds.
but that still doesnt explain why the bullets fit into my dads but not mine.

If you want to avoid problems, use only brass that was fired in your gun. Brass fired in a gun with a larger chamber likely won't chamber in your gun.

[SHORTMAG]

Originally Posted by lzrlightshow

thanks alot guys, i will try factory rounds.
but that still doesnt explain why the bullets fit into my dads but not mine.

It does.....you just don't know it yet

[Andrzej]

Neck sized only cases from one gun may not fit in Tikka chamber or COL cartridge overall length is to long and bullet prevents closing of the bolt.

Andrew

[gitrdun]

Casings that have been properly full length resized and trimmed to specifications should chamber in any rifle, yours included. I think that you may have a sizing issue, be sure that your sizing die is screwed down deep enough to bump the shoulder back and that you check your resulting overall casing length. Even if you had the overall length of the assembled cartridge too long, it should still chamber, although you may feel a bit of resistance on bolt closure as you drive the bullet to the lands and complete seating using the bolt, it should still chamber. When you pull the press ram up, does your shell holder come into good contact with the bottom of the die? It should for a full length sizing.

[elkhunter11]

Casings that have been properly full length resized and trimmed to specifications should chamber in any rifle, yours included.

Theoretically they should, but that isn't always the case. If a casing is fired in an oversize chamber, even a proper spec die might not resize it enough to fit a minimum spec chamber.

[krthegunslinger]

I had the same problem between 2 different .243's I had. Problem ended up being my sizing die was only a neck sizer not full length. Once I full length sized all the brass the problem went away. Learn as we go.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Theoretically they should, but that isn't always the case. If a casing is fired in an oversize chamber, even a proper spec die might not resize it enough to fit a minimum spec chamber.

I don't know elk, I have difficulties with this. If you ran the brass up through the die, it is now sized to the die spec. Are you suggesting that it might spring back? I still think that the OP most likely has a setup issue.

[elkhunter11]

I don't know elk, I have difficulties with this. If you ran the brass up through the die, it is now sized to the die spec. Are you suggesting that it might spring back?

I have experienced this myself on more than one occasion when attempting to size once fired brass from the local range. That is just one reason that I no longer bother with range brass, even if I am sure that it is only once fired factory loads.

[Mike_W]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I don't know elk, I have difficulties with this. If you ran the brass up through the die, it is now sized to the die spec. Are you suggesting that it might spring back? I still think that the OP most likely has a setup issue.

Not that it springs back but with chamerings that have steeper shoulders like a short mag extra caution has to go into pushing back the shoulder enough.

Your both right it's a setup issue no doubt but not always as simple as setting up the die as per factory instructions
Sakos and Tikkas have really tight chambers!!

[elkhunter11]

Your both right it's a setup issue no doubt but not always as simple as setting up the die as per factory instructions
Sakos and Tikkas have really tight chambers!!

I am using a Rockchucker press, and RCBS, and Redding dies, and sufficient preload on the die adjustment to bring the shell holder hard against the bottom of the die, as the cases are being sized. The cases either would not chamber, or required a great deal of effort to chamber. You could add more preload, but once the shell holder is hard against the bottom of the die it won't help. The only other option is to grind some material off of the top of the shell holder, or order a special shell holder, but I never felt that it was worthwhile just to use some pick up range brass.

[skinnykid]

There's always some amount of "spring back" that's why if you run a piece of sized brass through a resizing die again, there is some resistance.

[gitrdun]

I can go along with the springing back theory for sure. I had similar issues with my .270WSM. I annealed the cases neck and shoulder, resized again using same set up as before and the cases were now chambering properly. This would support the springing back that is suspected.

However as I review the original post, the fellow is shooting an '06,

[209x50]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Theoretically they should, but that isn't always the case. If a casing is fired in an oversize chamber, even a proper spec die might not resize it enough to fit a minimum spec chamber.

X2. No question. Happens often

[Bound2Fish]

I had the same thing happen with my T3 22-250. Handloads were about a 50-50 chance of closing the bolt. Got rid of them and shoot factory with zero issues and I am happy with the performance of the gun and ammunition.

[elkhunter11]

I had the same thing happen with my T3 22-250. Handloads were about a 50-50 chance of closing the bolt. Got rid of them and shoot factory with zero issues and I am happy with the performance of the gun and ammunition.

I have never had an issue when reloading cases and shooting them in the same gun that they were fired in. If I own two firearms in the same chambering, I just keep the ammunition and fired brass separate.

[Eric hunter]

You guys are right. I'm the dad who neck sized from my tikka fired cases.
I just full sized and they chamber very good now. Also mesured the col ant it's .050 longer for my son rifle. So my mistake and thanks folks for all the replies.
Happy shooting and hunting Sam. You are already a better shooter and hunter than your dad which makes me proud.
Eric. Dad.

[Thunder Elk Hunter]

Originally Posted by lzrlightshow

thanks alot guys, i will try factory rounds.
but that still doesnt explain why the bullets fit into my dads but not mine.

Had this issue with my dad's 7*61 S&H and my 7*61.

After my dad's rilfe fires a piece of brass it will not chamber in my rilfe, even after fully resizing.

Just have to keep brass seperate and loaded rounds as well.

TEH

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Theoretically they should, but that isn't always the case. If a casing is fired in an oversize chamber, even a proper spec die might not resize it enough to fit a minimum spec chamber.

Just experienced this in .308. Brass fired in my previous Savage 11 chamber was a very tight fit in my new Howa (to be expected, no surprises). Even after FL sizing there is still just a hint of tightness as the as the lugs cam into the last mm's of battery. Clearly that Savage a fairly large/long chamber, my dies are max spec and /or my Howa has a tight chamber (virgin factory brass has no tightness at all).

[super7mag]

I had some 243 brass from an older rifle that after full length resizing would not chamber in my newer vanguard , wound up running them all thru a small base die and basically re fire formed them to the vanguard chamber. After that the regular sizing die has worked fine. So if chamber dimension are on the high side a fl die in some cases is not enough to resize comPletly. I had trimmed the brass prior to using the SB die so I am not sure how much case stretch I had.

[super7mag]

Originally Posted by kayaker

Just experienced this in .308. Brass fired in my previous Savage 11 chamber was a very tight fit in my new Howa (to be expected, no surprises). Even after FL sizing there is still just a hint of tightness as the as the lugs cam into the last mm's of battery. Clearly that Savage a fairly large/long chamber, my dies are max spec and /or my Howa has a tight chamber (virgin factory brass has no tightness at all).

Small base die would work here aswell. I would use it only on cases that have not been loaded more then 5-6 times, in my case it was only the 3 rd reloading.

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by super7mag

Small base die would work here aswell. I would use it only on cases that have not been loaded more then 5-6 times, in my case it was only the 3 rd reloading.

I considered a small base die but the FL sized cases are working fine, the tightness is very slight, right at the end of chambering. The rifle shoots extremely well with those cases so I'll just proceed with them I think. Before FL sizing they were of course much tighter.

[Traps]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Theoretically they should, but that isn't always the case. If a casing is fired in an oversize chamber, even a proper spec die might not resize it enough to fit a minimum spec chamber.

X2. Just encountered this.

[6.5 shooter]

No two chambers are ever cut the same, even on the same mill..... bit wear etc.

Buy some brass for that rifle (it's cheap). Neck size once you have fired it and don't look back.

[Traps]

That is the way it's looking.