Previous loaded ammo for a new barrel in same Caliber

[Joe O]

I recently received my 243AI back from the barrel maker with a new barrel,previous one was glass beaded,this one polished SS.I like them both.I thought about this briefly,but as it was coming from the same shop,discounted the posibility.Besides about 300 rounds of loads in the parent 243 case,I had 120 loads in the once fired (fireformed cases.I cleaned the barrel,and when ready to shoot,the cartrudges wouldn't chamber.I had previously checked OAL for the bullet and the chamber length with a Sinclair gage,and it was good to go,including necks turned to give a .267-.268 loaded round for the .270 chamber neck.This left the shoulder.I was already camed over slightly on both the redding body,shoulder bump die,and the bump shoulder ,neck bushing die.I tightened both dies down to the max,where I could still cam over the ram,
(slightly more than one would normally want to do),and managed to get .001-.0015 additional sizing on the shoulder,measured with a bump gage on my calipers.They did chamber,but not easily.I don't have a set of Redding sized (thickness)shell holders,and no lathe to cut a couple thousands from the bottom of the die,so used fine grit stones to work the top face of the rcbs shell holder down .0015.That was enough to size the cases,for all to chamber satisfactorily,,only a couple were somwhat tight on closing the bolt.Haven't heard back from the barrel maker about this yet.I'm guessing a different reamer.Surely they wouldn't have changed the GO gage.I did send a fired round with bullet seated from the previous barrel.Hope this info helps someone.

[scootertrash]

Sounds like you got it to work, but my rule is.......new barrel/chamber equals new brass. Although you are able to chamber the rounds now, be very careful about galling the lugs, and keep them greased well, especially until you get the old brass fire formed to the new chamber, and the cases will chamber without so much force on the bolt handle.

Mike

[Rick in Oregon]

+1 For exactly what scootertrash sez above. I subscribe to the exact same regimin, and it's always worked well that way for me also.

I shoot five 223's and four 204's, and each of those rifles has it's own .50 cal ammo box of dedicated brass, as cases from any one of them will not fit the chamber properly of any of the others, even though Redding Competition dies are used (I only neck size in my varmint rifles unless I need to bump shoulders.)

[Joe O]

Thanks Scootertrash and RIO.I had 350 rounds loaded for varmits w/70 gr blitz in the parent 243 case,so no problem with that.The other loaded brass that is fireformed,was the problem.Finished getting all the brass prepped now,and sorted in two neck diameters and weight for some test groups.Working down the shell holder and a normal cam over on my old,Pacific super C press,worked out fine.That press is so old,they didn't have changeable shell holders,it was milled into the ram.LOLCalled RCBS about ten years ago and they had a replacement ram,for the old girl,that used replaceable shell holders.I do keep my bolt lugs lubed with every cleaning.Shot 32 rounds so far and cleaned 5 times.Can't rember if I have ever been able to post a pic from Picassa,on this site.PC challenged.