# 22-250 mishap/help



## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

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ok guys, I have a question, I loaded some 22-250 rounds with federal 215 MAG primers by mistake, shot about 50, didn't notice any problems ( BEFORE knowing I did this), still have about 20 loaded, and about40 just primed!
Ok, afetr know what i did, I tried to load the emptys from the above( shot with the mag primers), that i shot, only now the cases don't allow me to close my bolt, any way to save these cases!!, i think that the mag primers, swelled the case some,around the primmer area!
I tried to full size them, and still no go, the bolt won't close with these cases now!
is there any thing i can do!!???


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Have you measured the cases for length and trimmed them if necessary? Maybe they are just too long. If you believe the primer area has stretched, try inserting your normal primer in the pocket and see if it seems as tight as normal, or if it seems kind of loose. You could also measure the base of the cases before and after to see if you can measure a difference.

I am leaning towards the cases being long. I have never heard of a case stretching that far down. They usually stretch at the neck the most.

As for the 40 cases that are primed, you can pop those primers out with your de-capping tool. Just be sure your area is cleaned up well (as in no powder residue and spillage laying around or open containers) and that you wear hearing protection (just in case they go off).

The 20 that are unfired, you can pull those bullets, recycle (or dispose of) the powder, and de-cap those cases as well.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

thanks for the reply, and the info, I did measure all the cases and trimmed as needed, but they still will not work!, tried to even make one case supper short, just to see if it would fit, and still won't let me close the bolt!, I tried to measure the bottom/rim thickness, and cannot find any difference between these fired and not fired cases, as for the primers, well they seem to fit just fine, too! even tried to lower the die some to see if they were just not being sized right! but still no go, the only difference I can find is that i used the 215 mag primers in stead of the 210"s , but was wondering if that was a strong enough difference to ruin these cases, and if there was any way to save them?


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

Look at the sizing die mark on the neck of the case. If it is still above the shoulder of the case, you need to adjust your sizing die until the cases chamber or the sizing mark reaches the shoulder.

If this doesn't work, it may help help to use some dye in the chamber, chamber a round, extract it and see just where the case is hanging up.

Jim


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

what do you mean by the sizing die mark? and how do i do this?
thanks again


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I doubt the mag primers hurt anything. They may have upped the pressure some, maybe not. I don't think they have anything to do with your problem. I think hegg has it right. I doubt your setting your shoulder back, and that's what the 22-250 head spaces on.
Does the ram push the shell holder up against your sizing die, then cam over? In most cases it should, in other cases people back off a half turn so they neck size only. If your backed off to far and you have a minimum SAMI spec chamber you will have a tough time chambering a round because your shoulder is to far forward.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

thanks again for the advice, but I have the die set at 1/4 turn below contact with the shell holder, even tried to go about 3/4 turn, but very hard to turn over, at that far down!! but still the shells will not let me close the bolt!!, any ideas?


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Are you trying to close the bolt on a re-sized case that has not been loaded yet (no bullet seated)? How close are you to getting the bolt to close? Can you tell if it is even close?


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

yes, I am trying on just sized cases, and I cannot even turn the bolt about the first 10 % before getting alot of resistance, so I stop at that point


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

Can you close the bolt without a shell in the chamber? Is there anything stuck in the chamber?


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

yes, can close the bolt, empty chamber, as well as with a new brass case, and with a factory loaded round, only cannot close the bolt on the fired cases I loaded with the mag primers, then shot, and resized, these don't fit!!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

You perhaps already mentioned this, but I didn't see it. Can you close the bolt on a case you reloaded with the correct primers and resized. Often you use mag primers in a 243 when you load with some hard to ignite ball powders. They should not swell your case.
I am beginning to think the problem is your dies, not your rifle. Do you have a friend with a head space gauge, or can size a few brass for you to try?


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Try seating a bullet on one of the cases that won't close and see if allows for a more correct alignment and maybe it will close. Plainsman is right. The difference in the primer shouldn't be doing that. In fact, I have never heard of the base getting stretched. It is the thickest part of the case. I do remember that on a 270 once, I couldn't get the bolt to close on an empty resized case (don't remember why I was trying), but it closed fine once a bullet was seated.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

Ok guys, this morning before going and shooting some factory ammo, so i could have some good fired emptys to compare to, I tried to lower the die even more, and got a case stuck. So, since i don't have a stuck case removal tool, and i was planning on going to see my gunsmith anyways with the above. I gave him the die, he got the case out, had him set it up is his press, ran a case through, and still no, go, had him try a different 22-250 die, and back in business, so i think i have a bad die!!, bought a new set, of RCBS dies, and all is well, all my cases after running through the new dies fit!!
I left him the old die, he said when he has more time( he was very busy) will will look closer at it to see if he can find the problem, and if not send them back to Hornady, for a new one!
So, after all the good tips, THANK YOU, and I guess it wasn't me aftre all, or the primers that were the problem!!


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

Good to hear that you resolved the issue.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

samee here, I was begining to doubt what I thought i knew!!


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## Wyomingpredator (Oct 16, 2007)

all my shells I load with mag primers. from 22-250 to 300 win mag. I just start with a lighter load then work my way up. I odubt the mag primers hurt anything. The reason i started doing that was to prevent any errors in reloading, with regular or mag getting switched.


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