What am I doing wrong? (Modified Case & CBTO)

[pk117ac23]

I have a Hornady Lock & Load Q&A:

I purchased the Hornady O.A.L. Gauge, Comparator Body, and Lock & Load .308 modified case. The neck was too tight to let any projectile fit easily in / out of case. Midway sent a new one after I discussed my issue. Just opened new one and the same thing. Basically case neck is as tight as prepped brass instead of hardly wider so I can figure out CBTO instead of COAL for better fitting cartridges in my .308.

What am I missing / doing wrong?

 

[mr.big]

You might screw your decapper pin down far enough to run the expander ball through the neck without running the case in far enough to size the neck back down and make it work

 

[pk117ac23]

I'll give it a shot, but I don't know how this will
Be enough?

 

[Omega]

I have a Hornady Lock & Load Q&A:

I purchased the Hornady O.A.L. Gauge, Comparator Body, and Lock & Load .308 modified case. The neck was too tight to let any projectile fit easily in / out of case. Midway sent a new one after I discussed my issue. Just opened new one and the same thing. Basically case neck is as tight as prepped brass instead of hardly wider so I can figure out CBTO instead of COAL for better fitting cartridges in my .308.

What am I missing / doing wrong?

Lock it into the case holder in your press, work the bullet in and remove it a few times.

Here , Eric Cortina explains how to make your own modified case, but the part about how to open up the case mouth a bit is what you need.

 

[pk117ac23]

Really appreciate it. I'll give this a shot!

 

[pk117ac23]

Lock it into the case holder in your press, work the bullet in and remove it a few times.

Here , Eric Cortina explains how to make your own modified case, but the part about how to open up the case mouth a bit is what you need.

While I'm working on this, is there a reason why these case necks are so tight?

 

[Jcalder]

Call Hornady. They're super to work with. No reason that it should be tight.

 

[Omega]

While I'm working on this, is there a reason why these case necks are so tight?

If they are the commercial Hornady ones, they should not be that tight, so not sure why. Mine have been snug, but not so much that I can't move them by hand.

 

[Wiley]

It sounds like that Hornady case made it out of production/inspection as an out of spec case. I have the Hornady tool/different caliber cases and all my cases allow me to freely move the bullet.

 

[jlanecr500]

You need to measure the bullet diameter. You may have 303 British bullets which are .311" diameter instead of 30 caliber .308" . If so, should you get one loaded and chambered, and fired, pressure will be very high. Maybe even barrel rupture high.

 

[pk117ac23]

You need to measure the bullet diameter. You may have 303 British bullets which are .311" diameter instead of 30 caliber .308" . If so, should you get one loaded and chambered, and fired, pressure will be very high. Maybe even barrel rupture high.

Call Hornady. They're super to work with. No reason that it should be tight.

I called them and they resent the second one, mentioned earlier, and that was too tight. Their die tolerances must be worn out or something

 

[Jcalder]

I called them and they resent the second one, mentioned earlier, and that was too tight. Their die tolerances must be worn out or something

I would send it back and be right back on the phone. They may have a whole batch of out of spec cases. But, as mentioned earlier. You could hone it out and fix it relatively easy.

 

[Jcalder]

I called them and they resent the second one, mentioned earlier, and that was too tight. Their die tolerances must be worn out or something

Also, you said midway resent the new one, not Hornady.

 

[pk117ac23]

Also, you said midway resent the new one, not Hornady.

I stand corrected. I called *midway and they resent the same product from hornady, which seemed defective as well.* I'll call hornady tomorrow

 

[Wiley]

2 cases exactly the same from the source....... I'd be sure and put calipers on those bullets and make sure they're .308.

 

[pk117ac23]

2 cases exactly the same from the source....... I'd be sure and put calipers on those bullets and make sure they're .308.

I measured again, all are .308" diameter with calipers. Nosler BT, Hornady SST, hornady A-Max

 

[jlanecr500]

I make my own comparator cases. Just push a bullet a little at a time into the neck, forcing it side to side as it is pressed in. You can use pliers on the bullet for extra force. Cases aren't hard to loosen up.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I just received 4 cases in my order… the 6.5G and .270 Win are fine, but the .308 and .30-06 are too tight to slip a bullet into

 

[Remi]

I make my own comparator cases. Just push a bullet a little at a time into the neck, forcing it side to side as it is pressed in. You can use pliers on the bullet for extra force. Cases aren't hard to loosen up.

I do too. I size a case and then take a Dremel or a hacksaw and cut the neck straight across to the neck/shoulder junction.


Load long, close bolt, open, measure, repeat.

Take an average of 5, and I'm set.

 

[fairchaser]

Something ain't right. Take your calipers and measure the inside of the case neck. It should be .309 or so. Also measure the outside of the bullets. They should be .308. The bullet should slip in and out easily. Next insert the comparator with a bullet and the push rod loose. Take a cleaning rod with no jag and insert in the barrel until it touches the bullet. Use the cleaning rod and the push rod to feel the bullet against the lands. Go back and forth until you feel where it's touching. Tighten the screw and remove and measure. Do this several times until you get the same measurement. That's your touch point.