[CD Cash]

Hello,

As my first reloading project, I loaded up 40 rounds for my 356 Winchester using BTB 200 Grainers and RCBS 200 grainers.  I had a bit of trouble with the BTB's.  I seated the bullets to the front cannulure and ran into a couple of problems.  I had to seat to the front cannulre as it appears that there is very little chamber throat at all in my rifle(Big Bore 94)...if I seated any farther out it was hard to close the action.  I could close it, but you had to give the lever some good pressure to get it to close and you can see the rifling marks really bearing on the bullets.  Secondly, the bullets didn't want to feed right loaded to that length.  They just seem to jump right up off of the lifter when you start the forward stroke and miss the chamber completly.    I really wan't to use the BTB 200's if they shoot good in my gun.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Sounds like this might be a common problem with these Winchesters and the profile of this bullet.

One other dumb beginner question:  If the BTB's are really getting into the rifling when they are fully chambered..that will equal high pressure right and I want to stay away from that? A few of them were seated just a tad farther down for some reason and seemed to chamber ok...but still facing the feed problems.

Thanks for any help and thanks to all who have been so helpful in the past.

 

[William Iorg]

Hi

How long are they? That is the cartridge OAL length?

Do your RCBS 200 grainers feed okay when seated to the crimp groove?
The RCBS bullets feed very reliably for both me and my father in our .356 Big Bores.

I have some LBT bullets but they are not Beartooth. I have seated them a little deeper to avoid the chambering problem.

For target ammo I kind of like my cartridges to be a press fit into the rifling. For hunting ammo I seat a little deeper. With cast bullets and the lower velocity loads that you spoke of earlier you will not have pressure problems.

On someones recommendation from this group I switched to the Lee factory crimp for the .444, 356 and .307. They crimp well but I am not sure if they are any more accurate. The Lee factory crimp did lower the velocity extreme spread on my loads.

If you are loading them about 2.55" now try a dummy at 2.48" or so.

You read so much stuff about reliability of Winchesters vs Marlins on the web it is hard to sort through it all. In my experiance some of the light bullets (short cartridge OAL) do have feeding problems in the Winchesters.
Cartridges with an OAL above 2.57" will jam your rifle.

 

[CD Cash]

Hi Slim,

Good to hear amigo and thanks for the help...I was going to get ahold of you next.  I had had trouble with my sizing die these past few weeks(ruined the expander ball while trying to extract a stuck case)...so just getting cranking with these reloads.  The RCBS's feed perfectly and are much longer than the BTB's.  I think the BTB's were seated to about 2.48 or less(can't remember off hand)....really short, but because of the short throat in my gun and the profile of the bullet, it starts to dig into the rifling pretty well even at the farthest crimp grove..shows about 1/8 inch of scoring when you pull the round out....maybe a bit less.  Like you, I don't think it is anything serious.   But, I think I can still tinker with it and get it right.  A few wound up being a tad shorter and did chamber well.  So, perhaps I'll just have the feed issue.  If worse comes to worse, I can single load the BTB's but am hoping to solve the problem.  Have to see how they both(RCBS and BTB) shoot with different powders and such. I am starting off with IMR 4350.  I will post my results to the site...will be shooting within the week.  Thank you again.

 

[William Iorg]

Chris

I checked my notes and I was using 2.40" for a slightly different bullet. they were just touching the lands but fed well.

I have had a little trouble with shell holders and the .307/.356 cases. The Lyman shell holders are a loose fit. The Lee and RCBS are a better fit.
I use Imperial sizing die wax. What are you using for the inside of your case necks? I generaly use Lee case sizing wax, I have found it better then mica.
Do you have a good stuck case remover? It sure hurts my feelings to stick one!

 

[CD Cash]

Hi Slim,

You're supposed to use lube?  Haha.  I was reloading with a buddy of mine and he ran through 2 cases....when the words "Shouldn't we use some lube on those?" was barely off my tongue when the case became stuck...pulled the rim right off it.  That was the first problem, the second was as you mentioned, using the right shell holder.  He had placed the wrong shell holder on(easy to do with the 356/358 Win) while I had the right one on my hand primer.  If we had used the right shell holder, then the case probably would have come right out...lube helps too apparently??  Arrgh.   He thought....new cases and new dies....don't need it, but we learned a good lesson.    So, in pounding out the case(bad idea)...the expander ball was ruined.  Called RCBS eventually, and had one in the mail in 4 days at no cost to me.  I Like those guys/gals.    I like the BTB profile for the 200 grain and will try seating them to the depth you mentioned.  They look really mean and shiny when you get them loaded...like they mean business.  Just got to get them to feed right.  Well, thanks again amigo.  Will post my results here in just a bit with these loads.