Once fired will NOT chamber!

[hub]

When you neck size don,t forget to lube the inside of the neck. Without lube you can easily stretch the shoulder forward just enough to cause difficult chambering. I use one shot inside the neck.

[Westcliffe01]

If one neck sizes, usually you would also get a body die. The body die will restore the taper and bump the shoulder back without the rather extreme forming that a FL die usually does to the neck. The first time I did any FL resizing for my AR I was shocked how much the neck diameter was reduced before the slug was pulled back through. Now if one obtains custom dies which only reduce the neck "enough" it would be a different story but I was personally not happy at all what I saw with my dies (Lee, Hornady and Forster).

Just look for a body die for your caliber and you will be all set. You may only need to use it every few firings though.

[devildogandboy]

check one of "once fired" cases right after you neck size and before doing any further loading. make sure also your seating die isn't crimping.

[esquared]

Not limited to savage. I have a Remington 700 AAC-SD in 308 that I just got and the chamber is tight and I Have issues with my LC brass. Think I will run them through the roll sizer and see if that helps. The issue on mine is at the base as when I colored the base with a sharpie it was all gone when I removed it from the chamber and there is brassing on the bolt face.

[Westcliffe01]

If the chamber is eccentric to the bore then I can see how you are unlikely to re-chamber it with the right orientation. If that is the case though, the shoulder should show runout if you checked it on a concentricity gauge. I would have to believe this is more than a few thousandths though.

[squirrelsniper]

Most likely a die problem like what has already been mentioned.

However, it's a fairly common problem to see a factory rifle (of any brand, not just Savage) with a chamber that isn't perfectly round. In that instance, unless a fired case is placed back into the chamber in the exact rotational alignment it came out at, then chambering will be difficult or even impossible. If you take cases right out of the rifle (and never get them anywhere near a die) but they won't go back into the chamber again, this is likely the problem.

If you have one of these rifles, don't freak out yet though. Even if the chamber isn't concentric, it doesn't mean the rifle can't be accurate (by factory rifle standards anyway), it just means you'll have to do at least a partial-length resizing or maybe full-length sizing of the cases. In rifles that have this issue, FL sizing often produces the best accuracy anyway.

[Pilgrim]

Most likely a die problem like what has already been mentioned.

However, it's a fairly common problem to see a factory rifle (of any brand, not just Savage) with a chamber that isn't perfectly round. In that instance, unless a fired case is placed back into the chamber in the exact rotational alignment it came out at, then chambering will be difficult or even impossible. If you take cases right out of the rifle (and never get them anywhere near a die) but they won't go back into the chamber again, this is likely the problem.

If you have one of these rifles, don't freak out yet though. Even if the chamber isn't concentric, it doesn't mean the rifle can't be accurate (by factory rifle standards anyway), it just means you'll have to do at least a partial-length resizing or maybe full-length sizing of the cases. In rifles that have this issue, FL sizing often produces the best accuracy anyway.
In that case, it helps to shoot single-shot and orient cases within the chamber the same each time.

[SuperKaos]

Wow! A lot has happened since March! Sorry for not getting back on after returning from AZ ??!!?? I'm going to try and do some testing This week!
Again, thanks for all the good advice!

I did manage get a FL RCBS sizing die. So for now I'm going to get my notes straight, then so some testing with the FL sizing die. If all goes well with that I'll build some loads and test fire them. Then see have they chamber after that.

[SEshooter]

I have seen this once before in a Cooper rifle I had. It was a 22 PPC and the first time I shot new brass (Norma) in the rifle, the same case would not allow the bolt to close. It was as if it had been fired in a different rifle, but it had only been shot in this one. After the first firing I would full length size the case. After the second firing all was normal again and I could neck size 4-5 times before the shoulder had to be bumped. It was an odd thing and I have not had it happen again until just recently with an aftermarket barrel in 308. (Using Lapua and Federal Gold Medal Match brass) I have no idea what causes it but try full length sizing after the first firing then see if the case will chamber after the second firing.

[leo158]

My model 11 THXP in 204 did that when it was super cold out. Bolt wouldnt close the last 1/2 inch. Didnt force it. Tried 3 different rounds all the same thing. Checked when got home and they went in slick as can be.

[SuperKaos]

Finally was able to get out doors today to test fire these cases! It has been raining for nearly 2 weeks! Anyway this is where I am at right now.
I FL sized the 1'nce fired cases, test fit and they chamber fine. So I go out to the range and test fire them, and they too chamber just fine as for right now.
Next step is to neck size and retest fire, and then check for a good chamber fit...

[Dennis]

I FL sized the 1'nce fired cases, test fit and they chamber fine. So I go out to the range and test fire them, and they too chamber just fine as for right now.

You may already have your answer. I use to neck size and had similar issues. I now use a Redding type S bushing die and bump my shoulders somewhere around .002 or less. I use Imperial sizing wax only and make sure I use the same amount of pressure when FL sizing my 308 Lapua brass. I also anneal the brass often.

I rarely have any concerns with my brass and will last 15 loads or more.

JMO, Dennis

[nastynatesfish]

I quit with my neck sizing except on my 7 mag. I just bump enough to chamber easy.

[SuperKaos]

Hello ALL! Sorry for the lack of participation on my part :confusion: I've had a long hard year with this gun, I began to loose interest in it and Savage in general :fencing:
As far as my chambering issue, I took everyone's advice and after full length sizing just one time all seems good now. I can neck size and there after they rechamber fine...

However, my "lack of interest" part. Let me back up to the begining. When I purchased this gun a year ago in Dec 2012 I had to send it back to Savage due to a bent barrel. They rebarreled it (that's another story that ended up all good) remember this note: when I got it back there was a vise mark on the barrel, no big deal I just consider it a battle wound. The gun was incredilbe, with custom hand loading the gun performed better than ever!

About the same time this chambering issue started (just before) my groups started to open up some. I thought it was just me. One day I felt tired, the next time a head ache, so I just went on shooting and testing. Then during this chamber issue it got worse, I figured it was the FL sizing that threw it off. So when I was able to just neck size back to the actual chamber size now it would group 2 to the left, then two the right and so on. It acted like a bad scope, so I did the usual and tried everything I know to figure it out. All with the same results, just a sorry shooting weapon at this point. I even started to look at Remmy's

So in a fatal attempt I sent it back to Savage! From there I was told they checked the head space and test fired it and it shot a .6

I never got a straight answer when I asked what was done to it. When I received it their work order states on the first line "repaired" THEN checked head space ? ? ?
AND NOW there is a SECOND barrel mark identical to the other one right next to it.

However, there is a happy ending to this story as for right now anyway. I recheck my COAL and loaded up 3 different bullet types.
It shot the Sierra 150's for @ .247 and the 180's for @ .189
I tried some 168 VLD's for the first time and they shot a 1.263 pretty bad so I changed the charge and the COAL and tried again and got them to shot a .149
Yes, all the same dang hole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after some much needed R & R from this Sav vy journey I set out for some bottle blasting.
Note: during this problem I rarely got a decent hit on any bottle/target
Here's a video of what the my new 168 VLD loads can do @ 100 yds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4ymq4bkSNU

So in the end I have no idea what was done to it, I just know it's back and I have to two vise marks on my barrel. Just battle wounds from the journey I guess...