450Bushmaster.net

Hey all,

I recently loaded up some 200gr xpb over 46gr of Lil gun to hunt whitetail. COAL is 2.278. Hornady die crimped in the rear most band on the bullet to .474. Winchester SMR primers. Once fire Hornady brass tumbled in corn cob media. I'm shooting these in a Ruger ranch 16 inch. The issue I'm having is I can not eject an unfired shell once it has been chamber. Once the shot is fired, the shell ejects without issue. I have taken apart the extractor, cleaned it and the bolt face and the issue continues. Now the puzzling part, I am able to put an unfired factory Hornady custom, Hornady black, Federal fusion, and other hand loaded ammo into the gun and eject them without firing the shell. The only difference between any of the ammo that functions as it should and my xpb hand loads is the crimp. Does anyone have any idea as to what may be going on?

Thank you,

Ethan

My first guess would be a headspace issue or short brass.

Will those 200gr freely fall out of the chamber when the bolt doesn't grab it??

Try running the bolt in hard, see if that will seat the case head under the extractor.

Yes, when the gun is tipped vertical the round fells out of the chamber. Running it hard does not grab it either. As for short brass, they have not been trimmed and some of problematic brass is slightly longer than some of the factory loads that cycle fine. Also, once the shell is fired, I can reinsert the same shell that wouldnt eject before into the chamber, close the bolt, and it ejects as it should. It is only the unfired rounds loaded with the crimped xpbs that are giving me the issue.

eczyz001 wrote:Yes, when the gun is tipped vertical the round fells out of the chamber. Running it hard does not grab it either. As for short brass, they have not been trimmed and some of problematic brass is slightly longer than some of the factory loads that cycle fine. Also, once the shell is fired, I can reinsert the same shell that wouldnt eject before into the chamber, close the bolt, and it ejects as it should. It is only the unfired rounds loaded with the crimped xpbs that are giving me the issue.

Sounds like you chamber headspace is set too long, given that once the brass is fired = fire-formed to your chamber, then the extractor hook can reach past the rim to the extraction groove. I would not expect that from a factory chambered gun but shite happens. You need to borrow or rent a set of headspace gauges and verify it. This is nothing to mess around with. Alternately, you could return it to the factory to have the headspace checked out. The bullet choice should not cause this unless all the other rounds you checked, that worked, had their bullets seated to where they were hitting the rifling.

Hoot

Just guessing......I think you crimped the brass to bullet too much.....it is allowing the cartridge to go too deep in the chamber.....you're lucky it's firing when it fires the shell expands and is forced into the bolt allowing it to eject....

About all you can to to correct loaded ammo is use a kinetic bullet puller to pull the bullet partially out then reseat to your correct depth....it should correct your problem....

coyote wacker wrote:Just guessing......I think you crimped the brass to bullet too much.....it is allowing the cartridge to go too deep in the chamber.....you're lucky it's firing when it fires the shell expands and is forced into the bolt allowing it to eject....

About all you can to to correct loaded ammo is use a kinetic bullet puller to pull the bullet partially out then reseat to your correct depth....it should correct your problem....

Good point. I can't imagine a mouth crimp so drastic that it slips past the edge of the chamber but to reiterate, shite happens. I intentionally crimped an empty case's mouth down as far as .460 and it still head spaced. Couldn't imagine doing that with a bullet in it, let alone even further down and I have a good imagination. At least my better half says so.

Hoot

Appreciate the replies gents. Do you boys have any experience with telling ruger you're having issues with handloads and them telling you it voids warranty? Iv only made that mistake once with a different manufacturer... I can see them getting the gun, tossing a hornady black in it, running the bolt, and sending it back claiming no repair needed. Or I toss an unprimed shell, mocked up to my specs, in the return box and let them figure it out.

this a 275gr, but are you crimping on the band like this or in the groove?