Expanding and then resizing sounds like it is the safest approach. I'm going to research it before I try. I have a direction to head.

I don't like the idea of seating into the lands either. I know some do it, but some much more knowledgeable than I don't.

I'm going to record some measurements first - new brass, and my once fired rounds.
Will get to some gauges as well.

Thx

Yes, but their rifles also properly headspace off the shoulder, not off the bullet itself, and the bullets ogive is set to just BARILY touch the lands, not to provide enough force to hold the cartridge against the boltface and the force of the firing pin. Secondly, just cramming a case full of any old slow burning powder is assinine. Powder burn rates and pressure levels can vary dramatically with different case volumes, pressure curves and charges. And your contention that the slow burning powders can't produce excessive pressure is bogus on its face. These powders are regularly used in magnum rifles to produce 65,000psi, and with an overcharge can produce much more than that with ease. And that's in a large volume, over bored magnum case and uncompressed charges. Now take that same powder and pack as much as you can into a small volume case, then not only seat the bullet to touching, but cram the bullet into the rifling with the force of the firing pin, and you're just asking for some spectacular pressure spikes. I'll say one thing, if anyone is unwise enough to try this rather than spending a little cash to have a 'smith turn back the barrel and really fix the problem, I certainly hope that they have the decency to let the guys at the adjacent benches know what they're going to do so you don't take them out with you.

KareImp,

Take your rifle to a 'smith and have him check the headspace and set back the barrel if necessary. I would guess that this should not cost you more than $125. Another option might be to send the rifle back to the factory and have them check it. If it's a new rifle and still under warrantee they will probably reset the headspace for free and you'll never have to worry about headspace related case failures again. It's better to do the job right the first time than rely on potentially unsafe workarounds or suffer an inevitable head separation that blows the magazine out of your rifle or worse.

Be safe.

Mike

How can the guy work up the loads in a rifle where the headspace is screwed? I think he is trying to find a way to fireform. Are you saying work up the loads with the this 110% load. Either way, he would be taking a risk. You may know something I don't, but I have yet to hear anyone try this method for a severe headspace. I have heard it for Ackley stuff. But still there is a shoulder of some sort to stop the case.

if you read my qualifier before,i said that this wouldn't be prudent in oversize cases of large case capacitys.if you look in reloading manuals you will not see imr7828 listed for 7mm-08 for example. why, because it does not burn fast enough to create any kind of velocity.i shoot compressed loads of imr4350 in a 7mm-08 which are quite accurrate in my model7 rem with no signs of pressure.when i fireformed the factory brass to this chamber i ended up with a backed off powder charge of 3 grains below max and seated the bullets out to touch the lands.i've fireformed over 100 cases this way in this rifle without any problems.i started out with 10% less powder than max and worked up from there.again using a slow enuogh powder for the application is key.i'll repeat,using a slow enough powder for the application is key.

Have the headspace checked- if it closes of a field guage, you are playing with fire. Fix the correct problem and have the barrel set back and rereamed.

Your description sounds like the normal case expansion ring that occures with any cartridge small enough to fit into a chamber. The is some expansion right at the spot where the solid web of the case gives way to the walls. Chambers have to have larger dimensions than the maximum allowable cartridge. Because of tolerances a maximum cartridge in a minimim chamber will fit nice and snug, but a minimum case in a maximum chamber will cause brass migration at the spot mentioned above. To assure yourself that you aren't making the problem worse, put some marker on the case neck and adjust the die so it doesn't touch the shoulder. If you have new brass that you want to sneak up to size, expand the neck of the case up to the next larger caliber, then resize the neck a bit at a time until the bolt just closes on the tiny shoulder created on the neck.

I have noticed an expansion ring around the end of the brass on my .270 just before wher eit starts to taper to the rim. I didnt know if this was normal or something to have checked out. I am hoping this is somewhat normal at least...