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Joined: Apr 2004
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Sidelock
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I just chambered my first gun. Mauser. Bought a short chambered .35 Whelen, but bought a .35 AI reamer and headspace gauge. Bolt closes on gauge no hangup.

Bought some .35 Whelen brass, put through the resizer. Most of the brass is very hard to close the bolt on. Is my chamber just short, or is it the headspace/shoulder difference that is talked about for the standard Whelen?

I though all AI cartridges could chamber and fire standard brass. Isn't that true?

But I also read AI shells are a tad bit shorter.

If anyone can, please advise. I am ready to load.

Jerry

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Can you adjust the sizing die to bump the shoulder back just a tiny bit more? That should let you chamber the new brass and fireform it to your rifle's chamber, then it shouldn't be a problem anymore.

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I am full length resizing them already. Actually ran them thru both Neck and full length to make sure

Jerry

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Have you checked the overall case length?

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Boxlock
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You said you bought a headspace guage (one ?) You should have a go and no go guages for chambering work. Headspace guages are different for AI than for standard calibers. Call your reamer manufacturer to get the proper ones. If a factory round won't chamber then you are definately short chambered. If a factory round does chamber and reloads don't then you have a too long sizer die or too tall shell holder.


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Jerry, you could be full length sizing and still not touching the shoulder if the die is not set to do so. Joel above mentions the OAL of the case, if you can come up with a case length gauge that will measure the length of the case to the datum line, then you can properly set up the die to just bump back the shoulder. Otherwise, setting up the die is just hit or miss. I have had shell holders that were too "tall" to allow the die to be adjusted downward far enough, you'll just need to do some measuring of the sized cases and compare to your reamer print to see what you really have. I believe Redding sells shell holders of different "headspace measurements" in many calibers, other companies may as well. If you have a lathe, your shell holder can be faced off a thousandths at a time until your die will move the shoulder back. If you move the shoulder back too far, of course, you'll end up splitting the cases on fireforming, so go easy, check your progress often.

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1. I have checked oal of shell and it is right on .
2. I bought the go gauge and reamer from Pacific tool. Stopped when the bolt closed on it.
3. It is a AI gauge.

Chief you may have it right. I may be on the edge of a short chamber and the dies are a bit long. I am using redding dies, but the shell holder is a lee shellholder. I don't "feel" any resistance at the shoulder.

Only thing, I thought most manufacturers size their new brass on the short side.

If the bolt closes hard, is it okay to fire the round. I was thinking of loading some starting loads to fir-form the brass and see how that works.

Jerry

PS thanks for the info

I am not sure how to measure to the datum line. Such a small shoulder too. That is why I went to the AI version.

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I have multiple shell holders, I will mic some and see if I have any variations.

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Load brass and fire. Once fireformed it should be ok. If you used only Go gauge you may be a tad shorttoo though.

Last edited by riflegunbuilder; 06/25/10 11:32 AM.
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I am going to be rechambering a Rem. M30 from .35 Rem to .35 Whelen. The idea of going to a .35 Whelen AI is tempting but I have a bunch of standard ammo here.

What kind of accuracy can one expect when firing standard ammo in an AI chamber?


My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.
- Errol Flynn
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