Trying to get "Wide Flat Nose" bullets to chamber smooth

[Flat Top]

Hal; Run some dummies through there very slow, and see if you can pinpoint the problem. About the only thing that can affect the angle of the cartridge to cause the nose to shift to the extractor side of the chamber would be the extractor itself....putting "bias" on the cartridge to cause misalignment with the chamber.

When the cartridge is picked up by the bolt, does the rim of the cartridge come up and slip under the extractor, or, does the cartridge come up in front of the extractor as the bolt moves the cartridge forward?

[VTDW]

A couple of good pics might help with diagnosis.

[444Hal]

If i go easy with, the rifles level, they will center and slip in, but cycling fast they'll bounce to the right and the wide medplate edge will catch onto the edge between the chamber and where the extractor slips along side. Cast Performance 300gr WFNGC or Beartooth 250 WFNGC all well within "COL" limits, it doesn't matter, both will bounce around and catch. I have to 1/4 cycle the lever again to get'em to center and go in.

[mt_sourdough]

I believe I see your issue. The Meplat is huge. When you design a bullet with such a large meplat, you gotta shorten the nose length. Everything I have seen suggest that your COL is too great for the meplat size. Its a relationship between meplat size to COL. The BTB 290 LFN that you mentioned has a meplat of .300

[Frodo]

Just asking,...are you sure it is the bullet that is catching or is it the forward edge of the case itself??

[mt_sourdough]

My Sage Country bullet uses a COL of 2.585" and is the smoothest cycling and chambering bullet I own. The Sage Country has a meplat of .202". Bullets with big meplats must be seated deeper as the meplat widens. BTB 290gr LFN has a nose length of .420" and a meplat of .300". The Ranch Dog 432-350 bullets use a nose length of .330", a .340" meplat and a COL of 2.550.

My guess, is that your COL should be 2.545"-2.550".

[coalregionpride]

i've been having the same issue with my 260gr wfn cast performance in my .44mag the meplat is just too much for it..

[Starrbow]

When loading wide meplat bullets, you must treat every firearm as an individual when it comes to COL, you can not be general about the COL's in cartridges that use a large meplat hardcast bullet! That's why a Lee Factory Crimp dies are a very necessary part of the loading process! I have 5 444's all are different with there COL's and Large meplat bullets, even if it's slightly! The Firearm must dictate the COL, No Book, Not the Internet, No Friends, the firearm! I have loaded some very large Meplat bullets, in the 444 I have a Leadhead 300gr .431 bullet that the meplat measures .380, and it cycles fine in all my 444's! When we have the right COL!

[Dan 444]

When loading wide meplat bullets, you must treat every firearm as an individual when it comes to COL, you can not be general about the COL's in cartridges that use a large meplat hardcast bullet! That's why a Lee Factory Crimp dies are a very necessary part of the loading process! I have 5 444's all are different with there COL's and Large meplat bullets, even if it's slightly! The Firearm must dictate the COL, No Book, Not the Internet, No Friends, the firearm! I have loaded some very large Meplat bullets, in the 444 I have a Leadhead 300gr .431 bullet that the meplat measures .380, and it cycles fine in all my 444's! When we have the right COL!

+1. Starrbow, I agree.....that has been my experience with my 444's as well.

Dan

[444Hal]

I'm wrapping up the Beartooth 330 LFNGCDCG load for the XLR this week. Between that and the BT 290’s I’ll settle on those two for now in that gun. Then go back to the other 444, where I’d really like to use those wide flat nose bullets. Got really good results with the Cast Performance 300gr WFNGC in both and got a box of CP 320’s to try also.
Like to get those BT 250 WFNGC’s to work in the Marlin 94 too.