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thanks for the info guys. been doing some reading on what you said noddaduma and the die i have is a case neck resizing die. the brass im using was fired from another gun as well so thats another problem. didnt realize that reloading for semi-autos would be different than bolt action. i just ordered a small base die set and a block guage. gonna have to pull all the bullets and start over. im using a hornady handheld primer and all the primers were seated fully within the pocket so im not too worried about that.
Yeah you always want to fully size for semi-auto.
Make sure you apply case lube to the brass and I.D. of the neck so you don't get the case stuck in the die.
Yup, neck sizing is bad for autos.
Steve says 0.025" doesn't matter, but that is not true.
People keep saying AR-10, but that's not what you're shooting and they are thus missing a key point.
The DPMS LR-308 is a match-style rifle, and has a tight chamber and short throat. The 0.025" is obviously a problem, and if the brass (even new brass) was not fully sized AND trimmed before reloading then it still might not fully seat in the chamber and the bolt won't fully lock.
Is it chambered in 7.62 NATO or .308 Winchester? If you're not using a small base die in the correct cartridge to resize your already fired brass then you will have problems too. Look that up and order a small base sizing die now. This will limit your brass life to 3-4 reloadings but will ensure the brass itself chambers. If it is chambered in .308 Win then you want to use .308 Win dies and NOT 7.62 NATO. Same goes for vice versa. Make sure your cases are trimmed to the proper length after sizing but before you start seating primers on the new cases.
Also, the LR-308 needs to be lubed well to function properly.
So seat those bullets to the proper overall length.
I had written a blurb about the fired primer but unburnt powder troubling me, but I see that was someone else posting and not you. The rounds didn't fire because the bolt didn't fully lock because the round didn't chamber completely. In that sense the rifle worked as intended, otherwise you would have fired out of battery = destroyed gun. So be careful.
You sure didn't pick the easiest scenario to learn reloading on lol. But once you get the problems taken care of then you'll be off to a good start.
edit: This is also a good lesson to learn about researching the specifics of *your* particular model firearm, and paying attention to the quarks and characteristics that make it unique. Like how you shouldn't assume Kimbers and Rock Islands are the same 1911.
Good luck!
....the die i have is a case neck resizing die. the brass im using was fired from another gun as well so thats another problem.