Hard chambering after sizing

[Mystic Precision]

THIS ISSUE COMES UP A LOT ON HERE. THE LENGTH IN YOUR CHAMBER IS A BIT Shorter THAN THE "DIE" LENGTH. FROM BASE TO SHOULDER, SOOOO THE SOLUTION IS EITHER SHORTEN THE DIE ABOUT 0.020 or remove some from the shell holder. You simply have to move the shoulder back a bit.
Enjoy.

Pretty sure this is what you meant.

You dont need to remove that much from the die... 3 to 5 thou is likely all that is needed. Assuming, lube is adequate, press is not flexing...

Of you can use a thinner shell holder... Yes, shell holders are not all the same thickness from extractor groove datum line to top of SH. In general, match the brand of the fl die to the sh and things work out better.

But given how cheap SH's are, grind off the top some and turn the sizing die down a schnick. The bottom of the FL sizing die does not need to hit the SH to work.

Jerry

 

[Dogleg]

Yup, the Lee. It's alright. Turns out some nice ammo, it's loaded consistent .6-.7
MOA .270 Win for me. Can't complain about that. Sure is a pain for any volume though. Still, can't wait to get my regular presses set up again.

For some uses I've come to like it though, it's another tool in the box. Literally, in this case - I'm reduced to loading out of a toolbox.

More than likely the Lee hand press is the problem. Don't get me wrong; I like the things myself. There aren't a lot of options for
portable reloading and I've loaded a ton of ammo on them to get around the air-line limits of 5 Kgs of ammo. The cull hunts I do require many hundreds of rounds and if I want to use my own loads I either have to arrange for custom loaders, helpful enthusiasts or bring my own equipment, brass and bullets. You can fly all the brass and bullets you want. Powder and primers can be locally sourced. The Lee press is good for this, since it doesn't weigh much and doesn't need to be mounted.

So far, so good. The trouble is that while in some instances it works perfectly in others it just doesn't have the balls. It doesn't cam over or lock down solid like a real press and its springy. When you get a hard sizing job it just isn't there. This became a problem this summer when a friend and I were doing a fallow and red deer population control hunt. It worked fine on the .300s and well enough on 7 mm WSMs but on my .257 Weatherby each loading got progressively harder to chamber with each loading. I was able to barely get through, and after returning home sized them on my OO7 and Rockchucker Supreme presses. They did the trick with the same dies and shellholder and the cases once again dropped in like factory ammo.

The Lee Press is a handy and useful thing but it has its limits. In your case, and in my case we found 'em. Realistically it costs 40 bucks and is better suited for neck sizing with a real neck die and seating bullets. Most of the die setting advice you've gotten won't work with this press.

There isn't a lot of portable options out there, but the Buchanan is a step up.

 

[Mystic Precision]

To make the Lee hand press more effective, it needs to be at full "down" around 2/3's of the travel. That way you still have leverage on the entire system and any give can be overcome.

I put it on the table and spun the sizing die well in so the SH got hit with still a sizeable gap between arms. Now you can lean on the handle and it works... Hard on you and the press but it can be made to work. Only did it one range trip and gave up... I prepped all the cases at home and just added powder and bullet at the range. SOOOO much easier.

Jerry

 

[Dogleg]

If you aren't already using the tool as a Thighmaster; that's a way of getting some
extra oomph on the tool.

Something that you can try that's a bit of a long shot is a change in lubes. I've been a long time and adamant fan of Imperial sizing die wax, but have only recently tried their liquid lube. Sizing effort is reduced to a fraction and extraction from
the die to next to nothing. If higher effort on the handles will size more; it stands to reason that lower resistance will help even more. The liquid lube is really in a totally different league, and is worth a try.

 

[flashman2]

If you aren't already using the tool as a Thighmaster; that's a way of getting some
extra oomph on the tool.

Something that you can try that's a bit of a long shot is a change in lubes. I've been a long time and adamant fan of Imperial sizing die wax, but have only recently tried their liquid lube. Sizing effort is reduced to a fraction and extraction from
the die to next to nothing. If higher effort on the handles will size more; it stands to reason that lower resistance will help even more. The liquid lube is really in a totally different league, and is worth a try.

Oh, no, it wasn't a long shot.

Anywho, a switch to Imperial wax has solved the issue, letting me apply enough force with this hand press I'm forced to use at the moment.

Had my tin sent out to me and that fixed things. I'll definitely have to give the liquid stuff a try then next order from X Reload. Cheers.

 

[flashman2]

To make the Lee hand press more effective, it needs to be at full "down" around 2/3's of the travel. That way you still have leverage on the entire system and any give can be overcome.

I put it on the table and spun the sizing die well in so the SH got hit with still a sizeable gap between arms. Now you can lean on the handle and it works... Hard on you and the press but it can be made to work. Only did it one range trip and gave up... I prepped all the cases at home and just added powder and bullet at the range. SOOOO much easier.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry. Yeah, I eventually discovered that as well, I don't go by die turns in now, I go by arm position.

After doing a few hundred cases yesterday I really, really can't wait to be back to my usual set up.

Mind you for straightwall like .45-70, .44 Mag and. 30 Carbine, it works a treat.

 

[flashman2]

More than likely the Lee hand press is the problem. Don't get me wrong; I like the things myself. There aren't a lot of options for portable reloading and I've loaded a ton of ammo on them to get around the air-line limits of 5 Kgs of ammo.

Plus, resizing all that brass gives you something to do on those long transcontinental flights. Be a decent enough way to pass the time flying to Australia. You may even be able to get the person beside you to do the lubing?