.300WSM once fired brass unloadable?

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shorttrac

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Hello guys just wondering if anyone has had similar experience with reloading the .300wsm. I stopped reloading it for myself due to the finicky characteristics such as headspace issues if not sized exactly perfect, expander ball really tight(actually ripped the threads off of RCBS die and now use Hornady dies and still tight). Accurracy node is very small and took a long time to find anything with any speed and under 1" groups with a variety of powders. The last thing that I am curious about is that I have once fired factory brass that is expanded to .555 from .549 at base and will not size. I have reloaded many calibers with no where near the trouble just wondering if anyone else has experienced these issues?
 
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Yes, lots of lube, and shave your shell holder you really need to push the shoulder back on these.

Probably have better luck with Imperial Sizing wax
 
I reload 300wsm and have never had a problem ,RCBS Dies ,print cloverleafs with 180 accubonds using IMR4350 or IMr4831 all day long ,lube ,load ,shoot!
 
I dont load WSMs but from what I hear Redding Imperial Sizing die Wax as mentioned above or motor oil like Amsoil or Mobil 1 would be my lube choices
 
I load for the 300 WSM and haven't experienced the problems you have. The expander ball is tight because the 300 WSM has a much thicker than normal neck, you must lube the inside of your case necks about every 3-5 cases. I would say you are definately using the wrong lube or not enough. I use RCBS case lube and all my equipment is RCBS and the only stuck cases in 40 years of loading were my own fault for lack of lube.
I have experienced the finicky load development you refer to, mine will not shoot 165 gn bullets with any powder suitable. I ended up with a sub minute load with 150 TTSXs though and this will work for my intended use of this rifle.
 
My BIL owns a Vanguard in 300 WSM that I originally bought.
Never had any issues loading ammo that shoots sub-moa.
Had no sizing or expander button tightness, either.
But I inside lube the necks with powdered graphite, and the outside with Imperial sizing wax.
My 180 partition load is 6x grains of Norma MRP
My 165 grain load is 6x grains of H414.
Regards, Eagleye
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I loaded 125 grain ballistic tips with good results, 180 grain hornady, speers and sierras would shoot alright at 2800-2900fps and the 200 grain sierra with 6X grains of RL19 was the ticket. I am very happy with the 200 grain load but it took more bullets and powder combinations than I have ever seen. I use RCBS and Lyman spray lube with great results for all other calibers. Has anyone experienced the expansion at the base I have seen from factory loads? I understand that if I load them light they will last forever as with any case but I dont reload to develop less velocity than I can get from factory. I dont make idiot fringe loads but usually like to be at max as they are hunting loads.
 
shorttrac said:
Has anyone experienced the expansion at the base I have seen from factory loads? I understand that if I load them light they will last forever as with any case but I dont reload to develop less velocity than I can get from factory. .
Click to expand...

I'm going to guess that you have a rifle with a chamber that is close to SAAMI maximum dimensions.
This allows the brass to expand more at the base area.

Makes the cases more difficult to resize, since you are swaging them down a fair amount.

I was given a couple of boxes of 1F Winchester 30-06 cases that showed a similar expansion just above the web.
Good lube with Imperial sizing wax made the job relatively easy.

Regards, Eagleye.
 
shorttrac said:
The last thing that I am curious about is that I have once fired factory brass that is expanded to .555 from .549 at base and will not size. I have reloaded many calibers with no where near the trouble just wondering if anyone else has experienced these issues?
Click to expand...


Is it once fired in your chamber, or in another rifle?

NormB
 
shorttrac ....

I have several handloading tech tips on my website that explain why handloads are too tight.
About the tight case necks, be sure to clean the inside of your necks with a bore brush before resizing.
 
shorttrac said:
they were fired through a Tikka T3 and I will try some wax. Is that wax similar to Lee case lube. I may try that as I have some sitting around also.
Click to expand...

That didn't answer my question. Were they once fired in your rifle, the one you are trying to reload for or in some other rifle( T3 or otherwise) ? If it is not the siame rifle, the once fired brass could well be much bigger in the base than your rifle.
The wax is specially formulated for resizing. Google Imperial die sizing wax.

NormB
 
NormB said:
That didn't answer my question. Were they once fired in your rifle, the one you are trying to reload for or in some other rifle( T3 or otherwise) ? If it is not the siame rifle, the once fired brass could well be much bigger in the base than your rifle.
The wax is specially formulated for resizing. Google Imperial die sizing wax.

NormB
Click to expand...

They were used in the same rifle and also tried in another t3 and Sako. I think the tight necks are the reason for the headspace issues. I tried spraying a large amount of lyman lube inside and out and the case would still only go half way before it was just about stuck. I am just not happy about throwing out 25 once fired winchester nickle brass. My stout reloads don't expand anywhere near that much. I am just trying to figure out if this is the nature of the beast for this caliber. Also if they expand that much once I would think it would not be safe to work them that much over and over
 
shorttrac said:
They were used in the same rifle and also tried in another t3 and Sako. I think the tight necks are the reason for the headspace issues. I tried spraying a large amount of lyman lube inside and out and the case would still only go half way before it was just about stuck. I am just not happy about throwing out 25 once fired winchester nickle brass. My stout reloads don't expand anywhere near that much. I am just trying to figure out if this is the nature of the beast for this caliber. Also if they expand that much once I would think it would not be safe to work them that much over and over
Click to expand...

When you fire them in other rifles then resize to fit yours, that may cause problems. I bought some once fired factory load 300WSM brass at a gun show. I think the factory loads are very hot to meet their high velocity advertised performance like a 300WM. I couldn't resize them in my Rockchucker supreme press either, the bases were expanded so much.

I don't like nickel brass for reloading.

Do yourself a favour and buy yourself 50 new 300WSM new Winchester brass
cases. You can buy graphite in a tin that you can lube the inside of your necks with. With Die wax, new brass, and graphite for the inside of your necks, your problems should resolve.

NormB
 
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