338 win Mag brass sizing question?

M

Maxx

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This is my 1st time reloading for this calibre, and I cannot get the shoulder to "bump" back at all after re-sizing...is this normal with a belted case, or do I need to adjust my die differently?

thanks
 
Does the case chamber freely after sizing? I'm leaning toward neck sizing these days, and not FL sizing anything, unless it won't chamber...
 
No different than any belted magnum with a shoulder. Partial sizing has always worked best for us - you now are headspacing off the shoulder instead of the belt and you get a lot better case life. I usually start about a full turn back from touching the shellholder, resize then check for fit. (I assume you're resizing brass that was fired in the same gun you're loading for). Even if it fits I'll keep bumping the die down a 1/16th of a turn or so each time until I'm satisfied that enough neck has been resized to give enough bullet grip. Sometimes you have to move the shoulder back just a hair for proper fit - "bumping" it. It'll spring back a thou or two anyway, back to the chamber size it came out of. Oh, and make sure the brass, die and shellholder are CLEAN first. Good luck - great cartridge. If I could only have one caliber for all North American game it's be a tossup between the .338 and the .300 Win Mags.
 
Well . . . . belted magnum calibers are a bit different. Your handloads do need to be headspaced on the shoulder. However, the first firing stretches the case severely. This happens because factory loads headspace on the belt (and the case shoulder is FAR from the shoulder in your chamber).

This case stretching weakens the brass above the belt, and it often bulges with the slightest reloading forces on the case. Partial resizing is a good idea, but when you "measure" your cases, you'll really see what's going on, and you can then accurately contol headspace.

- Innovative
 
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