Broken Die Set 338 lapua

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cityslicker

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I have cracked 4 sets RCPBS and 1 set of Lee re-sizing dies. They always give me a new set and say it's never happened before. I am following the instructions to a T. What could be going wrong? They are for a 338 Lapua. The die always cracks all the way up the threads top to bottom after less than resizing 10 brass?:confused::mad:

I need to load up for spring bear
 
How hard do you have to push on the handle to split a die...never even herd of it happening before, let alone 4 times.
Is the shell holder just touching the bottom of the die at the bottom of the stroke?
 
How much reloading experience do you have, I would think that you are doing something very wrong, as I have been reloading almost 50 years and have never had it happen. Are you trying to reload steel cases? I would suggest that you have someone knowledgeable about reloading sit-in with you while you break your next set of dies and they may be able to advise you on other ways of doing it.
 
I just loaded up another 20 rounds of 338 lapua using rcbs dies and a rockchucker press. It doesnt take that much force to seat the bullet. In fact I dont think it takes any more then my 308, so you def. have something set up wrong. Are trimming your brass?
 
You are a manly beast with amazing forearm and biceps strength. . .
I have sheared off the press's mounting bolts while fighting a stuck case, but cracking let alone denting a die, I never have even considered it or heard of it during sizing.
You may want to log onto Youtube and just check and make sure you have your dies set correctly as per a master re-loader on that site.
 
wow...... :eek:

Let me guess all of your re-sizing dies are form the same run? A serious flaw in manufacturing I would guess.

As long as the shellholder doesn't jam into the bottom of the die, this should never be a problem. Make sure that your shell holder just kisses the die at the very top of the up stroke.

Good luck,
Cheers!
 
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....., quote from the RCPBS instructions.

Screw the sizer die into the press untill the die touches teh shell holder when the sehll holder is brought up to the top of the press stroke. Be shure all the play is removed from the press leverage system. To do this, adjust the die as above, lower the shell holder and teh set the die 1/8 to 1/4 turn further down so that the press cams over center. Set the large lock nut and you're ready to size.

I have done this to a T and had a gun smith watch me both of us are confused. so the question is how much of a turn down are you going on the cam over?
 
1/16th.... never more than an 1/8th of a turn..... not very much anyway. I usually set mine up so that a thin piece of paper will still fit between the shell holder and the bottom of the die.

My press has a cam, so if I turn it to much the cam won't 'go back' to bring the shell holder down.......

To be honest I think you have got yourself into a bad run of dies....... you seem to be doing everything right.

Cheers!
 
Yes when the store that keeps exchanging the die for me said others have had the same problem in Canada and there are no more dies in Canada, all from same run. So may be bad dies
 
If they are RCBS dies, RCBS is pretty good about sending new stuff via mail.

I've had them send me new de-capping pins at no cost to me by me just calling them up and telling them the problem. They may require that you send them the die, but they will make it right fairly quickly.

Cheers!
 
"...RCBS is pretty good about..." Yep. Their warrantee is on the kit, not the user or original buyer. Contact RCBS. 1-800-533-5000 rcbs.tech@atk.com
"...how much of a turn down are you going on the cam over?..." None. Like notsorichguy says, the bottom of the die should just kiss the shell holder with the ram all the way up.
 
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