Case resizing

madluk18

madluk18

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Hello,

I reload for my 6.5x55 swede. I've only been doing it for about a year a half, I'm still fairly new at it, and always learning more. Recently, I went from Lee resizing dies to the RCBS kind. Now, It was fine for a bit, but then the fired case wouldn't go into the neck sizing or full length die(got stuck on the decapping pin). I broke a few cases using a little extra force to make sure it wasn't just me. The fired case mouth was too small for the decapping pin. No matter what I did the fired cases wouldn't go pass the decapping pin. The funny thing is that it doesn't happen to every case, I switched back to the Lee dies, and the same problem is happening, I just started to throw away these cases. the loads I am are using are close to max, but aren't there yet. the bullet is seated according to the book.

Anyone out there know the problem? any help is appreciated.

Lukas
 
My first guess would be that you're not lubing the cases enough. It may be more than that but this is the first thing I'd look at.
 
Put a bit of lube on the inside of the case mouths. How you do that depends on how you're lubing. I use a pad and just screw the case mouth into the pad a wee bit.
What load are you using?
 
Better yet use Imperial Dry Neck Lube for the case mouths, this is a powdered graphite product that doesn't result in particles of powder sticking to the inside of the case mouth as does a wet lube. Once the expander button is well coated, it should slip easily through the case mouth.

The trouble I'm having with your post is this. The expander button should pass easily through the mouth of a fired case as you raise the ram. Typically the neck is expanded large enough that it will not hold a bullet, but the expander ball must be small enough that after passing though the neck after the case is resized so it uniforms the inside neck diameter, providing sufficient neck tension to hold of your bullet securely and provide a uniform bullet pull weight. If you are experiencing difficulty inserting the expander ball in a non-resized, fired case neck, something is wrong. Perhaps the casing is misaligned in the shell holder or perhaps the expander ball is the incorrect diameter. Stranger things have happened.
 
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I think its a case lube issue as well or the top of the case is hitting the decapper pin crooked.
What kind of lube are you using?
Do you q-tip it into the neck?
I switched from Lyman quick spray back to lee case lube and most of my issues went away. I toss all the brass in a ziplock bag with a shot of Lee case lube and shake. Then as I pull it out to put it in the press I q-tip a little case lube into the inside of the neck and smooth sailing.
 
I am using 45 grs of RL22 seated to 3.150

Thats the funny thing, I have lubed up the inside of the case mouth, I even tried putting lube on the expanding button. The case mouth is too small regardless of how its lubed.
Would a case thats been fired over and over again (8+) cause such a problem? Or would it more likely be an issue with the rifle?? I have had primer popping out issues with the gun, which is a sign of headspace I'm told, but it only happens with my reloads and not a factory bullet. So I assume thats just a case thats been fired and stretched to many times.
 
Could the case be too long, I wonder??

If you've fired it 8+ times (I'm assuming in a bolt gun), the brass may have flowed forward lengthening the case.
 
If you have primers coming out by themselves you are way to hot on your load. You stated that factory loads the primers stayed in and on your reloads they were coming out. That should tell you right there that there is something wrong with what you are doing.

Also as other people have stated the expander button, if it is the right size only touchs the case after the case neck has been resized and not on the way into the sizing die.

The easiest way for you to see what is happening is to shoot a factory shell in your gun and then lube the case outside and in the inside of the neck and try it in your die and see if it works ok or not. You mentioned you tried your Lee dies and they have the same results and this says to me it is not the dies but rather what you are doing or the rifle.

Graydog
 
Do the case mouths have any dents, missformed, out of round? Remove the expander button and measure. Look inside the die, maybe a case broke off and is stuck inside. Just for fun measure the mouth of the case before you try and resize vs the diameter of the expander button.
As already stated the button expands after resizing so it should enter a fired case easily.
 
You note 8+ firings and this twigged something for me. As brass is fired it becomes harder. As it becomes harder it has a harder time springing back or forth. We anneal brass to bring back the natural spring back to the metal.

You stated you are trimming cases to required length. Suggest you trim back 10thou from spec. Depending on your chamber, the case length may not be to book spec. The only real way to tell is to measure it with a chamber measuring tool.

If the brass is hardening and flowing into the leade of your chamber it may not have enough room to expand and you will get dangerous pressure spikes as well. Blowing primers may be the least of your concern. Also, be sure to check for insipent case head separation as brass is re-used.

Sounds like time to retire the brass and start fresh. My two bits....
 
Lukas; I may be wrong, but I think you may not have your expander button/decapping pin centered properly in the die.
Thus, when you bring the case up to size it, the flat section of the expander button is hitting the edge of the case instead of entering it properly.
You need to loosen the lock on the decapping stem and center the assembly in your die before tightening it down again.
Make sure your cases are chamfered slightly on the inside as well.
Let us know if this works.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
madluk18 said:
I am using 45 grs of RL22 seated to 3.150

Thats the funny thing, I have lubed up the inside of the case mouth, I even tried putting lube on the expanding button. The case mouth is too small regardless of how its lubed.
Would a case thats been fired over and over again (8+) cause such a problem? Or would it more likely be an issue with the rifle?? I have had primer popping out issues with the gun, which is a sign of headspace I'm told, but it only happens with my reloads and not a factory bullet. So I assume thats just a case thats been fired and stretched to many times.
Click to expand...

An extruded primer might be sign of excessive head space, and you should get that checked, but it could also be sign of a low pressure load. If you were shooting say a 120 gr bullet rather than a 140 with that powder and load, pressure would be low, possibly the primer would not be pushed back into it's pocket as the bolt thrust would be minimal, and it is possible that you did not achieve a good gas seal, which would leave evidence of soot on the cartridge case.

Further to Eagleye's observation, placing a rubber "O" ring under the lock nut of the decapping stem will allow it to be self centering.
 
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