Crushing cases...

jakfrost

jakfrost

Regular
Rating - 100%
110   0   0
Location
Eastern Ontario
Not sure what I can do...if anything, to make resizing my .204 Ruger cases any easier.

4 out of 5 times when I attempt to run the case up into the Lee Collet Die the case has to be 'fiddled' with to allow it to enter the die. Sometimes its the de-priming pin that is outside the case mouth, and often after I get that fixed the case catches on the die itself. I have to wiggle it a bit to get it to go the full stroke. Other times it just sails right on up and no problems.

I have tried moving the shell holder around to different locations but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I'm using a RCBS Rockchucker and the Lee Collet dies, Lee shellholder #4, all new stuff. This is the first time I use the Lee Collet dies, and I notice the de-priming pin sort of 'floats' around, i.e. it isn't solidly mounted in the die. Is it supposed to be like that?

Perhaps it is just the small case mouth that is causing the problem. Do I have to buy a Forster Co-Ax to solve this problem?

I sure extends the time it takes to do up a couple of hundred rounds. Plus I have crushed a few that got caught on the edge of the case mouth...:mad:.

Jim
 
It sounds like you have raised the ram on the die when there wasn't a case in it. This pinches in the collet so it catches the case mouth on subsequent cases. Take the die apart and run a tapered punch into the collet so it spreads the fingers a bit and reassemble.
 
Make sure your die is assembled properly. The mandrel/primer punch shouldn't move around. Someone at the store may have inserted the rod directly into the crimper instead of the ring at the top of the die?
 
You may consider chamfering the mouth of the die. Its not a FL die so it won't affect the function and your cases should feed better.

NormB
 
I'll guess you are also using Lee shell holders. If you are, they are the sloppiest of any shell holder I have ever used and allow the case to move around all over the place.
 
H4831 said:
I'll guess you are also using Lee shell holders. If you are, they are the sloppiest of any shell holder I have ever used and allow the case to move around all over the place.
Click to expand...

I will agree with this statement. Try a shellholder from another manf. Better a $4.00 shellholder than your new collet die.;)
 
H4831 said:
I'll guess you are also using Lee shell holders. If you are, they are the sloppiest of any shell holder I have ever used and allow the case to move around all over the place.
Click to expand...

Yea you are correct...as I mentioned on my OP, using Lee shell holder #4, and I was surprised at how sloppy they are!

The die seems to be assembled correctly, I can't really see any other way for the pin to go in there...just it flops around so much it actually has ruined a couple of cases going outside the mouth and 'grooving' the case down the outside! Ug!

I'll make the 60km drive this afternoon and show the shop owner the die to see what he says :confused:.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jim
 
Throw it out and get a good Redding neck die with bushings and save yourself anymore trouble.
 
Dogleg said:
It sounds like you have raised the ram on the die when there wasn't a case in it. This pinches in the collet so it catches the case mouth on subsequent cases. Take the die apart and run a tapered punch into the collet so it spreads the fingers a bit and reassemble.
Click to expand...

I did this. And that's what happened. I sent it to Lee, they checked it, told me I had raised the ram and closed the die without a case in it and it was just stuck. Take it apart and push the fingers back, and your die will work properly. I literally broke the top out of my turret press trying to resize a .30-06 case. Lots of power, itty-bitty brain. Do NOT just keep shoving on it...My case was almost an inch long.
 
rookie wildcat said:
Do NOT just keep shoving on it...My case was almost an inch long.
Click to expand...

That is hilarious...sorry, I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time;).

Just got back from the shop, the de-capping pin was slightly bent, probably from me trying to resize the case with the pin on the 'outside' of the case...not good.

So he put a new pin in, no charge and I'll carry on, for now. I guess since I bought the Rockchucker second hand I should look at something with a little more accuracy on the machining tolerances , makes sense if that is the ultimate goal of reloading anyway.

Someone mentioned 'Redding'...are they better by design, or just manufacture. The Forster Co-Ax is the only 'design' that I have seen that looks like it approaches the 'alignment' issue from a different perspective.

Jim
 
I think a poster was referring to Redding Bushing dies, which are about the best dies out there, I'd ditch that shell holder and your dies and get a set of either the Redding or Forster dies, and yes the Forster Co-ax press does address the slop issue with self centering the case and jaws that hold the case with out any slop/tipping/etc.
 
Dogleg said:
It sounds like you have raised the ram on the die when there wasn't a case in it. This pinches in the collet so it catches the case mouth on subsequent cases. Take the die apart and run a tapered punch into the collet so it spreads the fingers a bit and reassemble.
Click to expand...

I did this. And that's what happened. I sent it to Lee, they checked it, told me I had raised the ram and closed the die without a case in it and it was just stuck. Take it apart and push the fingers back, and your die will work properly. I literally broke the top out of my turret press trying to resize a .30-06 case. Lots of power, itty-bitty brain. Do NOT just keep shoving on it...My case was almost an inch long.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom