Defective Shell holder?

bsand

bsand

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I've decided to start reloading for my C8IUR, so I went to WSS to get some dies, shell holder and trimming pilot.

Set up all the dies, started decapping OK, started resizing OK, went to start priming... At first it took a bunch of force to seat the primer, so I stopped, removed brass then tried again. This time the primer sat in but crooked. Tried another brass sized OK, went to prime it flew outta the shell holder!

I figured OK range brass may be fubar'd. Tried some once fired from my rifle (w/ shell catcher no dents) same freaking thing! Shell pops out as priming arm is inserting primer.

Im assuming there is something wrong with said shell holder? #4 from lee.
 
What brass are you using? Some manufacturers crimp their primer pockets and they need to be swaged or reamed before repriming them. What press are you using?
 
I tried both AE black box (range brass), and aguila (my 1 fired, not crimped). I tried using the lyman crimp trimmer on FC, same results. I know 100% that aguila is not crimped primers.
 
Some Lee shell holders are so large that they barely hold the case and let loose if some extra pressure is applied.
However, there must be something wrong in seating the primers. Look very close, is the case properly lined up?
 
I've loaded 1000's with the #4 holder and no issues.
As a matter of fact my entire setup is Lee and as long as you have set it up right and your prep is done correct, you should have no issues too.
Don't listen to the Lee haters, Lee makes good equipment that works well for thousands + reloaders.
Some here seem to believe that if you are not spending more than you can afford, it is junk.
Now I'm not saying that you may have got a bad part, it happens to all the manufactures in every industry, but my guess is there is something wrong with your prep or setup.
I would love to ask you to drop in to our monthly meet ups so I can look at your holder and brass... ETC, but I an on a night shift that week and can't show.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...r-Mainland-Fraser-Valley-Monthly-Get-Together
Maybe pipe up in that thread and someone else can help you out if you can make it, I may even be able to give one of the guys my holder and you can match it up side by side.
 
I was planning on taking it back to WSS and getting a RCBS one instead.. I was using the small priming system, my large one is full of primers.

All i've done so far is wet tumble, decap, SS tumble, resize, check for length, then prime. Sometimes it seats OK, other times I can see the case lean to the open side when priming.

I may have to check out that meet coming up in Feb.
 
Doesn't sound right...never had to use "a bunch of force" to seat primers. Almost sounds like you have an issue and are compensating with more force causing cases to be swaged out of the shell holder.
 
Oh, so you're using the Lee Hand primer tool. My old one broke, so I bought a new one that did exactly what yours is doing. You have to wiggle it to get it to line up just right. I threw it out and bought the RCBS one.
 
No I'm priming on a Lee challenger press.

Something isn't quite right it took like three times the power to seat a primer than the LR primers on lapua brass.

I'm using federal gold medal match small rifle primer.
 
I know you mentioned that you are using the small priming feed assembly, because the large is full of large primers, so this is just a Hail Mary:

Are you also using the SMALL metal priming arm that sits in the ram itself? Because if that part wasn't switched from large to small, the cup on the seater may be pushing the shell up and swage in it out of the shell holder.

Still, even that would require a lot of pressure to push it through the shell holder. Barring that, your shell holder is either a dud or mislabelled.
 
bsand said:
I'm using small priming arm. I'm leaning towards she'll holder. Because I don't see two manufacturers brass doing the same thing.
Click to expand...

Ya, I think it's a dud. Any chance you can post a pic of a piece of the brass in the shell holder from the side. I'd love to see how much bite it is actually giving you in the extractor groove.
 
I am trying to figure out what this means . . .

"Sometimes it seats OK, other times I can see the case lean to the open side when priming."

If it doesn't prime right when it leans to the open side then there appears to be something wrong with the positioning.

Without pictures we are guessing but then I "guess" it would not be the first time a major manufacturer made an error.
 
one other idea, I have the Hornady case prep center, to use a shell holder for case length the center hole in the shell holder needs to be increased to allow the clamp to work, Hornady have a larger hole, I simply grind the hole larger on a lathe, so I have a specific die for the trimmer and one for the press, I know the larger hole holders are not compatible with the RCBS ram primer in my press because the primer holder/ram will move off center, this may be the issue on your setup.

hand primers work with the larger holder because they have a plastic sleeve to guide the primers

just a thought
 
The brass is extremely sloppy. For my 308 the brass is held tight barely any play. This one is barely held in, I can tip the brass over by 2-3 mm while still in shell holder.

I'm planning on bringing some brass with me to test the new shell holder. As well as showing them to return the holder.

I totally forgot but I also have a lock stud she'll holder for the trimmer. I'll see how that one fits the brass. Hopefully it's tight like my 308 she'll holder. Now for the workday to pass by.....
 
It is a #4 shell holder, just like the die box said. As well as back of the cardboard holder of the shell holder.

I guess it's settled then, out of spec shell holder!
 
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