Reloaded some once fired Weatherby ammo, (Nosler), and followed the usual pattern of running through my RCBS die to resize and knock out the primer. I then added a new primer, powder and then seated the Nosler bullets so that the OAL cartridge length was as specified. Unfortunately, the first reload stuck hard and I had to tap the bolt fairly hard to eject the shell. Tried again with a diifferent bullet weight and same result. I presume that the cartridges are hanging up because the neck or shoulder has expanded. Should I buy a resizing die and try again or ???
Need help with 257 Wby Mag reloads
- Thread starter Jetjock
- Start date
Some questions first:
1. Were the Nosler cartridges fired in you gun, or another gun?
2. Is your die a neck sizing die, or a full length sizing die?
Regardless when you size cartridges from another gun, immediately try them in your gun to see if they fit. If they don't then don't load them until you figure out why they won't fit.
Thanks guys. I used my full length RCBS die in 257 Wby Mag. I know it had nothing to do with the powder charge as neither cartridge that jammed was fired as they would not insert into the chamber. However, I beleive RON AKA has hit on the answer. I earlier had a Vanguard 1 in 257 Wby Mag and some of these once fired shells were mixed in with the shells fired from my newer Vanguard 2 which is also a 257. I will measure the fired cases and see if there is a difference. Assuming there is, will a neck resizing die fix the older cases?
Unfired...that is an important detail.
Neck sizing is best used in brass from same rifle, but even those might need a f/l resize (partial) eventually. No two chambers are truly identical so f/l resize any brass from another rifle. Even brand new brass might need f/l and a trim.
On length: I've gotten lucky using book values, but ideally your overall length will be determined individually for each rifle. Sometimes it's the magazine that will determine max length, sometimes it's your rifle's chamber. A change in bullet could mean a change in Length depending on it's shape.
Neck sizing is best used in brass from same rifle, but even those might need a f/l resize (partial) eventually. No two chambers are truly identical so f/l resize any brass from another rifle. Even brand new brass might need f/l and a trim.
On length: I've gotten lucky using book values, but ideally your overall length will be determined individually for each rifle. Sometimes it's the magazine that will determine max length, sometimes it's your rifle's chamber. A change in bullet could mean a change in Length depending on it's shape.
A neck sizing die is not going to be as good as a FL die in bringing the cartridges down in size. The first thing I would do is try all the fired cases in your current gun (after they have been full length resized). Sort them by whether or not they fit your gun. Next decide if the ones that don't fit are worth saving. If you want to save them, the first step is to ensure your FL die is hitting the shell holder hard when you size them. In other words, the case is being forced inside as far as it can go.
jetjock
Your older cases were fire formed to your first rifles chamber and you will be dealing with brass spring back after full length sizing.
When you full length resize the cases pause at the top of the ram stroke for 4 to 5 seconds, this will greatly reduce brass spring back.
I buy a lot of once fired Lake City 5.56 brass that has been fired in hundreds of different rifles. And the pausing during full length resizing makes the brass more uniform to the dies dimensions and spring back much less.
Your older cases were fire formed to your first rifles chamber and you will be dealing with brass spring back after full length sizing.
When you full length resize the cases pause at the top of the ram stroke for 4 to 5 seconds, this will greatly reduce brass spring back.
I buy a lot of once fired Lake City 5.56 brass that has been fired in hundreds of different rifles. And the pausing during full length resizing makes the brass more uniform to the dies dimensions and spring back much less.
After returning home I pulled the bullets, unloaded the powder and inspected the reloads compared to the factory cartridges. It looks like the bullet loading process resulted in crushing the shoulders on the brass. Quite a noticeable difference. The original shoulder is necked down at about a 60 degree angle, (approx), the loaded shells have almost no neck approximately a 90 degree angle where the cartridge is squeezed down to fit the bullet to the larger chamber of the magnum brass. I believe the original 257 Wby Magnum was developed using a 300 case. Will adjust the die out so it just pushes the bullet down without pushing down on the brass.
What you have done is collapsed your shoulder with the crimp ring in your RCBS seater die. The correct way to set your seater die is to run a sized case up to full ram at the top of the stroke and then thread your die into the press until you feel it engage the case mouth with the crimp ring. Now back your die out 1/2 turn and do all bullet depth adjustments with your seating stem not your die body thread.
This has happened to most if not all reloaders at least once in their career..........Setting the seater die depth is just as important as the sizer die depth.
You may be able to salvage those cases if you have another sizer die for 264 WM or larger 2.5" sizer die.......remove expander ball stem and wipe a little lube on the shoulder bulge you have created and then run them up into the larger caliber sizer die a little at a time and keep trying them in your rifle until your bolt closes. Then go fire them and they will usually pop out and save your case. I assume in saying this that you're not running 4 or 5 grns over book max when you're loading...........if you are then forget it, pull the bullets and try my advice with a mid range load from a book.
never mind........I see you have already pulled the bullets.......now you can go with the CoW and pistol powder method. Just pull the stem from your 257 dies and size them enough to be able to chamber then use the CoW method to fireform them back to original shape and start over.
This has happened to most if not all reloaders at least once in their career..........Setting the seater die depth is just as important as the sizer die depth.
You may be able to salvage those cases if you have another sizer die for 264 WM or larger 2.5" sizer die.......remove expander ball stem and wipe a little lube on the shoulder bulge you have created and then run them up into the larger caliber sizer die a little at a time and keep trying them in your rifle until your bolt closes. Then go fire them and they will usually pop out and save your case. I assume in saying this that you're not running 4 or 5 grns over book max when you're loading...........if you are then forget it, pull the bullets and try my advice with a mid range load from a book.
never mind........I see you have already pulled the bullets.......now you can go with the CoW and pistol powder method. Just pull the stem from your 257 dies and size them enough to be able to chamber then use the CoW method to fireform them back to original shape and start over.
A few thoughts:
1. Are you using an expander ball in your die to expand the neck diameter as it comes out of the full length sizing die?
2. Are you using a lubricant like powdered graphite on the inside of the necks?
3. Did you chamfer the mouth of the neck, ID and OD?
4. Read the instructions for your bullet seater die carefully. Start with the bullet seated long and work your way down until it is at the desired overall length.
5. Have you annealed the neck and shoulder of the case?
The way the Weatherby case is rounded into the shoulder and body makes it weaker, and easier to crush.
I'm just a retired aircraft mechanic but I do watch your Canadian "The Aviators" but I hate swatting mosquitoes or standing outside with my snot freezing to my upper lip.
Anyway you can "slowly" push primers out with any resizing die. But I prefer using a universal depriming die that is wide open at the bottom to vent any pressure if things go wrong.
That being said I have been reloading for over 46 years, have removed many primers with my dies and not one has ever gone off removing it. (did I say push slowly and don't yank the press handle)
Signed
Crash
