newbie reloading question

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irish_gun_lover

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Hi there,
I'm reloading for the first time rifle cartridges (30-30 and 30-06), I have reloaded plenty of straight wall cartridges before. I'm just wondering when resizing my cases with lee dies and using lee case lube, is it normal that there is A LOT of resistance when full resizing and absolutely no resistance when neck resizing? Also the full resizing die is marring a lot of my brass ?
Let me know what you think and maybe this thread as already been discuss, :/

cheers

Pat
 
clean out your die. Might be dirt in it. Also are you using enough lube? too much lube? Does it sound like it is squirting out when sizing the case? I like the Lee lube that comes in the squeese tube. Only need a little bit and still works when dry. Maybe your brass is dirty. Post a picture of a marred case.
 
It's most likely your die leaving marks. You're cleaning the brass prior to sizing it, right? If not, you should be.
I use plain old RCBS FL dies with the Lee lube in the plastic tube. Just a smear on my fingers, then rub a thin film over the case body and neck, none on the shoulder. I use the RCBS lube on a Q-tip to lube the inside of the neck.
I wipe the inside of the case necks as a final step, fine powder will stick to the lube if I don't.
What kind of press are you using? Moderate pressure should resize most cases with a traditional single stage press like the RCBS Rock Chucker.
You may need to polish the inside of your die, is it new or new-to-you?
 
Thanks guys! My dies are brand new, so I cleaned them in paint thinner then lube them. My cases were tumbled for a few hours in corn media. And yes, I juste lightly lubed them. Ill post pictures tonight.
 
irish_gun_lover said:
Thanks guys! My dies are brand new, so I cleaned them in paint thinner then lube them. My cases were tumbled for a few hours in corn media. And yes, I juste lightly lubed them. Ill post pictures tonight.
Click to expand...

There should not be 'too much' resistance when full length resizing but there will definitely be a lot more than when just neck sizing. There needs to be 'just enough' lube, not too little and not too much. Too little and you will have metal to metal contact, brass on steel, which will cause friction, increase the force required, and worst case will damage or allow cases to get stuck in the die. Too much lube and you will end up pitting or denting the case, usually in the shoulder area.

Are you using the Lee neck crimp die for neck sizing? It too requires a 'feel' for the crimp being applied. Too little force and the neck isn't fully squeezed on to the mandrel. I suggest doing a case once with moderate lever force, then dropping the ram to lower the case, rotating the case 1/8th of a turn and doing it again with moderate but firm lever force. This tends to overcome metal spring back and also irons out the tiny ridges which can form on the neck with the use of this die. It is an excellent type of die to use for neck sizing as it doesn't care about case neck wall thickness deviations. The final sizing is supplied by the internal mandrel diameter which with the supplied mandrel is about 3 thou under nominal bullet diameter. In other words, with a .308 bullet it will leave the neck at about .305 providing proper neck tension. If by chance this is too loose or you want it to have a firmer neck tension for your brass/rifle, you can also get replacement mandrels from Lee that are a couple of thou smaller than the supplied mandrel. This should not be necessary.
 
I'm only using the collet neck sizing die (dont have the crimp one) and there is absolutely no resistance when neck sizing. But A LOT when full resizing. For the lubing part, I think Im putting just enough, just a light film on them. Ill take pics of the marring on my brass tonight and post them. Thank you all for your time.
 
Sorry, I meant the Lee collet neck sizing die, not the crimp die. Similar action, but used in different stages with different results. My mistake / misspeak.

So, the collet die which crimps the entire neck on to a sized steel mandrel. Do it twice with a 1/8 turn of the brass in the shell holder between lever strokes. And yes, you will feel little to no change. One second the lever is moving and the next it stops. There should be an incredibly small moment of the slightest change in resistance the first time the collet squeezes the neck on to the mandrel. It is extremely subtle.

If your full length die is marking your brass then there is something inside that needs to be cleaned out. Scrubbing with a suitably sized bore brush and solvent might/should dislodge it. If it isn't the same resulting mar on every piece of brass you run through the full length die then I have no idea. Need (good) before and after pics of at least one and better yet, of multiple casings.
 
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Are you feeling a lot of pressure with the 30-30? It should size quite easily.

30-06 can be harder, especially if fired in someone else's rifle.

Here is a quick way to apply Lee lube an the outside with a little dab on the case mouth, so the expander button is lubed, too.

If you are sizing a few cases, the case lube technique does not matter very much. If you have a bucket or two of brass to size, there is a fast efficient way to lube the cases. I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.

I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.

Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.

lubebrass1.jpg


Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.

lubebrass.jpg


Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander button.
 
Hey thanks a lot guys with all you tricks, it works really well. I cleaned with a nylon brush the inside of my f/l sizing die and lubed to correctly, there are now sizing correctly.

I'm having an another problem though... Loll
When seating my bullets, there are really loose (i can push them in or pull them out of the case) that only happens when sizing with the collet neck sizing die... I measure the decaping rod (0.306) and the interior of my brass (0.307-308).... Dont understand whats happening ? And yes I tried screwing more and more my dies but nothing changed...
 
irish_gun_lover said:
Hey thanks a lot guys with all you tricks, it works really well. I cleaned with a nylon brush the inside of my f/l sizing die and lubed to correctly, there are now sizing correctly.

I'm having an another problem though... Loll
When seating my bullets, there are really loose (i can push them in or pull them out of the case) that only happens when sizing with the collet neck sizing die... I measure the decaping rod (0.306) and the interior of my brass (0.307-308).... Dont understand whats happening ? And yes I tried screwing more and more my dies but nothing changed...
Click to expand...

You are not pressing hard enough on the handle. It takes a fair amount of force to neck size with the Lee collet die. Like I said, the feel of it doing its job is subtle, but you have to put some effort into it. Do it and check right away. If not enough, stick it back in there and do it again only harder! Repeat until the id is correct (.305 or so) and you have a feel for how hard you have to push that lever down. Next case, press it down with that same force right off the get-go, rotate the case 1/8 turn and do it just as hard or a bit harder. If none of this is working you haven't got the die set up right. I'm sure there is a youtube video or three available which you can watch to see the gory details. Do so soon before the idiots delete them.
 
yes is normal but don't put too mush lube on the shoulder don't let the lube dry too mush
neck sizing, the case don't contact the die just the neck no lube
clean your die every 500 rounds the tumbler will do the rest for the marring of your brass
some brass mark more thene otter
 
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