Problem resizing 7WSM

coldmaker

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Hi!
I bought a bunch of stuff from a fellow cgn'er here
There was lee 7 wsm dies kit and over 300 winchester brass. Supposed to be
Once fired.
Now the brass was already size and now i'm done firing them all.
When i fired them i noticed that some will be harder to close the bolt on than others.last week i cleaned and resized a 100 of them. Problem is some will be easy to chamber, most will be hard,and some close to impossible.
I've been reloading for the 300RUM and 260 REM. without problem
When i first tried to set the resizing die on the RUM a couple year ago, i screwed the die to much and bumped the shoulder so it would bulge. But i can't do that with the 7wsm no mather how i ajust the die the result is the same.
The shell holder never contact the base of the die, even on those that chamber well.
I cleaned the die and made sure there's no lubricant on the shoulder
I blackened a shell that is hard and 1 that's easy with permanant marker
And the 1 that is hard has a good scratch mark on the shoulder but just a small one on the 1 that's easy. So it looks like i should bump the shoulder more,but can't do it for some reason.
Do you experienced reloader have a tip for me or is it a bad die?

Thanks!

Edit: i also measure brass at different places for comparison,lenght, head diameter,shoulder.
Every thing looked the same,except inside de groove on the head, the easy one was .005" bigger,i would have tought the opposite would cause problem?
 
Screw the die down farther in quarter-turn increments, sizing and test-fitting the brass in your chamber with each quarter turn. Continue to do this even until it makes contact with the shell holder if necessary.
 
Yup, I agree with above ... sounds like you need to drop the die another 1/4 turn (down, closer to the shell holder) and try again. Haven't loaded for 7WSM, but the problem certainly sounds like you need to push the shoulders back a bit by FL sizing the brass.
 
You might have to try a proper resizing die and size right down to the shellholder, possibly even shim case head.
 
It sounds to me like you need to trim your brass. You should be able to get the shell holder to touch the base of the die. Also make sure you are using the right seat. The wsm will fit in a standard rcbs #4 seat that everyone has, but the wsm needs a different seat (cant remember the # off hand). I believe the seats are only a few thousands of an inch off from each other but it makes a difference in my 3 wsm rifles.
 
i use lee shell holder number 5
i ajusted the die 1st to touch the shell holder
i then screwed the dies 1/4 turn more until i was a full 1 1/2 turn more.
all the brass are cut.
even when i'm 1 and 1/2 turn more than when the die first touched the shell holder, i can't get the shell holder to touch the die when there's a brass in there.
i'm using rcbs case lube on a lube pad, and the shell goes in and out easily.
 
your right
but still it resize 300 rum no problem. i can actually make the shoulder on
a RUM case bulge if i want to.
so i dont think the press is the problem. no?
 
your right
but still it resize 300 rum no problem. i can actually make the shoulder on
a RUM case bulge if i want to.
so i dont think the press is the problem. no?

If your touching the shell holder to the die, then turning the die in another 1.5 turns you are springing something, cause apparently it isn't shortening the case.

Those cheap cast aluminum open " C " presses are a problem.

I would get a Rockchucker supreme or Redding version. Check a place like Natchez supply, they ship to Canada, compare prices with local supply. Don't buy a press kit unless you need all the components included. You may find something in the EE.

Also, I bought some " once fired" Wsm brass at a gunshow. It must have been fired in an overlarge dia chamber at the base. Even my rockchucker couldn't make that brass useable. I though I would break the press trying to resize it. It still wouldn't chamber. Buy some new brass, shoot it in the gun, then resize it. The problems may magically disappear. BTW I have some once fired 300wsm brass looking for a new home. Any takers ;-)


NormB
 
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Every book I've looked at suggests (for all but carbide dies) screwing the sizing die down until it touches the top of the shell holder with the ram raised, then lowering the ram and screwing the die down another half turn or so. The idea seems to be to ensure that the cartridge is completely and fully home.

I would check case length on all before resizing.

If you're doing that and the ram is not going all the way up, if brass is still showing, then it sounds like you have a press problem.
 
I believe you said the shellholder was not contacting the die, so most likely you just have to screw down a wee bit more to get more sizing.....but it could be that flex in the press is defeating you if you're having to apply quite a bit of force.

Also, as mentioned, check case length.
 
The die should be touching the shell holder when sizing a piece of brass, if adjusted accordingly, so if your press isn't making that happen, then either the press is inadequate, or the dies are inadequate. I would replace that LEE Challenger with a real press (cast iron C-style of one type, or another) the first chance I got.
 
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