Problem resizing - help wanted from people who reload 300 wsm
- Thread starter VinnyQC
- Start date
is the die marked with anything, just looked at my 300 dies, I doubt I could push a 300 brass case fully into the die something sounds odd, by chance you have the seating die mixed with the sizing die, get the dies used or new
Factory ammo is winchester SuperX, casings are made of brass.
As I said, if I measure with a caliper 0.337'' from the bottom of the casing, the factory ammo has a diameter of 0.545'' and the once-fired then resized is 0.555''. That's where the blue marker shows some wearing off (Note: I also inserted another 1fired/resized casing after the blue one that, and some blue marker ink transfered to that casing at the same place).
I have no clue in which rifle they were shot. Bought them on the EE from a guy in Yukon, they took forever to get to me. They don't look beaten up or anything, so I guess they really are once fired, but they could be 100-fired and I wouldn't know.
Any time I buy once fired brass the cases are sized in a small base die to bring the case back to minimum SAAMI dimensions. The small base die reduces the case diameter and pushes the shoulder back approximately .003 more than a standard die.
There is one thing you can try first, full length resize the case again and pause at the top of the ram stroke for 4 or 5 seconds. This may reduce brass spring back after sizing and the cases "might" chamber.
RCBS Small Base Sizer Die 300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/412105/rcbs-small-base-sizer-die-300-winchester-short-magnum-wsm
Simple Trick for Monitoring Pressure of Your Rifle Reloads
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-education/tips-and-tricks/simple-trick-monitoring-pressure-your-rifle-reloads
I'll try pushing on the handle like a crazy mofo tomorrow until something breaks. I'll bet on the bench or the press.
It's a set of lee dies. Can't confuse them. Got them new.
This guy had the exact same problem with RCBS and switched to Redding. Fixed his problem. http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/44777-300-wsm
Buying sets of dies just to test sounds bit like madness to me. I'm all in favor of spending good money for good equipment, but a whole set of dies just to test isn't my idea of fun...
I tried pausing, I tried resizing the same case a bunch of times, the only thing I haven't tried so far is heating the case before resizing. Might try that, the case will resize at 100C, then when it cools down it'll shrink a bit.
I don't think midwayUSA ships to canada. Brownell's only sells 308/223/30-36, and other store seems don't seem to carry small base dies (I checked amazon, cabelas, x-reload and budget shooter supply).
So let me get this straight. You cannot push the case farther into the die, even if its sitting on top of the shell holder? Your entire bench is flexing? And you can't get the die stuck?
Is there something that is stopping the neck from going farther up into the die? Have you disassembled and inspected the die?
Something sounds very amiss in all this...
Is there something that is stopping the neck from going farther up into the die? Have you disassembled and inspected the die?
Something sounds very amiss in all this...
The .300 WSM has a fairly steep shoulder angle. Have you tried removing the expander ball and then resizing? If the ball is a tight fit in the case neck, then it can stretch the case neck and shoulder as the case is being withdrawn from the die. You can trim the case mouth back to reach proper case length, but the shoulder angle would be out of spec, causing it to "bottom out" in the chamber before fully seated. Does that make sense? Hope that helps.
I hate that Silver coated component for reloading .
Always found it very hard to resize in the Rock Chucker.
I went with Federal Brass when it was available or Winchester when I made a run to Kesselrings.
Not familiar with the set-up you are using (OP) but, I would cut my losses and procure some better brass for reloading.
Then head over to you tube for some visual tips on reloading for your 300wsm and reloading press you are using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4yuzz3-jbs TY Rifle chair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZqn2_hTzQ
Skip to second 40 for a cut-away view of what jimbo is saying.
Rob
Always found it very hard to resize in the Rock Chucker.
I went with Federal Brass when it was available or Winchester when I made a run to Kesselrings.
Not familiar with the set-up you are using (OP) but, I would cut my losses and procure some better brass for reloading.
Then head over to you tube for some visual tips on reloading for your 300wsm and reloading press you are using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4yuzz3-jbs TY Rifle chair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZqn2_hTzQ
Skip to second 40 for a cut-away view of what jimbo is saying.
Rob
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Yeah, it makes sense, I had the same thought. I tried removing the decapping pin/expander ball, so I wouldn't have to lube the inside of the cases while I experiment. Same result.
Yep! I would have no problem ruining a casing or 2 at this point, but I'm kind of affaid either the bench (made of 2x4) or more likely the handle of the press will bend or break.
Well, I removed the decapping pin/expander ball, but there isn't much to disassemble. I checked the inside of the die with a flashlight, and it's the opposite of a case, just like I would expect. Like, the case's body is a cylinder, then the shoulder is a cone, then the neck is a small cylinder. The die is just the opposite of that: cylinder, funnel, cylinder. I don't know if there's more to it. I believe the cylinder tat makes up the body is just a bit too large, like 0.01'', and that can't be seen by the naked eye.
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I guess that explains why there's so much nickel plated available for next to nothing.
My press is the cheapo Lee C-press (which is like 1/10 the strength of a rock checker), and it doesn't have that much trouble resizing but then if my die is a bit loose, it would explain why.
358Rooster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Saskatchewan
You have a chamber diameter on the small end of tolerance and a die that is somewhat larger than that (and it doesn't take much). It's been said here before - buy yourself a small base sizing die and your troubles will disappear.
It is possible that your chamber headspace is tight but in my experience, it's more likely that it's the diameter that's giving you grief (as you've already proven by your case coloring test).
Rooster
It is possible that your chamber headspace is tight but in my experience, it's more likely that it's the diameter that's giving you grief (as you've already proven by your case coloring test).
Rooster
Where??? I've checked all the usual places I buy reloading stuff, nobody has any small base, except Brownell who has the very common calibres (223, 308, 30-06) and that's it.
A small base die is the thing that makes the most sense imho (emphasis on the h of imho), it just seems like unobtainium, especially in a "rare" calibre like 300wsm.
Ok, so I tried pressing on that case until all hell breaks loose. I can report the following:
1-The weakest spot on a Lee C-type press is my hand. I pressed hard enough on the ball handle that the palm of my hand feels like Thor hit me with his hammer;
2-I took a piece of 2x4 and pressed with both my hands, kinda like putting all my weight on the press. There's 2 small(ish) strips of steel that connects the handle to the press that started bending. If I push any more than I did, they're gonna bend out of shape and I'll just be out of a press.
I've heard of people getting stuck cases, but never experienced it myself.
1-The weakest spot on a Lee C-type press is my hand. I pressed hard enough on the ball handle that the palm of my hand feels like Thor hit me with his hammer;
2-I took a piece of 2x4 and pressed with both my hands, kinda like putting all my weight on the press. There's 2 small(ish) strips of steel that connects the handle to the press that started bending. If I push any more than I did, they're gonna bend out of shape and I'll just be out of a press.
I've heard of people getting stuck cases, but never experienced it myself.
358Rooster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Saskatchewan
Good deal! Be sure to close this loop and let us know that it fixed the issue.
And no sense going any further until you get the die. If you break something before receiving the die, you'll just have to wait longer until a new press gets bolted down!
Rooster
Rifles and dies vary. If you stay with loading your own brass you stay out of trouble nearly all of the time. If
it came out of there, you can pretty much bet on it going back in.
Once you leave the nice safe world of "will work" you enter the uncharted water of "might work". The stars have aligned against you with a combination of his chamber being bigger than yours, and your die being on the big side. The downside to
Hanging around with "might work" is you expose yourself to his brother "might not". Might Not is a bit of prick.
If you want to stay in the land of "might work" you can buy or borrow a random die that might be a bit smaller and might work. Might cost you money and not work.
If you prefer the friendly land of "Will work " buy some new brass or the small base die.
By colouring the case and finding that the interference is at the base of the case (above the web) you've already proven that you are smarter than some of the people answering your thread. Don't blow it now.
it came out of there, you can pretty much bet on it going back in.
Once you leave the nice safe world of "will work" you enter the uncharted water of "might work". The stars have aligned against you with a combination of his chamber being bigger than yours, and your die being on the big side. The downside to
Hanging around with "might work" is you expose yourself to his brother "might not". Might Not is a bit of prick.
If you want to stay in the land of "might work" you can buy or borrow a random die that might be a bit smaller and might work. Might cost you money and not work.
If you prefer the friendly land of "Will work " buy some new brass or the small base die.
By colouring the case and finding that the interference is at the base of the case (above the web) you've already proven that you are smarter than some of the people answering your thread. Don't blow it now.
