Problem with 762 IVI Brass

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Brownjoe

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Hello all

I recently purchased some 7.62 once fired IVI brass from a dealer on here and am having a problem.

I full length resized a bunch of the brass then tried to chamber a few (as I have never used IVI before).

In my AIA No4 Mk IV the brass will only go about 2/3 of the way in the chamber then gets stuck. In my M14 it fits a little better, but about every 2nd or 3rd brass gets stuck about 9/10 of the way in. Also I have a hell of a time getting it back out of the M14. I have only tried about 5 brass in each rifle as I don't want to damage them.

At first I thought there was something wrong with my sizing die so I full length resized some winchester 308 and federal 308 I had, and they both chamber smoothly in both rifles.

I should also mention that the brass was already deprimed when I got it.

Is there some trick to sizing IVI brass? or some problem I am over looking?

I did a search of the fourm, but couldn't find an answer to this.

Thanks in advance for any feed back.
 
The IVI brass is likely thicker and harder than the commercial brass you have been using. It was also likely fired in a machinegun. A different Fl die might make quite a difference.
 
tiriaq said:
The IVI brass is likely thicker and harder than the commercial brass you have been using. It was also likely fired in a machinegun. A different Fl die might make quite a difference.
Click to expand...

This is true... if the sizing die worked for commercial brass "just fine" as the OP said, then maybe switching to a "small base" die (RCBS makes them as a standard item) may help.

The thicker, harder brass may have some "springback" that commercial stuff does not. I've never had the problem with IVI or LC brass, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen...

I'd see if you know someone with a small base die, or just go out and buy a small base sizer and give it a shot.

-M
 
Brownjoe said:
thanks for the quick reply...........what die do people suggest for resizing IVI? I am currently using RCBS
Click to expand...

Find "Small Base" dies, they are designed to reduce the base of the cartridge to the factory original size. This is especially important with cases which have been or are intended to be fired in actions with (comparetively) weak primary extraction (straight pull, lever and semi-auto) actions.

Usually you wouldn't notice it in a bolt action, as closing the bolt cams the cartridge deeper into the chamber...
 
I use a normal RCBS die to resize my Lake City, and I can definitely tell which ones were shot out of MGs with loose chambers... most of it is MG brass in 7.62 nowadays - you get the odd bolt-fired round which resizes just as smoooooooth as you please, but for the most part it's from the FN machineguns I think.

At any rate, I haven't had any problems with stickiness - but if you get an RCBS small base die (it will say "small base sizing die" on the sticker) then that might help you out.

Wholesale Sports carries them for .223 and .308 in Edmonton - I don't know about your location, but check around.

-M
 
I have used normal RCBS and Lee .308 dies to resize lots of surplus 1x fired 7.62x51brass. Some of it was much harder to resize, and I assume it was fired in a belt fed gun. (Seller swore all 1000 were shot out of a match .308 lol). Some people swear by small base dies for this problem and use in semi auto guns, some people say they aren't needed. I have yet to need or use anything other than normal Full length sizers for these types of rifles and brass. I have also heard a die not setting the shoulder back enough can be a problem and this is solved by a new die, or machining some of the bottom of the die off, so the ram can go higher, pushing the shell a little further into the die.
 
hk33ka1 said:
snip...I have also heard a die not setting the shoulder back enough can be a problem and this is solved by a new die, or machining some of the bottom of the die off, so the ram can go higher, pushing the shell a little further into the die.
Click to expand...

The potential problem then would be that the die would resize the shoulder which the cartridge headspaces on too much.

I certainly would not recommend doing that on a rimless cartridge...
 
I have also heard a die not setting the shoulder back enough can be a problem and this is solved by a new die, or machining some of the bottom of the die off, so the ram can go higher, pushing the shell a little further into the die.
Click to expand...

Old reloaders trick.

Check the height of the shell holder. I have seen large differences between RCBS, Lee, Lyman ect. in the past.

Try FL resizing them twice or try another die set.

You can get into trouble real quick using small base dies and military brass.
Make sure you have a stuck case remover.
 
Thanks to everyone that commented. I got a small base die this weekend and now the IVI brass works perfectly in both of my rifles.

Cheers
 
Nice to see the OP's problem solved.

If you don't have an SB (small base) die on hand but you have more than one .308 F/L dies, you might want to try each of them in turn. One of them might size the base small enough for it to chamber freely in your rifle (this worked for me).
 
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