Your bullet seater crimps at the same time. If you have your die screwed down too low, it'll over crimp and buckle the case. This can be really tricky/aggravating if your case lengths are all over the place. Adjust according to your die instructions.
Resizing Problem
- Thread starter ccwcanada
- Start date
Your bullet seater crimps at the same time. If you have your die screwed down too low, it'll over crimp and buckle the case. This can be really tricky/aggravating if your case lengths are all over the place. Adjust according to your die instructions.
This Hornady One-Shot Case lube seems to suck big time. It dries very quickly and if you don't get the case into the sizer immediately after spraying, it will chatter. The instructions on the bottle says to spray a batch of brass and wait one minute before sizing, but brass immediately gets stuck as soon as contact is made inside the die if it goes in dry.
I can only get it to work with any brass if it goes in freshly individually sprayed.
The brass was tumbled but dirty residue seems to build up inside the die very quickly. I am wiping each brass before lubing and sizing, and still get very tough pulls of the lever and dirty brass on exit. In fact, just now I wiped, lubed, and sized a case, and on the down stroke it got stuck and the shell holder stripped off the case base ring...and now the case is stuck.
Very strange this...
Is it possible that I set the sizing die too deep? Hence the crushing strength required to resize?
I set the sizing die to touch the case in the fully cammed-over position, on a cleaned but spent case.
I've read some people say to set it at this position, others say to set it at the high-stroke (not cammed over) position.
But this later position didn't make sense, because then whenever you put in a new case, it too will just touch but not actually resize. Of course, resizing the mouth is very important because the bullets just slip right through the mouth.
So therefore I went with the fully cammed-over position.
Perhaps I should use the calipers to figure out which die depth gives the closest neck size to specs?
I don't see how any resizing is actually being done if the brass just comes up to touch the die, as happens when you set the die to touch the case at the high-stroke position.
What's the correct method here?
I set the sizing die to touch the case in the fully cammed-over position, on a cleaned but spent case.
I've read some people say to set it at this position, others say to set it at the high-stroke (not cammed over) position.
But this later position didn't make sense, because then whenever you put in a new case, it too will just touch but not actually resize. Of course, resizing the mouth is very important because the bullets just slip right through the mouth.
So therefore I went with the fully cammed-over position.
Perhaps I should use the calipers to figure out which die depth gives the closest neck size to specs?
I don't see how any resizing is actually being done if the brass just comes up to touch the die, as happens when you set the die to touch the case at the high-stroke position.
What's the correct method here?
Check the instructions that came with your die, but most should kiss the shellholder in order to fully size the case. It shouldn't be possible to over-resize the case.
Next time you're at a gun shop, pick up a few different lubes. Maybe yours was from a bad batch. I don't have a fish scale handy to check actual weight being pulled, but sizing a .223 casing in a lee classic cast turret with a smidge of lee resizing lube can be done comfortably pushing down with my thumb only. Also tested resizing a 5.56X45 case, no discernible difference in effort.
With correct lubrication, you should have no issues resizing.
Next time you're at a gun shop, pick up a few different lubes. Maybe yours was from a bad batch. I don't have a fish scale handy to check actual weight being pulled, but sizing a .223 casing in a lee classic cast turret with a smidge of lee resizing lube can be done comfortably pushing down with my thumb only. Also tested resizing a 5.56X45 case, no discernible difference in effort.
With correct lubrication, you should have no issues resizing.
Hope ya get that stuck case out....was bound to happen.
In my opinion:
-Get some other lube. Imperial Sizing Die Wax and that RCBS stuff (in the little pump bottle that always plugs up) has been the best in my experience. I've tried that Hornady stuff and didn't like it.
-Clean out your die, spray it out with brakefleen or whatever and twist a paper towel up in there (with the seater stem pulled out) to make sure its clean.
-If your brass is tumbled and clean on the outside, lube it all the way down to the web.
-Set your die according to the instructions, but it should kiss, or almost, the shellholder at the top of the stroke when properly set.
If you still feel undo resistance, look carefully at the brass and see where the hardest contact with the dies is, it should be evident if ya look careful, and it won't be the neck. I suspect you may have a set of small-base dies?
Let us know, we WILL get it fixed......
In my opinion:
-Get some other lube. Imperial Sizing Die Wax and that RCBS stuff (in the little pump bottle that always plugs up) has been the best in my experience. I've tried that Hornady stuff and didn't like it.
-Clean out your die, spray it out with brakefleen or whatever and twist a paper towel up in there (with the seater stem pulled out) to make sure its clean.
-If your brass is tumbled and clean on the outside, lube it all the way down to the web.
-Set your die according to the instructions, but it should kiss, or almost, the shellholder at the top of the stroke when properly set.
If you still feel undo resistance, look carefully at the brass and see where the hardest contact with the dies is, it should be evident if ya look careful, and it won't be the neck. I suspect you may have a set of small-base dies?
Let us know, we WILL get it fixed......
Capt. Canada............... :=O
The other problem is you could have a LARGER than normal chamber. Why I say that is my Dad has a Midland .243 Win. When I go to resize the fired brass that has been fired in that rifle, I almost have to stand on the handle of my OLD RCBS Junior press to make the cases fit into the die. At first I thought it may have been the RCBS dies that came with the rifle. I bought new ones. Same issue. I just came to the conclusion that the chamber is larger in the web area and the brass is expanding that much more. The rifle shoots well and is pretty accurate for a Mauser type action but we live with what we have.
the drawback is it almost makes reloading for this rifle a waste because the brass is done in short order from being worked so much.
CBY
The other problem is you could have a LARGER than normal chamber. Why I say that is my Dad has a Midland .243 Win. When I go to resize the fired brass that has been fired in that rifle, I almost have to stand on the handle of my OLD RCBS Junior press to make the cases fit into the die. At first I thought it may have been the RCBS dies that came with the rifle. I bought new ones. Same issue. I just came to the conclusion that the chamber is larger in the web area and the brass is expanding that much more. The rifle shoots well and is pretty accurate for a Mauser type action but we live with what we have.
the drawback is it almost makes reloading for this rifle a waste because the brass is done in short order from being worked so much.
CBY
Checking the dimensions on fired brass from my gun, the measurements are always a few thousands of an inch LESS than the specs listed in the reloading manual for .223 at the base width, dead on or barely over at the shoulder (1 thou), and always over by about 4 thousands of an inch at the mouth.
So the only part of the case that's over size according to spec is the case mouth, and I suspect this is quite normal for fired brass!
Do other reloaders have this result too? That a fresh bullet will slip through the case mouth before resizing?
Could the case mouth really give me that much resistance? Maybe this is similar to cycbb486's experience with his .243.
I will grab a different lube to start with. I had that last case soaked when it went in, and it still got stuck! Not getting the brass out of the die, and I kinda broke the decap spindle screwing with it, so I'll have to buy a new die, or send to Hornady...likely quicker and easier just to buy a new one.
Anyone else have case dimensions from their fired brass that they know resizes easy?
Base width (above the collar) is listed at 0.376".
Shoulder width (just before the angle down to the neck) is 0.354".
Neck width (from end of shoulder out to mouth) is straight at 0.253".
A typical measurement from my brass is:
0.374"
0.357"
0.259".
But as someone said above, these tolerances should be nothing to worry about, and it's likely useless to worry about it this much. Brass is so soft, if I just lightly push the wheel on the caliper, I can change those numbers easily by 1/100 of an inch or more, way more than the few thousands of an inch I think I'm measuring. Likely too much thought into it at this point? I'll grab another lube (and a new die..eeek!)
So the only part of the case that's over size according to spec is the case mouth, and I suspect this is quite normal for fired brass!
Do other reloaders have this result too? That a fresh bullet will slip through the case mouth before resizing?
Could the case mouth really give me that much resistance? Maybe this is similar to cycbb486's experience with his .243.
I will grab a different lube to start with. I had that last case soaked when it went in, and it still got stuck! Not getting the brass out of the die, and I kinda broke the decap spindle screwing with it, so I'll have to buy a new die, or send to Hornady...likely quicker and easier just to buy a new one.
Anyone else have case dimensions from their fired brass that they know resizes easy?
Base width (above the collar) is listed at 0.376".
Shoulder width (just before the angle down to the neck) is 0.354".
Neck width (from end of shoulder out to mouth) is straight at 0.253".
A typical measurement from my brass is:
0.374"
0.357"
0.259".
But as someone said above, these tolerances should be nothing to worry about, and it's likely useless to worry about it this much. Brass is so soft, if I just lightly push the wheel on the caliper, I can change those numbers easily by 1/100 of an inch or more, way more than the few thousands of an inch I think I'm measuring. Likely too much thought into it at this point? I'll grab another lube (and a new die..eeek!)
Your fired case dimensions are good, and not as large as a couple of hunting guns I have. Further I size down 7mm brass to 6.5mm with no issues either.
I suspect it is either your lube, or you have a bad die. I seriously would try STP for lube. One can is a lifetime sizing lube supply. I just wipe it on with a rag. Be careful not to get too much on - just a thin uniform film.
If you have to buy a new die, I would consider Lee instead of Hornady. Quality just as good or better, and lower price.
I suspect it is either your lube, or you have a bad die. I seriously would try STP for lube. One can is a lifetime sizing lube supply. I just wipe it on with a rag. Be careful not to get too much on - just a thin uniform film.
If you have to buy a new die, I would consider Lee instead of Hornady. Quality just as good or better, and lower price.
My experience has been the opposite of this. But I put all my cases in a 100 count case holder, spray the bodies from one side, turn the holder and spray from the other side, then dust the inside of the necks from the top. Following that regimen, I've not had a problem. Use a lot of lube though (but not enough to buckle cases). FWIW - dan
justsomeguy
Regular
- Location
- Calgary-ish
What type of primer hole do you have, boxer or berdan....take a light and look down the brass, 2 holes or 1?
OK so I got another Hornady Die, set it to the proper depth (touching shell holder at maximum stroke height), used brake degreaser to clean all the parts, put 100rds of brass into the brass holder tray, lubed them with the OneShot Case Lube as per instructions (douse them all good, then wait one minute), and:
I've resized 240 AE brass in the last 2 hours!
I think it was a combination of not properly lubing, and the previous die may have been set too deep. The lube thing still seems sensitive, because the odd time I need to re-lube a case individually before it will smoothly go in the die...likely gets blocked by all the other brass in the tray even though I try to spray on the lube from all angles.
I also got RCBS case lube to use with the pad, but found it messier. I'll try it proper though soon because the OneShot is almost empty.
Thanks all for the help.
I've resized 240 AE brass in the last 2 hours!
I think it was a combination of not properly lubing, and the previous die may have been set too deep. The lube thing still seems sensitive, because the odd time I need to re-lube a case individually before it will smoothly go in the die...likely gets blocked by all the other brass in the tray even though I try to spray on the lube from all angles.
I also got RCBS case lube to use with the pad, but found it messier. I'll try it proper though soon because the OneShot is almost empty.
Thanks all for the help.
