30br dies

[Jayplace]

So how do you fire 3 times without a sizing die? Forgive my stupidity.

I had that same concern not long ago too. I put off doing anything for almost 3 months "Thinking". Once I gave up worrying about it and just did it, it wasn't a problem at all.

Start with 3 pieces of neck turned brass, or as I did using 4 pieces in case one gets damages somehow.

I already had my bullet seating die and had turned the necks. I wasn't concerned about accuracy or anything but firing the cases and breaking in the barrel. What I found was the first firing would be no problem because there was decent neck tension on the first loading from the brass as it was. The next two firings were almost identical as it still had neck tension after each of the next two firings. The neck tension at this point is not really important on these firings anyway. I used a beginning (low) starting load and everything went smoothly. You fire the gun 9 times and you have your brass to send. This was for a 30 BR.

 

[Jayplace]

I would guess he already had a sizing & seater die of some sort.

I had a seating die only.

 

[Jayplace]

So how do you fire 3 times without a sizing die? Forgive my stupidity.

As additional information, I had a seating die made when I had the barrel made, so I did have the seating die. I loaded the first firings at home and the rest were done at the range. The only equipment needed is a depriming method and I had a universal decapping die set up for a small primer and my hand priming tool. I also used my Chargemaster Lite for the powder, but anything that provided reasonably accurate metering will work for this. I hope this helps and isn't to confusing.

 

[jimmymac]

Just to be clear. It was mentioned above that the reason Harrell’s has different size dies for the same caliber is due to manufacturing inconsistencies. That’s not true. They make multiple sizes on purpose so they can accommodate a wide range of chambers.

It’s also not a bad idea to buy an additional die from them one size smaller after Harrell’s sends you the correct die. It sometimes helps as your brass gets long in the tooth and wants to resist sizing.

 

[AlNyhus]

@jimmymac's advice is spot on.

Reamer mfgs work to tolerances and the print is not always what the final size is after the chamber is done. Add to that different styles of chambering and it's actually pretty unusual to have a chamber that's dead nuts to the print. That's the beauty of how the Harrell's do dies.

For a 30BR, you might want to have a conversation with Harrel's about lowering the neck bushing floor so it will size all of the neck length. In testing, it's easy to add a spacer to give a bit of lower unsized neck to test that.

Just sayin'........ -Al

 

[muleystalker]

Just to be clear. It was mentioned above that the reason Harrell’s has different size dies for the same caliber is due to manufacturing inconsistencies. That’s not true. They make multiple sizes on purpose so they can accommodate a wide range of chambers.

It’s also not a bad idea to buy an additional die from them one size smaller after Harrell’s sends you the correct die. It sometimes helps as your brass gets long in the tooth and wants to resist sizing.

Im just going by what Mr. Harrell told me when I talked to him on the phone when I ordered my first die from him. He may have a couple size reamers but he told me some times a given die ends up a little on the small size or on the large size, he said they measure them and sort them into a given size range and then stamp them. It's not a custom die made to order ,like some people state, unless maybe he is out of dies on the shelf. Anyway what really matters is they are great dies and you cant beat them especially for the price. And you're also dealing with great people there.