Bad FL die?

[Bogusname]

Has anyone here had a bad FL sizing die?

Runout of fired brass = .001.
Resize it and it's .006-7 runout.
Load a bullet and you don't even need a gauge to see runout.

I set die up to resize shoulder .002 less than a fired case. Never had this situation.

 

[wboggs]

Yes, it happens. Had a .45ACP that was undersized and crushed cases. Factory replaced it but no explanation or apology. Bill

 

[fourpower]

yes I had one! I was trying to find problem and finally watched the case as it went into the die. I could see the brass move at the base in shell holder as it was going into the die and it was also moving on way out! sent the die back and they sent me a new one and did say that the die was bad but that was all they said.

 

[Bogusname]

I tend to blame equipment last. But what else could cause it. Good going in , bad coming out. Thanks for the replies.

 

[memo43]

I had a die that was off center, it was in 223. Just by looking at the opening from the bottom you could clearly see it was of. Contacted the manufacure, they had me send it to them and in return I got a new carbide die, vice the steal one I had originally ppurchased. Unfoutunately to say it does happen but when you get equipment from a good manufacure they tend to stand behind there products. Yup I still dribkbthe blue look aid every now and then.

 

[flatlander]

Had a 223 FL die that I'd purchased way back in '71, and had used to good effect for in excess of 35,000rds before a friend loaned me a concentricity gauge to help diagnose issues I was having at the 600yd line in XC HP matches. Fired cases out of my custom-chambered PacNor & Krieger bbls had well under .001" TIR, but run 'em through this old FL sizer, and they'd come out with .006"-.007" TIR. I pulled the decapper/expander and sized a couple with the same results. Even installed a large 'O' ring under the die's lock ring, but no help.

Finally bought a couple of new FL dies - from different makers - and that fixed it.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Id start by trying a friends die in your press then buying a different brand if its your die thats the problem

 

[JohnKielly]

Might be worthwhile trying a Lee lock ring with the rubber O ring. Some lock rings tend to cock a die in the press.

 

['Freak]

Ought be easy enough to find whether the runout is due to a faulty die, or if the fault is all on the operator. Mark a case according to its orientation in the shellholder, size the case, and mark the case again at the high point of the runout. Now back the die out the press a quarter or half of a turn, orient the case in the shellholder same as before and run it back through the die. If the high point of the runout has followed the orientation of the die within the press, then the die’s manufacturer owes you a new, good die.

 

[Brians356]

Yup I still dribkbthe blue look aid every now and then.

You said a mouthful there, brother. Whew!

 

[Brians356]

Might be worthwhile trying a Lee lock ring with the rubber O ring. Some lock rings tend to cock a die in the press.

Or, just size a case without the ring locked. Let the die float and see if it still buggers the case (resulting shoulder position might be off a couple thou, use a culled case if that's a problem.)

 

[johnfred1965]

I had a 243 die that must have been made with a broken reamer, it had a spiral gouge all the way up inside it. Cases would stick no matter how much lube I used! guess they can't catch everything in quality control.

 

[Bogusname]

I'm lost. 2 dies and same result. Maybe the shell holder?

 

[hogan]

More likely your press than shell holder.
Do you check concentricity for every ctg you load?
Try the before/after for other rounds as well.

Is your seating plate which die lock ring bears against ground level?

Might try a Forster cross-bolted lock ring. Tensions across the threads rather than directly on them keeping die correctly oriented.

Sizing die will benefit from locking the deprime pin while it is engaged through primer pocket. That way, your deprime stem and sizing ball are concentric to flash hole and thus centered. Another tip is to polish your sizing ball with crocus cloth. Chuck your depriming rod in drill and hone with abrassive. Maybe take off .0005" for less grab and smoother transiting back through your brass.

 

[snert]

Or maybe the brass...that stuff that is fire formed molten so it is great coming out of a good chamber and is cold swaged in a die. Likely the brass has internal inconsistencies that get pushed to the neck? Just wondering.

 

[M-61]

It would be nice to know what make press. Also do you load other cartridges with the same or different results? Did this 'just' occur?

 

[Bogusname]

The press is a lee classic cast. Been using it for years. Both of my 6.5x47's are good on this press. Fired cases are a thousandth or less going in die. Same after sizing. First die was a lee fl. Second was a redding comp bushing fl die. I've tried with and without expander ball with the redding die.