Case neck okay?

[Dusty Stevens]

If I screw in a 1/2 turn I’m going to crush the jaws of the shell holder.

So when you push the case into the die does it go in all the way except maybe 1/8”? Do you have the normal shellholder conversion plate for the coax? Do you have a regular press you can use?

 

[Gargoyle]

If I screw in a 1/2 turn I’m going to crush the jaws of the shell holder.

Hmm. Here I was gearing up to get a co-ax too. Well, I haven't used one yet, so I don't understand what's going on with the floating holder. Do you have a regular press to try?

 

[MSS]

I have a coax and a Whidden FL bushing die and they work well. Your numbers at the top of neck size seem to be off. My fired necks are .294. I use a .290 bushing. I called Whidden with some questions and they were super friendly and helpful.

 

[Webster]

I lower my ram all the way. I screw the die down as far as I can until it makes contact with the shell holder jaws. I’m using a fresh piece of brass each time I make an adjustment. I’m not reusing the same piece to make adjustments. I will try more lube.
Google search from past forum posts says I need to shave off a small amount from the bottom of the die.

If the neck is only sized half way shaving a few thou off the shell holder won't help. Quit playing with it and call Whidden. the die must have got messed up machining or it's mislabled.

 

[whatsupdoc]

STOP:
1)Remove the expander assembly and clean the RCBS die. leave the expander
out

2)Loosen the Die Locking ring

3)With nothing in the press install the die and adjust the die until it bottoms out
hard on the shellholder plate with the press ram up..

4)Bring the ram back down and turn the die 1/8 to 1/4 turn towards the shell holder.

5)Measure the current case shoulder(datum) length.

6)Lube the case and run it up into the die with the press.

(LEAVE THE PRESS UP FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH THE CASE IN THE DIE)

7)Measure the DATUM, what do you have?

 

[leclairk]

Unfortunately I don’t have a conversion plate and I don’t have another press. After I talk to Whidden I’ll figure out what to do with the press. If Whidden tells me it’s because I don’t have the die down far enough then I’ll talk to Forster. I’m not going to do anything else until I talk to Whidden. Even bigger problem is what do I do with the 100+ pieces I FL sized, mandrel sized, trimmed and chamfered? What a pain in the ass.

 

[1shot]

I have a coax and a Whidden FL bushing die and they work well. Your numbers at the top of neck size seem to be off. My fired necks are .294. I use a .290 bushing. I called Whidden with some questions and they were super friendly and helpful.

This picture is worth a thousand posts. This is what several of us are trying to explain. Thanks, @MSS

 

[leclairk]

I have a coax and a Whidden FL bushing die and they work well. Your numbers at the top of neck size seem to be off. My fired necks are .294. I use a .290 bushing. I called Whidden with some questions and they were super friendly and helpful.

That picture does help. Just like everyone has been saying, there has to be something wrong with the die.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Okay, it’s something to do with the Forster CO-AX press. I took my RCBS die this time and screwed it all the way down until it hits the floating shell holder. I resized a few pieces of brass and my shoulder grew by .001”. I can’t screw the die down any further. It’s my understanding that if your shoulder grows it means your die needs to be screwed in more. Correct?

Normally a case will grow about .001 just before the shoulder is bumped back. Reason being, the sides of the case are being squeezed and forcing shoulder forward. I know im getting close at that point And continue turning the die in a small amount to get my shoulder back .0015.

 

[Tesoro]

While you are at it get rid of that nasty goo, clean your die and pick up a can of imperial case lube!

 

[Mike Lum]

While you are at it get rid of that nasty goo, clean your die and pick up a can of imperial case lube!

Here's an interesting tidbit I found just last week.
Usually I use the imperial case sizing wax, but I ran out and the shop was closed over the holiday so I tried an old tin of Hornady One-Shot.

I was part way though full sizing a batch of 22-250, annealed of course.
I had my shoulder bump dialed in at 0.002 bump, using a forster bench rest seating die (pin and ball removed), measurements were true and repeatably correct.

Tried that Hornady One Shot and, was amazed to find that the shoulder bump was 0.004 with no other changes to the process.. the stuff was definitely a lot "slicker", resulting in less "pull back" on the cartridge on the upstroke of the press.

Definitely an eye opener as to how case lube affects the resizing process. Even with the same application simply using a different brand will make a difference.

Going to run a few batches with the One Shot and adjusted dies, and see if I can get the same consistency as the imperial. The numbers suggest that there is less work hardening going on with the one shot.

 

[Gargoyle]

Here's an interesting tidbit I found just last week.
Usually I use the imperial case sizing wax, but I ran out and the shop was closed over the holiday so I tried an old tin of Hornady One-Shot.

I was part way though full sizing a batch of 22-250, annealed of course.
I had my shoulder bump dialed in at 0.002 bump, using a forster bench rest seating die (pin and ball removed), measurements were true and repeatably correct.

Tried that Hornady One Shot and, was amazed to find that the shoulder bump was 0.004 with no other changes to the process.. the stuff was definitely a lot "slicker", resulting in less "pull back" on the cartridge on the upstroke of the press.

Definitely an eye opener as to how case lube affects the resizing process. Even with the same application simply using a different brand will make a difference.

Going to run a few batches with the One Shot and adjusted dies, and see if I can get the same consistency as the imperial. The numbers suggest that there is less work hardening going on with the one shot.

I have found the same to be true. Even with the same lube, but more applied inside the case neck. Light lube I had to size 3 daggum times to get the shoulder to bump. Heavy lube in the neck and I went too far with the bump.

 

[leclairk]

The advantage of the One Shot for me is that I don’t have to clean it off. I decap, wet tumble, then size. I don’t want to have to clean again to get the wax off.

 

[Gargoyle]

The advantage of the One Shot for me is that I don’t have to clean it off. I decap, wet tumble, then size. I don’t want to have to clean again to get the wax off.

If you don't think you have to clean that One shot lube off the cases then you aren't using enough! One must clean that lube off too! 15yrs of using One Shot and never have I not had to wipe them.

 

[WVRJ]

There's got to be something wrong with the OP's Whidden die.It's probably a 260 Rem. die that got mis-stamped as a 6.5 Creedmoor or something like that.It's only sizing half the neck,so there's no way it can be screwed down that much.But if it's bumping the shoulder back .002,then it couldn't be a 260 Rem die.An RCBS FL die doesn't work either?Strange indeed.Waiting for the exciting conclusion to this one.

 

[leclairk]

Communication with Whidden has been very smooth via email and phone calls. So far it’s sounding like a problem with the die. I also reload 300PRC with a Whidden FL die and have not had this problem which really makes me think it’s something with this die. Will keep you posted.

 

[Gargoyle]

Communication with Whidden has been very smooth via email and phone calls. So far it’s sounding like a problem with the die. I also reload 300PRC with a Whidden FL die and have not had this problem which really makes me think it’s something with this die. Will keep you posted.

Get this fixed so you can load for that Kimber 84 Alpine!

 

[leclairk]

Get this fixed so you can load for that Kimber 84 Alpine!

That’s so funny you saw that! I’m excited. It’s a .308 and as much trouble as reloading has been for me I may just stick to factory ammo! I hope it’s a shooter.

 

[DShortt]

That’s so funny you saw that! I’m excited. It’s a .308 and as much trouble as reloading has been for me I may just stick to factory ammo! I hope it’s a shooter.

There's a learning curve with reloading and if you've not been down that road all the way yet then trying to do so under a time constraint is going to make it a much rougher road.
I've a friend who shoots PRS who decided the time he spent reloading was better spent practicing, so a lot depends on what you're trying to accomplish also.

 

[Gargoyle]

That’s so funny you saw that! I’m excited. It’s a .308 and as much trouble as reloading has been for me I may just stick to factory ammo! I hope it’s a shooter.

You are so lucky I am getting into FTR, or I would have snatched that baby! Good job!