FL Die Adjustment -- Excessive Headspace?

[richardca99]

Looking at a once-fired Hornady case from my .25-06 Sako, I noticed that there is a small stretch ring about 1/8" forward of the case head, exactly like those I've seen in pictures of brass from rifles with excessive headspace. It doesn't look severe,not sure if I'd know what severe even looked like), but I'm wondering if I should try to adjust my FL sizing die upward a bit to try to correct for headspace.

I played around with the sizing die and this used case by backing the die out a half turn then resizing. The fired case chambered without any problem. Maybe I should have backed it out more.

Here's my real question: I'm about to run a new, unfired batch of Winchester brass through the FL resizing die. Is this upward adjustment of the die even meaningful for new brass, or should I adjust the die to touch the shell holder at full stroke? Is this something I play with once the brass has been fired? Is a stretch ring common with a factory rifle?

 

[rayjay]

You need to come up with a way to measure the distance from the shoulder to the case head. Hornady sells an overpriced kit or if you have access to a lathe you can make a little bushing as in the picture below. Once you have a tool that allows you to precisely measure the shoulder then you can properly adjust the sizing die to bump the shoulder back a thou or 2 [ .001 or .002" ].

Any other method of adjusting a sizing die is asking for trouble.

You could buy a Lee collet die and just neck size.

 

[rstreich]

Is this upward adjustment of the die even meaningful for new brass,...

Absolutely.

... or should I adjust the die to touch the shell holder at full stroke?

Never.

Is this something I play with once the brass has been fired?

No, you need to fix it now.

Is a stretch ring common with a factory rifle?

No.

First, buy yourself a decent tool for checking headspace. The Stoney Point is fine, the RCBS micrometer case gages are kind'a slick, but even just a decent caliper and any kind of bushing that fits on the shoulder will work well.

With new brass, unless it won't chamber, just load it and shoot it. With fired brass, if it will still chamber fine, you can just back your die out a few complete turns so that it doesn't size the side of the case and push the shoulder forward. This is kind of a half-a$$ed neck sizing, but it seems to work okay.

When your bolt gets hard to close, then you can set your die up better. Measure your case like it's shown in the picture rayjay added. Then start turning your sizing die down until you bump the shoulder back about .001" to .002". It will probably get longer as you start to get close. Depending on your chamber and die, the die might can start to squeeze the sides of the case before it hits the shoulder.

 

[tuck2]

Take a look at the Redding ,Competition Shellholder Set) for controling headspace when useing full length dies.

 

[BigJim]

It would be better to take your rifle in and have the head space checked to insure that your bolt isn't the problem.

 

[Aitch]

You need to come up with a way to measure the distance from the shoulder to the case head. Hornady sells an overpriced kit or if you have access to a lathe you can make a little bushing as in the picture below.

I do have a lathe but have never used or seen a headspace gage. Will the enclosed sketch work for a 6.5-284 or should the major diameter be a counterbore?

 

[rayjay]

Here is a pic of the underside of the headspace measuring tool that Harrell's supplies with their sizing die. Notice that the tool has a section that corresponds to the shoulder of the case. The tool needs to be longer than the neck.

IMO headspace is a relative thing when you are trying to create precision reloads. What I am trying to do is accurately resize the case so that it is a precision fit IN MY CHAMBER. Maybe my chamber is SAAMI spec. Maybe not. I could do a cast and find out. I don't shoot factory rounds in my custom rifles so the SAAMI spec is basically irrelevant for me.

I have a couple of the Wilson headspace checkers left over from past rifles that I shot factory ammo in and was making plinking or hunting ammo for. I don't think they do as good a job as the small bushing and a set of calipers.

On the home page there is an article about sizing the cases or sizing dies and it talks about a way to check and see if the die is sizing the body. IRRC the article said to lock your calipers on the measurement of the case just below the shoulder. After sizing the case the calipers should move down the case about 1/3 the way. I will see if I can find this article.

 

[rayjay]

Read this article

http://www.6mmbr.com/6PPC.html