getting some "waves" on the shoulder - 6br Lapua brass

[fieldratsniper]

i bought my rcbs dies off ebay. ive got both a NK die and FL die. i thought id try some FL sized rounds (i usually only neck size my other cartridges, then use a body die when chambering becomes too tight for my liking) but im getting waves on the shoulder all the way around the case. if i dont run the brass all the way into the die, the case wont chamber because i think the brass is being pushed to the web area and makes it fatter.

i have always used Hornady One-shot with great success with both NK and FL sizing. but, i have heard of getting wrinkles in the shoulder area if there is lube on it. so, i just put some lube on the body and neck with my fingers...still getting the waves.

should i get another FL die, or go with a body die because my die is junk?

thanks,
Jeremy

oh, by the way, when i shot the rounds with the wrinkled shoulders to blow them out, they shot like crap.

 

[21shooter]

Jeremy, Sounds like to much lube, only the slightest film .

John

 

[RonAKA]

Are the waves in the axial direction of the case, or round and round like circles on the shoulder? If in the axial direction it is probably excess lube. Have you cleaned the lube out of the die, as well as put just the slightest film on the neck and shoulder?

 

[fieldratsniper]

axial. if i spin the case with my fingers on the shoulder i can feel washboard type bumps.

should i not put any lube on the shoulder?

ive never had a problem with FL sizing with hornady one-shot. maybe i didnt let it try enough before running them into the die???

thanks,
Jeremy

 

[mackr]

sniper, there should be a vent hole in the die in the upper portion of it, be sure it's not stopped up with lubricante.
Mack

 

[HolyMeekrob]

If one shot is causing that issue, it sounds to me like mackr is right. However I would say solve it once and for all and switch over to imperial die wax. Since I started using it, resizing is like butter and I haven't had any brass build up on the inside of the die, which was a huge problem with one shot. I've also noticed that even if I do slip and get a little wax on the shoulder, it, for whatever reason, doesn't dent. Awesome stuff, sorry I hadn't used it from the beginning.

 

[Preacher]

No real need to put any type of lube on the shoulder at all..

 

[RonAKA]

axial. if i spin the case with my fingers on the shoulder i can feel washboard type bumps.

Had the same think on a FL die with hunting cartridge. It was too much lube. Clean die out, and poke a fine wire through the vent hole in the die at the shoulder. I just dampen a rag with lube and rub the rag on the neck and body. Kind of hard not to get some on the shoulder, but none is needed there. If you are loading a lot of rounds then it is probably good to stop and clean out the die every so often. The lube from the neck will scrape down to the shoulder.

 

[rogn]

Does this occur on the brass afterfiring or aftersizing. The most logical source if these waves are fine and "radial" is reamer chatter in the chamber or in the die. "Washboard", like only a few 5-8 would be lube denting. I have a 7mmWSM barrel with chatter in the chamber. It does not iron out with sizing and is so shallow that it is of only academic or esthetic import.

 

[fieldratsniper]

thanks guys. ill try cleaning out the die and the vent hole (never noticed they had those). the hornady one-shot has been great so far, but the lube is obviously getting on the shoulder. there is no way to spray the neck and the body only.

maybe ill have to go to imperial.

thanks again,
Jeremy

 

[338Lapua]

Spray a very small amount of your one shot on a lube pad, then roll your brass lightly on the pad, you shouldn’t get any lube on the shoulder this way.

 

[fieldratsniper]

well that's a great idea! ill try that. i normally just put the cases in the loading block and spray them. ill do that when neck sizing, and use the pad for FL sizing.

thanks! i let ya'll know if its the fix...

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

Jeremy bring your dies over I will check them with the bore scope. Also you dont have chatter in your chamber!

 

[HolyMeekrob]

...Wish I had friends with borescopes...

 

[fieldratsniper]

haha. yeah, that never crossed my mind, Leroy ;D. im sure its either dirty dies, (since they were used and i didnt clean them really well) and/or too much lube on the shoulder.

 

[Cameron SS]

I've had this with some of my .300 WSM cases in my RCBS F/L die.

I figured it came from being careless when rolling the dies on the lube pad, squeezing the cases into the pad, getting lube on the shoulders. After once or twice it was no big deal, but due to lube building up inside the die, after about 50 or 60 cases I started to get the waves.

I cleaned out my dies with a Q-tip, and have added that check to the beginning of every session. That and a little bit more care when applying the lube and I haven't had the problem since.

Firing the deformed cases didn't really pose any accuracy problems, excess pressure, or premature case splitting. That said, I tend to stay on the softer side of the loading tables.

I'll let you know after a few more firings...

 

[fieldratsniper]

oh, i dont know why i said they were rcbs dies. they are redding (standard) dies. but i dont think that matters. ill up date after i change my lube application and clean the dies.

 

[sbrabec]

Guys
I've noticed the same thing lately with one of my forster dies. I sent two dies to forster to have them honed to .264 and .265. Both dies worked great until recently, the .265 now leaves "waves". I always clean them with a q-tip after use and only put imperial wax on the case body. I'm going to sent it back to forster to inspect it. When it returns I'll let you know what they find.
Scott

 

[fieldratsniper]

Guys
I've noticed the same thing lately with one of my forster dies. I sent two dies to forster to have them honed to .264 and .265. Both dies worked great until recently, the .265 now leaves "waves". I always clean them with a q-tip after use and only put imperial wax on the case body. I'm going to sent it back to forster to inspect it. When it returns I'll let you know what they find.
Scott

good info. keep me posted.

 

[DickG]

Get the imperial Die wax. Just put tiny bit on your forefinger, roll base of case between thumb and forefinger put nothing on shoulder or neck of case and not even upper part of body.

Royal case & Die lube is excellent also, in either case use tiniest amount . I bought a jar of the Royal and so far have done about 300 cases with what is inside the lid and still have half of the lid left.

Dick