How do I fix this screw up?

[Sniper338]

I know what I did wrong, but didn't figure it out until after I sized 100 cases...

I got a new 22-250AI barrel in... Long story short, I used too small of a bushing .250 and need to get a .252 bushing...

I went back and used the expander in my 22-250AI die, BUT the necks are still too tight to seat a bullet.

What can I do to open up the necks of these cases just a hair more to be able to seat bullets? I have never made this mistake before this bad..

Does redding sell expander balls of different sized where I can get like a .252 expander ball?

 

[Travelor]

This will do the expanding. http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/case-neck-expanding-tools/expand-iron_complete.html

Order it with a expanding iron larger than you want and the neck the case down to the size you want. They make excellent products!!

 

[TRG300WM]

iv put a bullet in my hornady bullet puller and threaded it into my press, and used a bullet to expand the necks. the only other way is to use a 6mm expander mandrel as used for neck turning.

 

[Barlow]

iv put a bullet in my hornady bullet puller and threaded it into my press, and used a bullet to expand the necks. the only other way is to use a 6mm expander mandrel as used for neck turning.

Now that's a good idea. Barlow

 

[Sniper338]

iv put a bullet in my hornady bullet puller and threaded it into my press, and used a bullet to expand the necks. the only other way is to use a 6mm expander mandrel as used for neck turning.

Couldnt get that to work.. too big still..

 

[Patch700]

iv put a bullet in my hornady bullet puller and threaded it into my press, and used a bullet to expand the necks. the only other way is to use a 6mm expander mandrel as used for neck turning.

Couldnt get that to work.. too big still..

....the bullet gets put in the puller upside down so as to use the ogive as an entry point and not the base.. If that doesnt work something is awry..

 

[expiper]

OP,,,it should not matter how small you sized the neck (you say only .002" toooo tite) if you run the expander thru them you should be able to seat a bullet of the right dia...???...take some more measurements (even measure the bullets,,,) guys make some dumb mistakes(me too),,,Roger

 

[Sniper338]

I used the expander in the die, brass springs back too tight still..

 

[jlow]

Try pushing the expander in 3-4 times, it will expand more. The bullet is also a great idea that you should try.

If all fails, you might consider annealing the neck, sounds like it may be a bit work harden and so a lot of spring back.

 

[Sniper338]

Yes i probably should anneal, i agree... i was going to wait for one more firing, but then this happened... i ordered a case neck expander die that comes with mandrels from sinclairs to expand the necks... see if that helps fix it enough to fire form again so i can use a bigger bushing... or ill use the 6mm mandrel and then neck them back down if i have to...

 

[jlow]

About the only way I have found to “fix” this is to use a larger mandrel.

You have to rethink your numbers OP. Doing the math for you, if you originally used a .250 bushing, assuming you have 15 thousands neck, a .224” diameter bullet, you are putting in 4 thousands neck tension and your neck ID would be .220”. I doubt very much you want to use a .252 expander ball – that would open it up way too much. An ideal size would be something like .222” which gives your .224” bullet something like 2 thousands neck tension. This is why using a bullet as an expander which should be .224” in diameter should fix your problem since even with 2 thousands spring back, you will end up with 2 thousand neck tension.

 

[rocketron]

Yes i probably should anneal, i agree... i was going to wait for one more firing, but then this happened... i ordered a case neck expander die that comes with mandrels from sinclairs to expand the necks... see if that helps fix it enough to fire form again so i can use a bigger bushing... or ill use the 6mm mandrel and then neck them back down if i have to...

if you use a 6mm mandrel make sure you can size to the neck shoulder junction. they may not chamber because the unsized portion is to large of a neck dia

 

[balbee]

Find someone with a lathe and make the expander mandrel the size you need. Shouldn't have to use a 6 mm mandrel to make it work. Put a slight bevel on the inside of the case neck also helps.

 

[ROCKJAG4]

try fireform 2 0r 3 cases with cream o wheat & see if that helps. then use the proper bushing.

 

[fguffey]

I got a new 22-250AI barrel in...

If I installed a new barrel when developing loads for that barrel I would start with new cases. I have purchased thousands of new/unfired cases that will not fit one of my chambers. For me? there is nothing like starting with new/unfired cases.

F. Guffey