I keep having to adjust My body or FL dies

[nfngun]

OK why do I keep having to adjust my shoulder Die.

I've come up with 3 theories

1. The hornady lock n load bushings are just plan sloppy for sizing, I can see the die rise up, the fit is either bad or could the bushings be stretching when I body or FL size brass.

2. The cam points on the rock chucker are wearing out over time and I have to adjust the die to take up the slack.

3. Or is the brass just getting work hardened and needs annealing?

A combination of the above.

 

[bheadboy]

I sold my l-n-l for that very reason, very sloppy, even if you tighten every thing to the limit, was not consistent went back to my RCBS ammo master which is very consistent. I think the bushings are the problem.

Bob

 

[LHSmith]

I sold my l-n-l for that very reason, very sloppy, even if you tighten every thing to the limit, was not consistent went back to my RCBS ammo master which is very consistent. I think the bushings are the problem.

Bob

^^^What Bob said. There have been a number of posts about this problem caused by LNL bushings.

 

[savagedasher]

^^^What Bob said. There have been a number of posts about this problem caused by LNL bushings.

I would chose mumber 3 and good lube .
Larry

 

[LHSmith]

I would chose mumber 3 and good lube .
Larry

Well, Monte put me down for door mumber 1, and a trash can

 

[ireload2]

Variations in speed of the sizing stroke, the amount of lube and dwell time at the top of the stroke can cause about .002 variation.
Try stroking the ram and letting brass dwell 3 seconds at the top of the stroke, lower the ram slightly, spin the case 120 degrees, size again etc then size the 3rd time with the dwell etc. Kind of involved but it gives the brass time to creep to a consistent location.
If you don't believe it, try it on 100 cases and measure each and everyone with a bump gauge as you remove it from the press. You will eventually notice variations in your technique that translate into variations in shoulder location. However you can always over come these variations with adequate lube and sizing the case slowly. Don't be in hurry to change the die settings. You will find another pass will push shoulder back a little more until the brass can't move any more.

This is not to say that some of the bushings are not adding to the problem. I have no experience with them. The lightest press that I use for FL sizing is one of the original shorter Rockchuckers.
I also set my FL die lock rings and then lock the die in the press. I also do not use any rubber O ring die lock rings on a FL die that I try to hold every case to the same shoulder location.

There is not any magic in this but sometimes the small details can be overlooked if you are not looking for the source of the variation with a measuring instrument.

OK why do I keep having to adjust my shoulder Die.

I've come up with 3 theories

1. The hornady lock n load bushings are just plan sloppy for sizing, I can see the die rise up, the fit is either bad or could the bushings be stretching when I body or FL size brass.

2. The cam points on the rock chucker are wearing out over time and I have to adjust the die to take up the slack.

3. Or is the brass just getting work hardened and needs annealing?

A combination of the above.

 

[Mark W]

When I had this problem it had a lot to do with inconsistent lube on the cases.

 

[243winxb]

Bushings need Hornady shims . Call Hornady. Plus the shell holder must contact the botton of the die. Redding competition shell holder set.

 

[XBBR Shooter]

OK why do I keep having to adjust my shoulder Die.

3. Or is the brass just getting work hardened and needs annealing?

A combination of the above.

If you are not sure if your brass needs annealing...

... it needs annealing !!

 

[BoydAllen]

As cases harden, FL and body die settings must be adjusted. I ran into this the first time that I shot a two day short range group match. Sunday afternoon I could not understand why my bolt close had gotten so stiff. I was working with a set of 20 or less cases, loading between matches. Because I work with batches of brass that have different amounts of work hardening, and the setting for well used brass will bump new brass too far, I reset my die at the beginning of every session. From relatively new, to well used, the difference in bump setting is as much as .0025. This is why I shoot my brass in rotation within a given batch, so that each case becomes work hardened like the others in the set.

 

[scott_at_vortex]

I use the LNL bushings in a rcbs rock chucker. The only time I have seen inconsistent shoulder bump is when my brass needs annealing, when my lube is inconsistent, or if I am inconsistent with my lever pull speed.

 

[brantfredrickson]

I anneal before I size and I've sat there with my shoulder fixture on my calibers and looked for a solution to inconsistent cartridge base to shoulder (CBTS) measurements. I've noticed a harder upstroke on those that are long. It suggests I'm stretching them on the upstroke. I have a hard time believing this.

+1 on turning the brass 120 degrees and sizing a second time. Less upstroke pressure and brass is sized more consistently. If there all within a couple of thousands I'm happy.

 

[nfngun]

Thank you all for confirming and offering other possibilities.

 

[basshusker]

Just bought a forster co-ax because of this.

 

[Shaggy357]

If you are not using the same bushing on the dies every time, this is your answer. I have some of my full length sizing dies set for the Rockchucker. They don't need to change. My neck and bushing dies are used on my Dillon presses. They are set in their own tool head and never leave it. I don't have to readjust my dies once set to my gun/chamber. Invest in enough bushings to retain each set of your dies within their own bushing, or go thru the motions each time, or get a different press.

My nickel's worth.....

Steve

 

[BoydAllen]

When I load for my bench rifles, my shoulders are bumped back .001 or less from the dimension of a tight case. From talking to a number of shooters I have learned that many bump from once fired, which leaves more clearance than from a tight case. Also, most shooters run much larger sets of cases than the 15-20 that are common to benchrest competition. If cases are bumped very little from the dimension of a tight case, one that has stretched to the maximum that a particular chamber allow, and the loads being used require FL sizing ever time to maintain smooth chambering, the effect of cumulative work hardening will require that dies be reset. With more cases being used, so that each one sees fewer firings, and die settings that bump to a dimension that is farther from the maximum, this may not be the case. As for neck dies, they do not bump shoulders. No one that I know of loads for benchrest competition with a Dillon.

 

[savagedasher]

I size my brass every time I load it . The only time I have to change is after it has work harden . Larry

 

[Zero333]

I size my brass every time I load it . The only time I have to change is after it has work harden . Larry

I'm on the same boat.

The 300winmag F.C. brass I use shows work hardening every 1 or 2 reloads requiring me to adjust the sizing die farther down, and have to anneal it every 3 reloads. Winchester brass is much more forgiving. Lapua brass is between the 2.

 

[savagedasher]

I'm on the same boat.

The 300winmag F.C. brass I use shows work hardening every 1 or 2 reloads requiring me to adjust the sizing die farther down, and have to anneal it every 3 reloads. Winchester brass is much more forgiving. Lapua brass is between the 2.

That's how I find it .Larry

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Hornady makes a few good products that I use, like their bullet comparators and such. But you couldnt pay me to use another set of their dies ever again. Junk

Annealing your brass regularly will always help maintain consistent headspacing and neck tension no matter which dies you use.