Newb question -- resized cases won't chamber?

[6MMsteve]

I never start or set my dies to touch the shell holder I always hold them off .020 with a feeler gauge then I go from there

 

[LHSmith]

Are you running the press handle to the bottom of it's stroke? Lubing cases?

Well unless you add a 10' extension on the handle -you ain't gonna hit the bottom of the stroke----the s/h is tight to the die bottom and no place to go-steel on steel- the ram simply cannot hit the top of the stroke.

 

[K22]

Trimmer caused the rim damage?

Lyman trimmers with the "claws" hold the rim will sometimes shave the inside of the rim if the collet is too large or if the case neck was sized before trimming causing the case to spin while trimming. It's one of many reasons I switched many years ago to a Wilson Trimmer that has no collets or restraints on the rim.

However, this does not appear to be a trimmer issue since the rim damage in isolated to specific area of the case. The sizing could be causing a bad interaction with the extractor.

 

[LHSmith]

Lyman trimmers with the "claws" hold the rim will sometimes shave the inside of the rim if the collet is too large or if the case neck was sized before trimming causing the case to spin while trimming. It's one of many reasons I switched many years ago to a Wilson Trimmer that has no collets or restraints on the rim.

However, this does not appear to be a trimmer issue since the rim damage in isolated to specific area of the case. The sizing could be causing a bad interaction with the extractor.

But the way he set up the die initially- there could not have been ANY sizing done to the case at all.

 

[K22]

Turning the FL die further into the press beyond ~ 1/4 turn or less will not size the case. I just ran a fired .308 case and did the same as the OP- the headspace dimension did not change. The ring on the neck and chewed up rim is hard to explain.

I often obtain a .001 - .002 bump with the FL die turned down a 1/8 turn. I think it depends on the case, rifle, die and press. The only way to know for sure is to measure the bump.

Also, as long as you are not extruding (lengthening) the case which is often avoided with most presses by the shell holder in firm contact with the ram (no cam over), while the case in not bumped, it still should chamber without issue.

 

[K22]

But the way he set up the die initially- there could not have been ANY sizing done to the case at all.

I should have said the "sizing process", something perhaps with the shell holder. Whatever it is, it ain't right, that rim should not be chewed up like that.

 

[japhar81]

I just looked at your picture before my post. Look at the rim. I suspect your extractor is the issue. See my prior post.

I'm concerned about the neck. Can't figure that one out but perhaps you caused a fatigue in the neck due to very excessive sizing.

That was my stupid RCBS trimmer jaws.. I've replaced it with a better trimmer

 

[japhar81]

Trimmer caused the rim damage?

yep, replaced it with a lyman

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

1. First NO NEED to move the shoulder at all on fired brass that chambers correctly, only going to bump fired brass that is tight closing the stripped bolt.
2. Follow the die manufacturers instructions, adjust the die without the depriming assembly if possible, use their correct shell holder.
3. Make sure if/when you use the deprimer/expander that it is positioned correctly,needs to enter and exit without interfering with the neck sizing.
4.Test fit sized brass without the firing pin.

 

[spudgun]

Had the same issue with my 6.5 CM. Round would chamber but was not able to close the bolt handle.

I checked my fired brass to see if it would chamber and it did. Only after I resized the brass did I have a issue. Also had some brass that I resized about 2 months ago and they worked fine also.

Problem had to be the shoulder needed to be bumped, but my die and shell holder were set correctly to cam over on the sizing. Could not get the shell holder up and further to bump the shoulders.

Then I realized that I had 2, RCBS shell holders and that I did take off the one I had been using for a year. So I measured the thickness of each shell holder and found that there was .002" difference between them. Swapped out the thick one for the thinner one and all issues went away. I then sanded .002:" off the thick one and now good to go.

Of course I had to resize about 30 brass with the right shell holder but I did save the primers.

 

[KMart]

A lot of things don't look right.
Do you have another fired case that was fired in your rifle? If you do, try to chamber the fired case in your rifle and see if the bolt will close. If you bolt will close you are certainly are creating a problem trying to resize the case.

In the picture, I don't see any small markings on the case wall, indicating that it has been through a sizing die.
This makes me think that you are trying to size the case using a seating die. That ring on the neck is caused by the case going in past the crimp section of the seater die

 

[DShortt]

A lot of things don't look right.
Do you have another fired case that was fired in your rifle? If you do, try to chamber the fired case in your rifle and see if the bolt will close. If you bolt will close you are certainly are creating a problem trying to resize the case.

In the picture, I don't see any small markings on the case wall, indicating that it has been through a sizing die.
This makes me think that you are trying to size the case using a seating die. That ring on the neck is caused by the case going in past the crimp section of the seater die

The photo didn't make any sense to me until pointed this out.
To the OP - are you in fact using the sizing die?

 

[Bill Norris]

A lot of things don't look right.
Do you have another fired case that was fired in your rifle? If you do, try to chamber the fired case in your rifle and see if the bolt will close. If you bolt will close you are certainly are creating a problem trying to resize the case.

In the picture, I don't see any small markings on the case wall, indicating that it has been through a sizing die.
This makes me think that you are trying to size the case using a seating die. That ring on the neck is caused by the case going in past the crimp section of the seater die

That thought crossed my mind earlier but I figured he must "know" which die he was using.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

You guys have done some good Sherlock Holmes’s if this is the case.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

CCSI = Case Crime Scene Investigation

 

[KMart]

You guys have done some good Sherlock Holmes’s if this is the case.

Another reason why. How many times have you turned down a sizing die down to the shell holder and then be able to turn the die in 2 full turns and still get the press handle all the way down?
I think the Hornady seater has a sliding chamber like a Forster. If the chamber just touches the shell holder you can easily get 2 or 3 more full turns on the die and the press handle all the way down

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Another reason why. How many times have you turned down a sizing die down to the shell holder and then be able to turn the die in 2 full turns and still get the press handle all the way down?
I think the Hornady seater has a sliding chamber like a Forster. If the chamber just touches the shell holder you can easily get 2 or 3 more full turns on the die and the press handle all the way down

I looked it up and the Hornady seat dies do have the crimp feature.

 

[LHSmith]

A lot of things don't look right.
Do you have another fired case that was fired in your rifle? If you do, try to chamber the fired case in your rifle and see if the bolt will close. If you bolt will close you are certainly are creating a problem trying to resize the case.

In the picture, I don't see any small markings on the case wall, indicating that it has been through a sizing die.
This makes me think that you are trying to size the case using a seating die. That ring on the neck is caused by the case going in past the crimp section of the seater die

Very plausible. I have only one Hornady sizing die - a 6 Beggs from Gene- and unlike RCBS & Redding dies it is not stamped "FL" or "SEAT". But my Lee and Whidden dies are not stamped either.
So I took a fired .308 case AGAIN and did exactly what the OP did but using an RCBS .308 seater and got as you would expect a heavy crimp well before the ram hit top of stroke. Using another fired case, I get that same crimp with the s/h just touching and the press will cam over (Rockchucker)

 

[williepete]

this is all you need to know.

 

[Bill Norris]

O K japhar81
Let us in on the answer. Were u using the wrong die ?