Resize problem

[muleman69]

Annealed and resized some brass last night and had a chambering issue. I first annealed then ran all the brass through my Redding FL sizing die. After sizing I ran them through the chamber to see how I was doing. Most cycled fine but could not close the bolt on two cases? The cases are all about the same age ,shot in the same rifle annealed and sized in same die with about .002-.003 thousandths head space. My question is why would the FL die size all but a couple? I did run them again with same results. Forced the bolt closed then knocked it open ,cases showed shiny marks half way to shoulder?

 

[brantfredrickson]

Annealed and resized some brass last night and had a chambering issue. I first annealed then ran all the brass through my Redding FL sizing die. After sizing I ran them through the chamber to see how I was doing. Most cycled fine but could not close the bolt on two cases? The cases are all about the same age ,shot in the same rifle annealed and sized in same die with about .002-.003 thousandths head space. My question is why would the FL die size all but a couple? I did run them again with same results. Forced the bolt closed then knocked it open ,cases showed shiny marks half way to shoulder?

The FL sizing die has to mimic the rifle chamber. For me, my current 6.5 creedmoor Redding FL sizing die does that. However when I shot a Savage 10 .308 with a huge factory chamber the Redding FL sizing die did not mimic the chamber. You can diagnose this with a micrometer. Measure the shoulder/body diameter, the body mid-point diameter and the body head diameter of a fired piece of brass. Then FL size the brass and measure it again. If the FL sizing die mimics the rifle chamber the die will reduce the diameters about .0005 inches when you knock the shoulder back .001 to .002 in length. If the die is doing something else with those three diameters you need to search for another FL sizing die.

Again the brand name of the die is unimportant. It's how the die relates to your chamber. I borrowed different dies from other shooters until I found one that mimics my chamber, then purchased that die for my own use. Custom dies are an options and if you can't find a production die that matches your chamber, they are worth the money.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I just recently bought a new 338WM on a Win Model 70 EW, it’s chamber is .004” shorter than my Kimber 8400 Super America rifle, so.......the resized and LOADED brass I have here would not fit the new rifle.......I only wanted to see if my old recipe shot well in the new gun.

Anyway, after buying yet another set of dies for this rifle and cartridge, pulling a hundred bullets, dumping powder and re-sizing said cases to be .001” short of chamber spec, measuring thrice and cycling them ALL through the gun, 6 had hard bolt close. Measured head to shoulder, measured just fine. Coloured with a sharpie and chambered them and had scuffing just ahead of the belt, say 1/4” up from it. Ran them through a body die, still no go, adjusted the body die and they all chambered fine.
These cases had been annealed 2 sizings ago, so were they harder than the rest or what? I still don’t know, but I do know not ALL cases after annealing are the same as each other.......go figure.
Harder brass resists the sizing force, sometimes I hover at the top stroke for around 5 seconds, this appears to help overcome the excessive springback.

Cheers.

 

[mikecr]

How far down cases have you annealed?
I don't understand why annealing would matter for this

 

[JFrank]

Annealed and resized some brass last night and had a chambering issue. I first annealed then ran all the brass through my Redding FL sizing die. After sizing I ran them through the chamber to see how I was doing. Most cycled fine but could not close the bolt on two cases? The cases are all about the same age ,shot in the same rifle annealed and sized in same die with about .002-.003 thousandths head space. My question is why would the FL die size all but a couple? I did run them again with same results. Forced the bolt closed then knocked it open ,cases showed shiny marks half way to shoulder?

Sounds like a couple had some spring back, size um again hold the press for a 3 count if they don't chamber don't load um

 

[grovey]

I would imagine a difference in hardness ( for whatever reason) is the most likely cause. Assuming you have your die set where it suits your needs.... I've had that happen in the past, and my redneck fix was to cut a piece of notebook paper to fit in the shellholder.

Slide it in there and slide your case over top of it and size the case again. This will give you a few thou more bump without resetting your die. Once I did that I marked those cases to keep track of them. After firing the problem went away and my die was still set for the original bump I wanted.

 

[Texas10]

First thing that jumps to mind is the annealing process, is it consistent? Could a difference in shoulder hardness cause your die to size erratically? How many cycles on the brass and how many times has it been annealed? What is the caliber?

Second thing is have your cases become banana shaped due to multiple FL sizing and variations is case wall thickness? Have you put a straight edge along the case wall? Who is the brass maker?

 

[muleman69]

How far down cases have you annealed?
I don't understand why annealing would matter for this

I annealed the cases because they had three reloading on them.The cases are annealed down about 1/3 give or take. Look somewhat like an annealed piece of Lapua brass

 

[muleman69]

I would imagine a difference in hardness ( for whatever reason) is the most likely cause. Assuming you have your die set where it suits your needs.... I've had that happen in the past, and my redneck fix was to cut a piece of notebook paper to fit in the shellholder.

Slide it in there and slide your case over top of it and size the case again. This will give you a few thou more bump without resetting your die. Once I did that I marked those cases to keep track of them. After firing the problem went away and my die was still set for the original bump I wanted.

I did think about shimming the shell holder but was concerned about excessive head space? I like the idea of not have to move my die as It is a bit tedious when setting up.

 

[muleman69]

First thing that jumps to mind is the annealing process, is it consistent? Could a difference in shoulder hardness cause your die to size erratically? How many cycles on the brass and how many times has it been annealed? What is the caliber?

Second thing is have your cases become banana shaped due to multiple FL sizing and variations is case wall thickness? Have you put a straight edge along the case wall? Who is the brass maker?

I ran them through my Annealeez . I have no more than three firings on brass. .280 AI and first time annealed. Nosler Brass

 

[grovey]

I did think about shimming the shell holder but was concerned about excessive head space? I like the idea of not have to move my die as It is a bit tedious when setting up.

As I said it's just a redneck bandaid of sorts, but try just one of the troublesome cases and see it if bumps it enough to close the bolt normally. If so....Keep track of them , and see if they "conform" after the next firing.

 

[muleman69]

As I said it's just a redneck bandaid of sorts, but try just one of the troublesome cases and see it if bumps it enough to close the bolt normally. If so....Keep track of them , and see if they "conform" after the next firing.

Okay,will do

 

[JFrank]

I ran them through my Annealeez . I have no more than three firings on brass. .280 AI and first time annealed. Nosler Brass

Nosler brass is kinda soft already maybe annealing was unnecessary

 

[muleman69]

Nosler brass is kinda soft already maybe annealing was unnecessary

But it shouldn't hurt it should it?

 

[JFrank]

But it shouldn't hurt it should it?

Hell if I know.
I have mixed results from annealing

 

[Lucky Shooter]

Die Alignment

Maybe I've been totally consumed by a terminal case of the DA's but
I seem to survive with a bit of simplicity.

I don't even think about alignment of press, ram or shell holder-----just follow the
assumption that the die and case will self-align if the die and case can float enough
to achieve self-alignmnent.

Don't use lock rings or O-rings-----just screw the die body into the press
the required amount. The die and case should self-align and the threads should control
the longitudinal movement of the die.

I've tried an additional step of snugging up a lock ring while the ram is up and a case is in the die.
This doesn't seem to work any better than just letting the die float in the press's threads.

I prefer to just let the die float for every case and accept the fact that the die must not rotate
during all this process-----a witness mark with a Sharpie seems to work for this.

No claims here for the "best" method-----this just seems to satisfy me.

A. Weldy

 

[MagnumManiac]

How far down cases have you annealed?
I don't understand why annealing would matter for this

Just an example of how some cases are not the same as the rest, even from the factory, and no, I don’t anneal that far down the case.
Annealing wasn’t/isn’t the OP’s problem either. His brass is scuffing half way up the case.
Requires more sizing apparently.

Cheers.

 

[Liven The Dream]

I like the try a different Die Suggestion.
I like this route. Buy a Body Die or Buy a Small Base Die .
I had a similar problem the Standard Die was a Foster , Ordered a Redding problem solved.
The bottom all things are not equal.
That Guy Murphy never sleeps.
Good Luck

 

[sdean]

]Annealed and resized some brass last night and had a chambering issue. I first annealed then ran all the brass through my Redding FL sizing die. After sizing I ran them through the chamber to see how I was doing. Most cycled fine but could not close the bolt on two cases? The cases are all about the same age ,shot in the same rifle annealed and sized in same die with about .002-.003 thousandths head space. My question is why would the FL die size all but a couple? I did run them again with same results. Forced the bolt closed then knocked it open ,cases showed shiny marks half way to shoulder


Two out of how many? Pitch them. I would have other things to do.[/QUOTE]

 

[yukonal]

Sounds like a couple had some spring back, size um again hold the press for a 3 count if they don't chamber don't load um

This is the way I roll...except I do it for every case, right otta the gate.

Truth be told, if everyone measured every case they sized...after the cases had been fired a couple times...a couple of these little buggers exist in [most] lots of brass. Not every lot, mind you, but plenty. Just differences in brass.