Shell holder question.

[Joe C]

Hello,

How tight should the shell holder on the press hold the shell? Should there be some "float" room or should it be a firm hold for sizing and seating bullets.

The reason I ask is because I have three different brand shell holders for the same .473" shells but they all have varying amounts of play from near zero to a lot.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[284driver]

I don't personally think it matters. However, if you set your dies up to a certain bump and seating depth, use the same shell holder every time or you will have variations in your cartridge headspace and seating depth.

 

[284driver]

Not all shell holders are created equal.

 

[M-61]

The 'float' is gone when the press is in work so I don't see how it would effect anything as it is down and pressed when it is working. However concern would be in the thickness of the actual shell holder....one to another...that will alter your results. They sure are not created 'equal'.

 

[mac86951]

It would be interesting to check case run-out and concentricity thru the steps with the various shell holders.

Thickness is the primary concern between shell holders, and why we should check die setup every time we change something.

Without hard data, I don't see a loose or tight shell holder as bad, but I'd imagine that the expander-ball type sizers might introduce a little slop if the shell holder is loose. IMO

-Mac

 

[itchyTF]

I would think some amount of float is a good thing. This allows the round to self-align as it enters the die. Once aligned and the "work" starts the float is ignored and the thickness factor takes over. The thickness is the distance from the top of the shell holder to where the head of the case sits.

 

[bigedp51]

+1 with itchyTF above

The case should float and self center with the die, also if there are any dings inside the extractor groove the case can be held off center with the expander button and induce runout. A snug fit in the shell holder is also a sign of over pressure loads or out of spec manufacturing.

Below, a defective Federal .223 case in the center of the photo and Lake City cases on the left and right, the Federal cases expanded on the first firing and can not be reloaded due to over sized primer pockets and expanded base.

In one of the reloading articles here on the main page tells you to lower the ram slightly after sizing and rotate the shell holder and see if it binds during rotation.

The warped banana shaped case is also a cause of binding and misalignment in the shell holder.

 

[spclark]

Yah and please take note how much thinner that FED case's web is compared to the LC on either side!

That's why FED brass has such a bad rep... though I've heard newer stuff may not suffer from the same condition.

Bigedp51 do you have an idea of the vintage of that sectioned FED case?

 

[bigedp51]

Yah and please take note how much thinner that FED case's web is compared to the LC on either side!

That's why FED brass has such a bad rep... though I've heard newer stuff may not suffer from the same condition.

Bigedp51 do you have an idea of the vintage of that sectioned FED case?

The photo came from ar15.com and these cases are still being found, the bad cases are sorted by using a two inch rod that fits inside the neck and touches the internal web and then measured with vernier calipers. It was stated these were the "American Eagle" brand of cases, BUT there are other brands with the thin flash hole area or soft brass that can cause problems.

I keep my practice AR reloads with commercial brass well below 55,000 psi to make the brass last longer and prevent problems.

The military set hardness requirement specs for commercial contract military ammunition. Soft brass was linked to some of the jamming problems with the M16 rifle.

As a side note I just got a set of Redding Competition Shellholders last night and was checking my cases to make sure I had a loose fit with different brands of cases.