Shoulder bump problems

[Wolfdog91]

Hello , first post here and kinda a basic one I guess but was wanted to see if mabye someone might have an explanation for. Was re sizing some brass last night, full-length lake city twice fired 5.56 once from the range second firing from my gun, and noticed it I couldn't successfully bump my shoulder back the four thousands I wanted with one stroke. I'd do one stroke and they'd pop out like ( and I think these are the numbers I'd have to look back in my notes to see exactly but it was) 1.455-1.456 no matter how hard I worked the press handle it happened. I'd try and fool around with my die and it would pop out 1.453 well ended up having to work em once ,rotate the case in the shell holder and run it again and they almost all popped out a perfect 1.454 in the second stroke. Anyone ever experienced anything like that ? Lubing with Hornady one shot after they where decapped and wet tumbled. These are also a hotter load so mabye that has something to do with it ? Would anneling help ?
Thanks

 

[Bill Norris]

Might have to take a few thousandths of the face of the shell holder to get the brass a little further in the die.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Sorry forgot to mention I'm using Lee dies and she'll holders on a Lee single stage ( yes I'm poor lol) and I'm loading for a 5.56 chambered AR if any of that helps.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Might have to take a few thousandths of the face of the shell holder to get the brass a little further in the die.

Any way to do that without any machining tools ?

 

[Bill Norris]

Any way to do that without any machining tools ?

Emory cloth on a flat surface will work but be easy and monitor what you are removing.

 

[JFrank]

Belt sander 80 grit works for course than touch up with 320 grit

 

[LCazador]

Sorry forgot to mention I'm using Lee dies and she'll holders on a Lee single stage ( yes I'm poor lol) and I'm loading for a 5.56 chambered AR if any of that helps.

What Bill Norris say's is probably the issue but before you do that get rid of the Hornady lube and try Redding die wax it might just be the lube. Are you sure you have the die up against the shell holder? No cam over. What are those measurements you gave, headspace?

 

[Bill Norris]

What Bill Norris say's is probably the issue but before you do that get rid of the Hornady lube and try Redding die wax. Are you sure you have the die up against the shell holder? No cam over. What are those measurements you gave?

+ 1

 

[Wolfdog91]

What Bill Norris say's is probably the issue but before you do that get rid of the Hornady lube and try Redding die wax it might just be the lube. Are you sure you have the die up against the shell holder? No cam over. What are those measurements you gave, headspace?

Had a feeling I should have stuck with my lube pad And yes I'm pretty sure. Ram all the way up screw your die down it it touches your shell holder. But it's still set up and I'll take a picture and post it when I get home, mabye I'm missing something and honestly I'm not sure about cam over I don't think I do . And yes the measurements are my shoulder bumps. Think they came out my rifle at 1.458 and I'm trying to get them to 1.458 for 4 thou of bump.

 

[Rsadams]

Try running the brass into the die and giving it a three count before lowering it... Then try getting yourself some imperial sizing wax , a tin of it last year's , best sizing lube out there in my opinion.... I have never had a stuck case since swapping to it... A little goes a long ways... Plus if the brass came out of the rifle at 1.458 then you would need to bump it to 1.454 to get .004...

Just also , the AR platform is hard on brass so it doesn't have to be exactly .004 for instance I run mine at .003 and have no problems of course... Unless you have a brass catcher they also get lost in the grass etc...

 

[joshb]

Yes. Annealing will help.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Try running the brass into the die and giving it a three count before lowering it... Then try getting yourself some imperial sizing wax , a tin of it last year's , best sizing lube out there in my opinion.... I have never had a stuck case since swapping to it... A little goes a long ways... Plus if the brass came out of the rifle at 1.458 then you would need to bump it to 1.454 to get .004...

Just also , the AR platform is hard on brass so it doesn't have to be exactly .004 for instance I run mine at .003 and have no problems of course... Unless you have a brass catcher they also get lost in the grass etc...

Ok sweet I'll have to try that and I'll have break out my lube bad and my little tin of imperial again. Love that stuff and your right I'm still on the same tin o bought probably five years ago! And your right about the measurement had a little brain fart right there lol

 

[Wolfdog91]

So here's my shell holder and die seems it's good and closed but again many I'm missing something?

 

[338 dude]

Hello , first post here and kinda a basic one I guess but was wanted to see if mabye someone might have an explanation for. Was re sizing some brass last night, full-length lake city twice fired 5.56 once from the range second firing from my gun, and noticed it I couldn't successfully bump my shoulder back the four thousands I wanted with one stroke. I'd do one stroke and they'd pop out like ( and I think these are the numbers I'd have to look back in my notes to see exactly but it was) 1.455-1.456 no matter how hard I worked the press handle it happened. I'd try and fool around with my die and it would pop out 1.453 well ended up having to work em once ,rotate the case in the shell holder and run it again and they almost all popped out a perfect 1.454 in the second stroke. Anyone ever experienced anything like that ? Lubing with Hornady one shot after they where decapped and wet tumbled. These are also a hotter load so mabye that has something to do with it ? Would anneling help ?
Thanks

Yes annealing would help but also try pausing a few seconds while sizing

 

[jepp2]

So here's my shell holder and die seems it's good and closed but again many I'm missing something?

Maybe. Might be wrong, but it looks like your pic was taken without brass in the shell holder. Take a pic when you are actually sizing a piece of brass and compare.

Most die manufacturers recommend you do what you did, raise the ram and screw the die down until it touches the shell holder THEN drop the ram and screw the die down 1/4 additional turns. This will be too much sizing for most, but it takes that slack out of the everything.

 

[boltfluter]

Being a Lee press I am assuming it is aluminum. If so the press is probably springing a little. Try the better lube and screwing the die in a little more to allow for the flex. Ran into this many years ago. Good luck!

Paul

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Have you tried partially seating a spent primer in a sized case and using the forward assist to get the bolt into battery? Measure the length of the sized case(less than 1.760) seat spent primer so about 0.005 proud,chamber, carefully extract and measure. You should have a good headspace measurement. Or I use a Lyman ammo checker, if the case drops in to the lower step, it will chamber in all my 223,223W or 556 rifles, have not had a case separation yet. If you get 0.003-0.0035 with the spent primer method you are gtg.

 

[perazziguy]

Have you tried partially seating a spent primer in a sized case and using the forward assist to get the bolt into battery? Measure the length of the sized case(less than 1.760) seat spent primer so about 0.005 proud,chamber, carefully extract and measure. You should have a good headspace measurement. Or I use a Lyman ammo checker, if the case drops in to the lower step, it will chamber in all my 223,223W or 556 rifles, have not had a case separation yet. If you get 0.003-0.0035 with the spent primer method you are gtg.

+1 for the Lyman(or any make) case gauge. Saved me a headache on 22-250 brass I was loading that was fired in any of 3 different rifles.
Jonathan Taylor

 

[LCazador]

So here's my shell holder and die seems it's good and closed but again many I'm missing something?

Is the shell holder the same brand as the die? Different brands of shell holders can result different headspace measurements. Also is this a small base die? Redding die wax and Imperial die wax are one and the same. Imperial got bought by Redding/Saeco years ago. You don't put it on your lube pad. Just dip your index finger and wipe on the case. Plus one on removing the spent primer before measuring your headspace on fired cases.

 

[jsn]

Which measuring tool are you using to measure your bump?

What length were they before you fired them, how much did they grow?

With a Stoney Point comparator (the same as the Hornady), all factory ammo I have ever measured started at 1.454", and most were 1.455-1.456". I've even had some that were 1.456"-1.458", they still chambered and fired.

My bushing and yours may not be exactly the same, I'm just not convinced yet that you have a problem.

If you made a dummy round with the brass you have sized, will it chamber? Why is it a requirement that you absolutely must bump the shoulder back .004"?