Split Dies

[STOMP442]

How many Dies have you split? I have been reloading for 20+ years and I have had 3 different dies split on me within the last year. Two RCBS full length sizers, one in .300WSM and one in .300 Win Mag. Last night I split a Redding FL 28 Nosler. Same RCBS press and shell holders I have always used. 28 Nosler was about 2 years old and the .300WSM split the first time I used it brand new. The .300 Win Mag is one I have used a lot and had it for many years. I'm not sure whats going on or if the dies are just made with some sub par steel.

 

[FeMan]

I just found my Redding 284 small base body die was split a couple weeks ago. That is the first Ive ever had in 40 years of reloading. I can't fathom how or why it split. I sent it back though and am interested in what they say, if anything.

 

[STOMP442]

RCBS required pictures but then replaced them free of charge. I haven't contacted Redding yet this morning.

 

[rwj]

None.... yet!

 

[okie]

never even heard of it---wow. gotta be bad alloy???

 

[okie]

forum needs a "wow!", or a "what the heck???" button

 

[MikeT124]

Reloading close to 50 years, mainly handgun ammo, with a little 22-250 and now 30-06 and 300wm. But still mainly handgun. Not only have never seen a split die but have never heard of one...Until today. My dies are mainly RCBS and Dillon with a few Hornady tossed in.

Mike

 

[STOMP442]

Never heard of it or seen it either. The Customer Service Rep at RCBS made it sound like it was pretty common especially with the fatter cases like the WSMs.

 

[rardoin]

You've got to anneal them!!!


maybe NOT.

 

[M-61]

Been reloading since 1963.
Never have seen nor heard of this.

 

[rogina]

How many Dies have you split? I have been reloading for 20+ years and I have had 3 different dies split on me within the last year. Two RCBS full length sizers, one in .300WSM and one in .300 Win Mag. Last night I split a Redding FL 28 Nosler. Same RCBS press and shell holders I have always used. 28 Nosler was about 2 years old and the .300WSM split the first time I used it brand new. The .300 Win Mag is one I have used a lot and had it for many years. I'm not sure whats going on or if the dies are just made with some sub par steel.

Are you camming over hard when you resize? I have thought about this in the past because of the dies being hardened. I have never had one split.

 

[STOMP442]

No not at all. I try to have everything set for .002" shoulder bump. The 28 Nosler die probably sized a few hundred cases over the last couple years before it gave up. The .300 Win Mag sized probably well into the thousands and like I said the .300WSM died on the first case I tried.

 

[Webster]

How many Dies have you split? I have been reloading for 20+ years and I have had 3 different dies split on me within the last year. Two RCBS full length sizers, one in .300WSM and one in .300 Win Mag. Last night I split a Redding FL 28 Nosler. Same RCBS press and shell holders I have always used. 28 Nosler was about 2 years old and the .300WSM split the first time I used it brand new. The .300 Win Mag is one I have used a lot and had it for many years. I'm not sure whats going on or if the dies are just made with some sub par steel.

I performed failure analysis for many years. It appears that the cracks are caused by stress created from a rapid quench from heat treating? Know as quench cracks.

 

[moondog]

I've split 2 in the last 12 months. Not camming over hard either one was a click adjustable Whidden. But in all fairness, it was a custom 338 Imp. Die. It should have been a large body die. The other was a Hornady 300 PRC Die. Never had it happen prior to those.

 

[dgeesaman]

I performed failure analysis for many years. It appears that the cracks are caused by stress created from a rapid quench from heat treating? Know as quench cracks.

A dye pen check over the entire die could reveal others.

As dies are hardened steel, quench cracks could happen. A poor or skipped temper would be bad too. Finally, an ugly thread could be a stress riser and good place to start a crack.

Anyway the stresses in a die really aren’t much, unless you are letting the ram touch the die.

 

[FeMan]

I have had to cam over occasionally but not often. I've had this die for years and then k-BOOM...

 

[Bc'z]

No not at all. I try to have everything set for .002" shoulder bump. The 28 Nosler die probably sized a few hundred cases over the last couple years before it gave up. The .300 Win Mag sized probably well into the thousands and like I said the .300WSM died on the first case I tried.

1st case, wow!
I might of lost my s#!+ right there.

 

[okie]

I have had to cam over occasionally but not often. I've had this die for years and then k-BOOM...

View attachment 1195432

dang

 

[jds holler]

You guys need to quit sizing steel cases.

I've got my buds 28 Nosler dies over here, and looking at them, there isn't much wall thickness -- or taper.

I think we're seeing a clear-cut case of Magnadieitus. jd

 

[coldboreshot]

Perhaps the industry should develop an intermediate "Magnum size" body die dimension that falls between 7/8-14 and 1.5-12. But if its easier for the mfg to just replace dies, then why bother. Longer range and larger cartridges seem to be the "soup de jour" these days.