Well, that's a frustrating failure

[Evlshnngns]

....... but I never did understand the reasons to modify dies and shell holders.

I have a 223 that will chamber any new brass with ease. Not all my dies will push the shoulder back enough to chamber after resizing. Shaving a die was faster/easier than shipping the rifle back for a BARELY short chamber.

 

[Fast14riot]

Well shit. My replacement shell holder won't allow me to size my brass enough to chamber easily. Of course this happens as I'm starting to load 250 cases for the Western States Long Range Championship next week.

Hopefully can get this fixed early this weekend.

 

[DShortt]

Well shit. My replacement shell holder won't allow me to size my brass enough to chamber easily. Of course this happens as I'm starting to load 250 cases for the Western States Long Range Championship next week.

Hopefully can get this fixed early this weekend.

I was afraid of that.

 

[Thud]

I'm too late for popcorn

 

[Fast14riot]

I was afraid of that.

I even tried a .005 feeler gauge under the case head and its bottoming out too soon and still difficult to chamber. It will get fixed, one way or another.

 

[Fire Dog]

Well shit. My replacement shell holder won't allow me to size my brass enough to chamber easily. Of course this happens as I'm starting to load 250 cases for the Western States Long Range Championship next week.

Hopefully can get this fixed early this weekend.

If your budget allows than a Rollsizer will be your friend…
For “Clicker” problems but material removed from the mouth end of the die will be the way to go as that will allow the die to now lower enough to set back the shoulder of the case to the dimensions you require. A lathe is best for this fix but otherwise the quick fix is to use a belt sander and follow that up by lightly chamfering the mouth of the die to keep from shaving brass as you size.
Many dies have a large amount of chamfer and the die bottoms against the shell holder before sizing down to at least the 200 line and of course the most common problem is that it will not bump the shoulder back far enough.
If you have a lathe or a friend either with a Rollsizer or a lathe then the fix is quick and easy… Even with the belt sander just remove the die ring, align the protractor gate to 90* to the belt and carefully turn the bottom of the die agains the face of a fine belt.
You may even find that if the chamfering is significant and the material removed is small, that you still have enough throat to ease the case into the die, otherwise if you put the deprimer assembly {without the pin or at least not projecting out the bottom} you can them chuck the die up in a drill with a 1/2” chuck and while spinning the die, use some 600 or finer grit emory or wet & dry to restore a slight chamfering to the mouth of the die to prevent galling of the case as it is sized.

 

[hoz53]

My tinfoil hat theory, Redding likes to sell comp shell holder sets so their dies are just a bit too long to work perfectly with other brands...

i agree with your theory---but i never saw that happen before Fast!! You must be a Gorilla. Wat do you Bench? And i especially hate to see those rcbs shellholders with the numbers on top and the slot go --they are my faves----ya shulda done that to a Lee--- all part of the game though--soldier on

 

[jds holler]

Well, it's obvious to me. The durned thing crystalized. jd

 

[Bc'z]

Well shit. My replacement shell holder won't allow me to size my brass enough to chamber easily. Of course this happens as I'm starting to load 250 cases for the Western States Long Range Championship next week.

Hopefully can get this fixed early this weekend.

600 grit layed out on a piece of glass "granite counter top will work" a lil bit of oil and sand in a figure 8.
Easy peasy, the shell holder is softer than a hardened die.

 

[chop house]

You must be a Gorilla. Wat do you Bench?

Yup, seems like you'd lift the reloading bench on the upstroke.

 

[Fast14riot]

600 grit layed out on a piece of glass "granite counter top will work" a lil bit of oil and sand in a figure 8.
Easy peasy, the shell holder is softer than a hardened die.

You know I have a stack of hones from 600 grit diamond through 10,000 grit water stones! I've already worked the new shell holder down several thousandths, but I've got a head cold so I gave up after 20 minutes and made myself a hot toddy.

I will resume problem solving tomorrow. Maybe for better, maybe for worse, lol!

 

[Bc'z]

You know I have a stack of hones from 600 grit diamond through 10,000 grit water stones! I've already worked the new shell holder down several thousandths, but I've got a head cold so I gave up after 20 minutes and made myself a hot toddy.

I will resume problem solving tomorrow. Maybe for better, maybe for worse, lol!

Get better brother.
Weather man is a lying mother F'r, they were calling for rain tomorrow so Eric and Denise took day off to go deer hunting....
Ain't a cloud in the sky!!
Im gonna take some rattling horns and we'll put on a couple sets and see if they're starting to rut.

 

[Fast14riot]

Get better brother.
Weather man is a lying mother F'r, they were calling for rain tomorrow so Eric and Denise took day off to go deer hunting....
Ain't a cloud in the sky!!
Im gonna take some rattling horns and we'll put on a couple sets and see if thier starting to rut.

Go up high, top of Hog Creek or Peavine. You'll find em in the clouds.

I'm a couple hot toddies in tonight, if a little is good, more is better! I'll reassess this issue tomorrow. Don't think I'm going to work tomorrow anyway. Give me a holler when you get a moment.

 

[divingin]

My tinfoil hat theory, Redding likes to sell comp shell holder sets so their dies are just a bit too long to work perfectly with other brands...

Aren't the comp shellholders taller (thicker from case base to shellholder top) than the standard shellholder? A too-long die plus a taller shellholder means you'd never size anything. Or am I wrong on their dimensions?

This failure, though, does kind of put exactly how much force a press can generate into perspective. Though it may be just a weak shellholder, too.

 

[jds holler]

I use a belt sander to reduce a shell holder, it takes about 30 seconds and they really don’t need to be perfect as the die only touch’s the highest point.
The rim IMO had to have broken during the up stroke of the press handle, again that’s just MO.

I've gotta be careful to keep shell holders with the dies they belong with. My latest project 6.5 creed, likes full cam-over like instructed by the manufacturer. If I get ahold of one that's been modified like you're suggesting, I'll be oughta whack.

To my shame, I've made the mistake of bouncing a shell holder from one die set to another, and some of my shell holders may have come from Fred Sanford's glasses drawer. jd

 

[Big Mc]

Base sizing my 260AI brass with a 45acp die and had the lip of my shell holder rip off! Yes, I did lap it lower, but took off only .008". Using plenty of imperial, didn't feel any more force on sizing that the thousands of other times I've done this. Never had a shell holder fail before!

View attachment 1705292View attachment 1705293

You guys ever hear of Murphy ?? Tommy Mc

 

[Fast14riot]

Just found another compounding issue, the broken shell holder base height is .130" (bottom to outside bottom) and the new replacement is .120" base height, soi may need a shim under the shell holder on top of the ram in addition to lowering the deck height. <face palm>

 

[Fast14riot]

Took 3 beer can shims under the shell holder, a bit more off the deck height and adjusting my die to get my shoulder bump where it needs to be.

 

[jds holler]

Being you're FROM Stockton, there's a good chance you possess crazy-mad Okie skills. Either from your DNA, or environmental learning. jd

 

[Fast14riot]

Born and raised! I will state that there are at least one rifle in my safe with beer can shims under a scope base, too, lol! Its a cheap source of .005" shim stock!