Fired brass chambering issues

[Broom]

What I'm thinking on doing at the moment, a friend of mine has a set of Lyman dies that will fit my Lee press. I was thinking on setting that up run a couple of cases through to see if it they will chamber properly. If that fails try the redding with the separate neck and FL sizing dies.

If he has a full-length size die (should do if he has a "set") to try that's definitely worth doing.

Don't worry about these two old nags having their domestic here

[Warrigul]

Don't worry about these two old nags having their domestic here

Nope, I have run across him in the past and am out of this thread now. I will do a bit of a cleanup.

[Boothy89]

Have you been able to work the problem out Boothy?

As Warrigul suggests do you have someone with a few reloads under their belt that can have a hands on look for you?

No mate, I haven't sorted the issue yet. I don't really know anyone that has been into the reloading for a long enough time to take a look at this stage. I have been reloading the 223 with great success so I'm a little confused how I am having so much trouble with the 308.

As I posted earlier, I don't know what you guys think about trying a different set of borrowed dies and see if that makes a difference.

And just a quick note I saw someone ask if I'm sure the cases are lubed enough. I am now using the one shot spray lube and I am hitting it pretty heavy with the lube inside the case mouth and externally. (I was previously using the Lee re-sizing lube that came with the reloading kit.

[Gwion]

Hey Boothy. It must be frustrating as hell. Pretty new to reloading myself; just a year into it. You may (probably) have covered this already but are the cases all trimmed to length?

Beyond that, so many different comments and advices from different angles, i know it gets confusing. Do your self a favour and buy/get a reloading manual or two. Nick Harvey's book is well recommended and has great info but if you can't get your hands on one easily, search the web you can download ADI, Hornady etc etc, free. They may not be the most current version but the basics are the basics. I have downloaded a few, plus have NH book and the one that came with my kit (RCBS). Read one, then read the other, then read an other, then re-read them all. They all cover similar stuff but some have things that aren't covered by others and some are written differently and may put things in a way that makes more sense to you.

If you still can't fix the issue and there is no club or veteran loader to help you out, buy a new die (or borrow one as you mention above). Manufacturing & quality control being what it is, some times a dud gets through and there may be an issue with the die. Not sure how this will be the case, as some of your cases are ok so i'm thinking there is inconsistency in your process somewhere.

Anyway. I can't help anymore than that, so good luck and hope you get it sorted soon!

Cheers and stay safe!

[newsteadvic]

And just a quick note I saw someone ask if I'm sure the cases are lubed enough. I am now using the one shot spray lube and I am hitting it pretty heavy with the lube inside the case mouth and externally. (I was previously using the Lee re-sizing lube that came with the reloading kit.

These sorts of problems are not a case lube problem. In fact too much lube can cause problems by crinckling the neck due to incompressable liquid lube building up in the neck area of the die. Case lube problems are more like very difficult re-sizing, sticking in the die and even getting cases stuck in the die.

[Boothy89]

Hey Boothy. It must be frustrating as hell. Pretty new to reloading myself; just a year into it. You may (probably) have covered this already but are the cases all trimmed to length?

G'day Gwion,

Yeah all the cases have been trimmed to the recommended length of 2.005.

Thanks I'll do that, I haven't got a reloading manual at the moment I have just been trusting the google gods and youtube lol. I think I will invest in the Nick Harvey manual now and give it a go. Thanks for your help mate, very much appreciated!

Cheers!

[Jack V]

If you bought modern dies lubrication is way easier to do . Lee collet die , no lube required . Body die , lube only the body section not even the shoulder or neck .

It's piss easy , easy to adjust to correct chamber fit and more accurate . All you need then is a bottle of RCBS liquid lube.

The problem with some books like Uncle Nicks which are fine on there own but do promote somewhat old fashioned ways .

Manufacturers don't want you using better systems because that makes cases last longer .

[Broom]

As I posted earlier, I don't know what you guys think about trying a different set of borrowed dies and see if that makes a difference.

Definitely worth trying.

Put it through a full-length die you know works.

It'll either identify the problem or rule it out. Either way it's progress.

[Bark]

And just a quick note I saw someone ask if I'm sure the cases are lubed enough.

It won't be due to lack of lube.

Without enough lube the cases would be hard to put through the die or could get stuck, but ultimately if you can complete a full rise and fall of the arm to get the case in and out of the die it will have been resized.

[Jack V]

It's a good idea to try another die as sometimes a die shell holder combination just can't get down far enough for your chamber.

2 years back I helped a guy from another forum with similar issues with his 22 WSSM . In the end I went to his place and had to grind down the shell holder a bit to fix the problem. It just illustrates that not all dies will be a good match for every chamber.

Also some times in a case like this you have to adjust the die down so that it pushes against the shell holder with some moderate force to take the spring out of the press to get that extra bit of sizing. If you do that and you still can't chamber the case might be time for a small base body die.

[Sender]

Also some times in a case like this you have to adjust the die down so that it pushes against the shell holder with some moderate force to take the spring out of the press to get that extra bit of sizing.

That's what I've always done with mine.

Raise the arm with the shell holder on, screw down the die to touch it, lower the arm and give the die another half turn to give it that last bit of squeeze.

[Boothy89]

Thanks for all your help guys! very much appreciated. Finally I have managed to fix the problem. I borrowed a set of Lyman dies and put them all through the full length sizing die. They all now chamber with almost no effort at all!! Now to bugger up the next step haha.

Thanks again everybody!

Boothy

[Gwion]

Good news, Boothy.

Looks like new dies are on the shopping list.

[Broom]

I borrowed a set of Lyman dies and put them all through the full length sizing die. They all now chamber with almost no effort at all!

Good stuff