njc110381 Posted September 25, 2010 Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Well I just did a run of 50 .243 cases. Full length sized on a Lee press with RCBS full lenght sizing die. I did the lube thing the same as I akways have but still the pressure I had to use was enough to lift the base of my loading bench off of the floor! Was it always this hard? I've not full length sized a case this size since I did a batch for my 6.5x55 about two years ago as I've always neck sized, but this batch came from someone elses gun so needed to be done full length. I'm actually quite tired now! I never remember it being this hard, not even for the .375H&H and those cases weren't small by any means! Is the .243 just a tough calibre to size or something? Perhaps I've just spent too long neck sizing Hornet brass (which in all fairness a baby could do)?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted September 25, 2010 Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Last lot I resized where tuff little mothers. Sure you will feel better after a nap. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted September 25, 2010 Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Are you sure you haven’t just resized them to .223 G.M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Last lot I resized where tuff little mothers. Sure you will feel better after a nap. :lol: A nap?! I think I need to start pumping iron and drinking protein shakes before I have another go at this! I swear Prvi brass must really be made of iron. One thing's for sure, I'll be neck sizing from now on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 25, 2010 Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Lee loading presses don't have much leverage and if you keep on doing it the linkage will snap. I've broken two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2010 Any suggestions for a better one? They seem reasonably well made and solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted September 26, 2010 Report Share Posted September 26, 2010 Lee loading presses don't have much leverage and if you keep on doing it the linkage will snap. I've broken two. +1, the challenger, but I've had it for years and there's two of us using it. The handy thing is, it's the fulcrum lever (grey bit) that broke and its reversable so can carry on using it while waiting for replacement. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted September 26, 2010 Report Share Posted September 26, 2010 Can’t understand any of this. I have full-length sized all sorts of calibres over the last gawd knows how many years with my Lee press and can’t fault it. I have just full-length sized 200 Privi .308 cases without any trouble at all. Are you sure you are lubing them before you size them? G.M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Can’t understand any of this. I have full-length sized all sorts of calibres over the last gawd knows how many years with my Lee press and can’t fault it. I have just full-length sized 200 Privi .308 cases without any trouble at all. Are you sure you are lubing them before you size them? G.M. Ditto with my Lee setup. As well as making sure the cases are lubed, lube the inside of the die as well. I know that some dies claim to not need it but it's worth doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 (edited) GM, remind me never to arm wrestle you for a bet if we ever meet! I was actually aching after doing 50 and I do a physical job! I don't know why it was so hard? Perhaps I should lube the linkages on the press? I don't remember 6.5x55 ever being that tough and assumed it was a .243 thing? No idea why it would be harder than any other calibre but it certainly wasn't easy. I was close to going out in the garage and making up a longer handle for it! To give you some idea of the pressures involved I tried doing it with my little Lee hand press. I actually didn't have the strength to get the case right into the die. I'm not the strongest bloke in the world but I'm no 9 stone weakling either. I recon the average office bloke would have had to give up and leave the case in the die! As for lube I was using the lee lube, not being over keen with it but giving each case a good coating and also a light smear inside the neck. I can't see that being the issue? Edited September 28, 2010 by njc110381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 (edited) Strange. NJC yer a jinx. I've just reloaded 10 and a few of them were damned tight to size and the neck sizing bell wan't happy to come out of the 'ole. Both cartridge and die had been sprayed. The inner neck got some as well Graham before you start These were all prvi .243 brass. Edited September 28, 2010 by DaveK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Are you sure they weren't .308 before ya started G.M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Are you sure they weren't .308 before ya started G.M. or 22/250? (made that mistake before but only once) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 I don't know if privi's are thicker material or less uniformed than other brass but I neck sized some in 243 that had been fired in my rifle yest evening and I had to lean on the lee press quite hard ( collet neck sizing die) to stop the heads slipping in to easy. Neck sized some Federals after and they were much easier, both were on their second firing. I have always found it better to put pressure on and hold for a bit rather than one solid push as the brass does seem to 'flow' as to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 1, 2010 Report Share Posted October 1, 2010 (edited) I don't know if privi's are thicker material or less uniformed than other brass but I neck sized some in 243 that had been fired in my rifle yest evening and I had to lean on the lee press quite hard ( collet neck sizing die) to stop the heads slipping in to easy. Neck sized some Federals after and they were much easier, both were on their second firing. I have always found it better to put pressure on and hold for a bit rather than one solid push as the brass does seem to 'flow' as to speak. Privis will be thicker. They are very good cases, same quality as Norma IMO Edited October 1, 2010 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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