njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm having some real issues reloading for my .243 and am wondering if someone could give me some advice. I bought a used RCBS die set off of here a while ago and have resized a load of brass with it. It's once fired Prvi from another rifle. Well, it doesn't go in the gun! I have full length sized, trimmed and de-burred it. Without seating a bullet I have tried to chamber a case and it's really tight! The bolt closes but then when I push it down it's very tight. To lift the bolt I have to hold the stock tight otherwise the rifle just turns in my hands! I should clarify that this isn't tight bolt lift after firing a high pressure round, all I'm doing is chambering a case that has been full length sized, trimmed and de-burred! What's wrong? The dies? I've got them adjusted down to touch the shell holder on the press so it's not like I could be under doing it. I really don't know what to do now, I'm out of ideas! Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) That's not so good! How come a "full length" die doesn't full length size then?! I was about to say "I'll go and try one that was fired in my gun" but it's effin' obvious that would fit isn't it! Stretched web - any way I can squeeze that down again? Edit - It's once fired factory PPU brass. Edited December 12, 2010 by njc110381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Grrr! According to the Lee book the cases are in spec! Overall case length is .005 short, web width .002 narrow, diamater at the shoulder is under and length to shoulder seems spot on. Is it possible my chamber is too small? If so how come factory ammo fits in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 wind the die down another 1/4 turn then try it. I use2 really old presses and the die destructions do work with either of em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Have you tried taking the empty case and using a felt tip put some broad stripes down it, round the neck, shoulder and rim .. then chamber it and see where it jams?... Could it be the RCBS type that neck sizes only?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 is the inside of the die clean/free from lube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie g Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 sounds like the shoulder isnt bumped back enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooting charley Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I would go for the last answer sounds like the shoulder isnt bumped back enough to me.If they chamber OK up to the point of locking the bolt. shootingcharley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrelsniffer Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Agree with last 2 posts..sounds like it not being bumped back enough and when you chamber them and close bolt the case is turning under pressure ie basically sizing with the chamber/bolt which then gets stuck or very tight..as to crunch it into chamber...or you have a tighter neck than what those cases are ? Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprags Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Agree with last 2 posts..sounds like it not being bumped back enough and when you chamber them and close bolt the case is turning under pressure ie basically sizing with the chamber/bolt which then gets stuck or very tight..as to crunch it into chamber...or you have a tighter neck than what those cases are ? Mick That is just what I was thinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The only way to find out what your dies are doing is to either smoke or felt tip a case and size it, if the case is correctly sized then there will be witness marks on the neck, shoulder and body of the case. The web area never gets sized because the dies dont contact this area but if it is within spec it should fit your chamber but chambers have minimum and maximum tolerences just like the ammo, the minimum spec chamber has to be big enough to chamber maximum spec ammo. You could have a minimum spec chamber and the ammo could have been fired in a maximum spec chamber. I doubt very much that it will be a die problem if the dies are set correctly or as has been previously stated the dies are in fact neck-size dies. F/L sizing die should be screwed down untill it touches the top of the shell holder at the full upward stroke of the ram. If it does turn out to be a web area problem which is very common when using brass fired in one rifle in another then you have no choice but to get new brass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 That's it, your whatsit is too big and it's rubbing on your doodah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The dies are quite old and I suppose could be dirty inside? Surely that would make the case smaller if anything though? As for the shoulder not being bumped back far enough, I set the die to contact the shell holder then 1/4 turn more. I can't see as taking it up any tighter will help? I'll give it a go though. I'll soot a case and then shove it in the rifle - it will be interesting to see where it's jamming and then maybe we can work on it from there. If it does happen to just be a really tight chamber there will be 50 once fired cases going spare. After a past broken promise I have a good idea where they may be heading if they're wanted - I never could find those bloody bullets I said I'd post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 The dies are quite old and I suppose could be dirty inside? Surely that would make the case smaller if anything though? As for the shoulder not being bumped back far enough, I set the die to contact the shell holder then 1/4 turn more. I can't see as taking it up any tighter will help? I'll give it a go though. I'll soot a case and then shove it in the rifle - it will be interesting to see where it's jamming and then maybe we can work on it from there. If it does happen to just be a really tight chamber there will be 50 once fired cases going spare. After a past broken promise I have a good idea where they may be heading if they're wanted - I never could find those bloody bullets I said I'd post! before you post em, what press is it please, known lee presses to be wanting at the links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 before you post em, what press is it please, known lee presses to be wanting at the links. It is a Lee press. It hasn't been used hard though. How do I tell if it's got dodgy linkages? Play in the up/down stroke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) proper name for them is toggles, just check them for any cracks, there the only reason i dont like lee presses. these. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=281260 Edited December 12, 2010 by markbivvy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=354021 look where the handle goes into the toggles, look round here for any cracks or splitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Well I checked the press carefully last night and can't see any problems with it. The ram is nice and firm with no play in it and the shell holder is contacting the bottom of the die ok. I'll run a case over a candle and see if that gives me any clues. Then I guess it's new brass time or at least buy a load more Prvi to shoot in my rifle before I start home loading. What a ******! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Dont you know anyone local who could resize some of your brass, that could narrow the problem down quite a bit . But my little experience would force me to check the dies to see if they are actually F/L dies and not neck sizing only. I have used both and the problems you have seem to be consistant with neck sizing only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 There's a stamp on the top of the die body that says RCBS 77 FL. If FL doesn't mean full length then maybe I could be using the wrong die?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Nope, F/L means full length sizing. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Well I've fixed the probem. All the cases now chamber freely and it was indeed the bumping back of the shoulder that was the problem. Now for the embarrassing bit. As you've all put in a good deal of thought on this subject and tried to help me out I feel that perhaps a good laugh at my expense is due. There was nothing wrong with the cases or the dies, or the press. It was in fact the decapping pin. Numpty nuts here didn't adjust it to the right depth! When I was getting to the end of the press stroke the pin holder was contacting the inside of the flash hole and stopping the case from going right into the die. When I checked the die was contacting the shell holder I was doing that without a case, and it was contacting fine. It was all down to me making a very amateurish mistake with my setup. On a positive note I've got some decent usable cases now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Good do N, as long as its sorted mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.