What's gone wrong?

[steve_b_wales]

I have just spent a few hours decapping, cleaning, and priming a load of .243 cases. When I loaded the powder and went to place the bullet head ready for inserting in the case, I noticed that with quite a few cases, the neck was to wide, and the bullet just slid into the case. I am using mixed cases, but noticed that this is happening no matter what case I use. I am now left with about 60 primed cases. Is there anyway I can 'tighten' the neck of the case without damaging the primer?

I am using a Lee Challenger bench press.

 

Also, I use Hodgson H380 powder and throw a charge of 42grains (70 grn head )

How can I work out how many rounds I can get out of the tub. I want to work out exactly what it's costing me per round.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Steve

[2shots]

:thumbs: HAVE YOU MEASURED THE HEADS TO SEE IF THEYRE OK IVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE TOO SMALL

ALSO WERE YOU RESIZING THE CASES WITH THE LEE DIE, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RUN A CRIMP DIE

DOWN THE CASES FIRST BEFORE TRYING TO SET THE HEADS.

[2shots]

OH AND THERES 7000 GRAINS TO A POUND OF POWDER :thumbs:

[tulkyuk]

166 rounds per pound tub of powder

[markbivvy]

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/shotshell/sh...FERENCE%20TABLE

scroll down to the powder table.

as for the other bit, what dies are you using please.

Edited May 6, 2008 by markbivvy

[steve_b_wales]

I'm using Lee Dies.

 

Thanks Everyone. :thumbs:

Edited May 6, 2008 by steve_b_wales

[wy111]

Presumably the last time you used the press, you used a bullet seating die. Now you're resizing again, have you set up the die correctly?

Depriming live primers has been discussed on quite a few American sites, I have done it myself with no problem, but if not sure, take the empty primed cases and fire them though your rifle.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RUN A CRIMP DIE

DOWN THE CASES FIRST BEFORE TRYING TO SET THE HEADS.

ABSOLUTELY NOT

[deadeye ive]

I use lee dies and have no choice but to Full lenght re-size to reform the neck .......a friend can reform the neck using a decapping die only but they were RCBS ,i thought I could do the same but like you found out the hard way :thumbs:

[wy111]

I use lee dies and have no choice but to Full lenght re-size to reform the neck .......a friend can reform the neck using a decapping die only but they were RCBS ,i thought I could do the same but like you found out the hard way :thumbs:

Full length resizing dies can be set up to neck size only, but for the price, why not buy a neck sizing die. It works the brass less and you can get more reloads before annealing is required, but obviously you can only neck size brass fired through your own rifle. Decapping dies don't resize, they just do what they say, decap.

[deadeye ive]

Well

 

All I can say is the person in question who posts on here neck sizes and removes the spent primer all at the same time and it was he who showed me how to re-load ..............I have however been to bed since then and my memory is'nt what it was .

[bob300w]

Well

 

All I can say is the person in question who posts on here neck sizes and removes the spent primer all at the same time and it was he who showed me how to re-load ..............I have however been to bed since then and my memory is'nt what it was .

Quite correct, Lee dies remove the primer and size, either neck or full length at the same time. The only exception being de-capping only dies, There are three possibilities for your problem, one, you are using Lee collet dies, and the collet has stuck, meaning that the neck will not be resized, usually caused by a small burr after extensive use, a small file will remove it. Option two is that your dies are not set up correctly, i.e. they are too high in the press, look at the Lee web site for details if you do not have the set-up sheet that comes with the dies.Option three is that you are using a de-capping only die.

 

Lee instruction sheets; http://www.leeprecision.com/html/instruct/index.html

Edited May 7, 2008 by bob300w

[steve_b_wales]

Many thanks for all your replies. I am going to start from scratch and, once I get some empty shells, will try again.

Watch this space for the results. :look:

Edited May 10, 2008 by steve_b_wales

[landrover]

i use two different dies ,decap first then use the neck sizing die, :look: they are not expensive, if you can also use more than one press, that way once set you need not alter them

[Devilishdave]

Take the pin out of the middle of your resizing die and run the cases through again. This time with a bit mor tension on them.

 

Dave