Dies not sizing enough?

arthurj · #1 03-25-2005, 09:03 PM

Hey everyone, I have a new 308, I neck sized for 2 firings and when I went to bump my shoulder back my body die bottomed out before I got the sizing I needed. Also my redding full length dies would not size my 7ultra cases back enough after just 3 or 4 firings. I guess I need to have the bottom trimmed down a little. Ive heard of dies not sizing enough but is it usually this common? Am I doing something wrong?

dbhostler · #2 03-25-2005, 09:36 PM

Are you "caming" the press over? Usually to set the shoulder back the handle/ram must cam over.
db

3sixbits · #3 03-25-2005, 09:52 PM

Ever notice the shellholders they sell that come in different heights?

arthurj · #4 03-26-2005, 07:19 AM

Yeah, when the handle starts camming over it contacts the shellholder, before it really rolls over. I haven't thought about those shell holders but really I think I will need more than the few thousands those would provide. I am only going for 1 or 2 thousandths set back, but i think(not sure if I'm right) I feel the body being compressed but I guess its not hitting the shoulder. When I measure it after that the headspace is no shorter and it still won't chamber in my gun. Should I have a smith take 1/8 or 1/16 of an inch off the bottom?

anachronism · #5 03-26-2005, 07:40 AM

I've noticed this problem a few times in the past too. In most of my instances, I found I was using dies from one manufacturer, and a shellholder from another. So, do your shellholder & dies match? Everyone seems to have their own specs for shellholders. If you're going to modify any of your equipment, I recommend modifying the least expensive one. Have a shellholder thinned on top, instead of the dies, which are more expensive. Depending on how hard the shellholder is, you could probably do the modification yourself with some very careful filework.

Bob

dbhostler · #6 03-26-2005, 08:43 AM

You shouldn't have to have any component machined. All the body dies I have will set the shoulder back wherever you want to include collapsing the shoulder. Just take a fired case measure from the base to the shoulder datum run it through the die,(make sure it cams over), measure again. If that's not enough setback, screw your die down 1/4 turn and try again until you get what you want. Simple as that.
db

3sixbits · #7 03-26-2005, 08:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, when the handle starts camming over it contacts the shellholder, before it really rolls over. I haven't thought about those shell holders but really I think I will need more than the few thousands those would provide. I am only going for 1 or 2 thousandths set back, but i think(not sure if I'm right) I feel the body being compressed but I guess its not hitting the shoulder. When I measure it after that the headspace is no shorter and it still won't chamber in my gun. Should I have a smith take 1/8 or 1/16 of an inch off the bottom?

[/ QUOTE ] A simple way to tell if the shoulder is coming in contact with the die is to lube the case in the normal manner put a little grease on top of the shoulder, size and look at the top of the shoulder to see iff the grease has pull-back. Next: go on line with Hunington's and look at the shell holder page and read about the sets in different heights they come in. Also Redding offers them. I have faced dies in the past, always off the shelf variety, seems they are the only ones that ever needed the treatment.