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[MagnumManiac]

Whenever I alter a shellholder, I turn .010" off the TOP of it and adjust the die as I normally would.
The feeler gauge treatment will tell you if .010" is adequate or not, but doing this method gets tiresome, hence altering the shellholder. Always remember to either wind the expander up, or remove it, so the primer pin doesn't hit the feeler gauge, I know I have forgotten to do so.

The only rifle I currently have requiring this is a short chambered 375 Weatherby running Redding dies, as that's all that available. The altered shellholder stays with that die set, so no mistakes are made with other belted cartridges I load for, which is several.

Cheers.

 

[MNbogboy]

Haven't measured any "modern" shell holders but I know for fact that I could never squeeze in .010 feeler gauge in between the brass and holder in my 50 year old Herter's press. Sometimes the brass alone is snug sliding in. Things were tighter toleranced back then including the brass.

 

[bigedp51]

Haven't measured any "modern" shell holders but I know for fact that I could never squeeze in .010 feeler gauge in between the brass and holder in my 50 year old Herter's press. Sometimes the brass alone is snug sliding in. Things were tighter toleranced back then including the brass.

You are correct using a feeler gauge can prevent the case from moving in the shell holder and letting the case be self centering in the die. It is much better to lap the top of the shell holder a few thousandths at a time until you get the correct amount of shoulder bump.

Another option is to buy a different name brand die and see how that works. But the cheapest method is to just lap the shell holder on a piece of glass with fine wet and dry sandpaper and a little oil.

I bought my Rockchucker press in 1973 and there is a little slop in the linkage. So I prefer to have the die make hard contact with the shell holder with press cam over. This gives more uniform shoulder location after sizing, than with a air gap between the die and shell holder.

 

[Azrael]

Sizing with an air gap is like pushing with a rope.

 

[J E Custom]

Haven't measured any "modern" shell holders but I know for fact that I could never squeeze in .010 feeler gauge in between the brass and holder in my 50 year old Herter's press. Sometimes the brass alone is snug sliding in. Things were tighter toleranced back then including the brass.

I have never had to add more than .002 or .003 thousandths of shims because if you need more than that, something else is wrong. All I want to do is to be able to bump the shoulder enough to return to the correct size for the chamber fit.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Azrael]

I'm glad you said that; I don't know why 10 thousandths was the number getting thrown around.
The cases came out of the gun, it shouldn't take 10 thou to get them back in.

 

[MNbogboy]

I'm glad you said that; I don't know why 10 thousandths was the number getting thrown around.
The cases came out of the gun, it shouldn't take 10 thou to get them back in.

I certainly agree. Didn't think anybody had that short of a chamber but one never knows.
I thought it was enough work to "sand" off a couple 2-3!
Feeler gauge would be a good test taking the holder down is a good fix (especially if you dedicate that holder to that rifle and die set.
Randy

 

[J E Custom]

I certainly agree. Didn't think anybody had that short of a chamber but one never knows.
I thought it was enough work to "sand" off a couple 2-3!
Feeler gauge would be a good test taking the holder down is a good fix (especially if you dedicate that holder to that rifle and die set.
Randy

Like most, I use the same shell holder for many different cartridges and don,t want to dedicate them to only one cartridge unless I have to. with the shim method, when done with it i Place it in the die set and mark it for the specific rifle and chamber so it is not used on another rifle and chamber with the same cartridge and different chamber.

Nothing wrong with grinding or sanding the shell holder unless it is mistakenly used for a like cartridge in a different chamber. And they would have to be dedicated to that cartridge and chamber just like the shims. So I chose the shim method.

PS: I have never had to grind/sand on a shell holder to get the proper fit in a chamber properly reamed and head spaced. But i have found dies that would not quite size enough because of a larger or worn chambers.

J E CUSTOM

 

[wboregon]

i was resizing some 26 Nosler and the once fired not sized will chamber and the FL sized will not. I know my press is old like me but I don't recall seeing anything like this before. I was watching YouTube and saw some reloaders size the same brass multiple times. I tried this and sized the brass four times. Now it fits easy in the gun. Do I have too much play in the press to get that last thou sized? The press works great for big bores and 30-06 type ammo. Checked my 7mm wby and it seems tight also. Not as bad as the 26.

Loose dies? Tight chamber? 30yr old press? I would entertain any ideas before I go buy a new press.

Sorry to repeat my self, but are you running the expander while sizing? Are you getting a lot of resistance on the way out? Mainly wondering because I had a similar issue in 7RM and once we removed the expander the issue went away.

 

[Azrael]

Spray paint the modified shell holder red or your favorite colour and getting it mixed up shouldn't be an issue. I manage to keep a few seats of competition shellholders and their respective cartridges straight with just the numbers stamped on them, a jotted note on the die box, and the same on the ammo boxes and nobody has me confused with an organized person.

 

[MNbogboy]

Like most, I use the same shell holder for many different cartridges and don,t want to dedicate them to only one cartridge unless I have to. with the shim method, when done with it i Place it in the die set and mark it for the specific rifle and chamber so it is not used on another rifle and chamber with the same cartridge and different chamber.

Nothing wrong with grinding or sanding the shell holder unless it is mistakenly used for a like cartridge in a different chamber. And they would have to be dedicated to that cartridge and chamber just like the shims. So I chose the shim method.

PS: I have never had to grind/sand on a shell holder to get the proper fit in a chamber properly reamed and head spaced. But i have found dies that would not quite size enough because of a larger or worn chambers.

J E CUSTOM

I agree with J E, properly head spaced and chambered should work with good quality dies. But sometimes tolerance differences between chamber reamer, head space gauges and die manufacturers work against each other. Combine that with shell holder mfg. and mix/match shell holder and dies. I have 5 or more different die brands and only one (which no longer are made [Herter's]) type of shell holder. Combinations like mine will often end up quirky. For those who can buy there way out this might not be a problem.
I bought an adapter for which accepts common snap in shell holders for my Herter's press. Slick but the height of it does not allow de-cappers to work. Often thought about pulling the ram and shortening it.
At any rate if we keep putting our heads together we should be able to solve most problems.
Randy

 

[J E Custom]

The reason I remove the expander while sizing, (Besides the fact that the shims would end up with a hole in it) is to free up the press to do one job only. I feel that consistent sizing is very important and the process of sizing to get the best fit is the main focus at the time.
Once you remove the shim all other processes can be performed without effecting the size.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Troutslayer2]

I'd buy a new die before I bought a new press. If all dies were really exactly the same there wouldn't be about 100 different models of them. I have fought a particular die to the point of just ordering a new one and problem solved.

 

[Azrael]

We live in a plus or minus tolerance world. When plus or minus shellholder meets plus or minus die then gets chambered in a plus or minus chamber things tend cancel each other out and allowable tolerances enable things to work. Occasionally things almost work or
barely work.