Ever buy once fired brass that was so out of spec if would not resize?

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Highbrass1227

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Hello Long Range Hunting forum community. I love to handload and would classify myself as and advanced intermediate loader (I measure from the datum point on the shoulder, etc.). I currently successfully load .223, 6.5 Creedmoor and 30-06 in bottlenecked rifle cartridges and .350 Legend and a bunch of pistol calibers in straight walls. I rarely buy commercial ammunition, and usually when I buy a new caliber gun, I buy the dies and once fired brass for it. This has been very successful and enjoyable for me.

Here is my problem, I recently bought a Winchester Model 70 super grade in .270 Win. I bought some once fired .270 brass from Diamond K Brass LLC out of Phoenix. The rounds that I was successfully able to resize require inordinate about of effort and force. Several cases have stuck in both the die and the expander ball, which only happened once before on a 30-06 case years ago. I sent the sizing die back to Hornady and they checked the dimensions and gave it a polish. Once I received it back I lubed a case with One Shot, let it dry and the case immediately stuck in the die.

I called Hornady and they assured my my die is in spec. They said the case may be blown out of dimensions. I do see round marks from both the Remington and Winchester brass from the pressure gauge. Has anyone encountered this problem before?
 
I've not run into that. I never buy used brass. Dont know its condition, times fired, etc.
I also would never use HOS lube. There is always issues with it. I'd recommend trying a different lube just to see if it makes a difference.
I would also recommend annealing the cases before trying to size them.
If they were pressure tested, were the case heads miked?
Keep us posted.
 
I haven't had the same experience as you, but I did purchase "once fired" Norma Brass for a 300 WM once, from what I thought was a reputable retailer. The primer pockets were were extremely loose and barely held the primer. I will never purchase once-fired brass again if I can avoid it.

Like Seabeeken says, anneal the cases then maybe try some wax like Hornady One Shot Wax or Imperial Sizing Die Wax.
 
Seabeeken said:
I've not run into that. I never buy used brass. Dont know its condition, times fired, etc.
I also would never use HOS lube. There is always issues with it. I'd recommend trying a different lube just to see if it makes a difference.
I would also recommend annealing the cases before trying to size them.
If they were pressure tested, were the case heads miked?
Keep us posted.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply Seabeeken. Can you please describe, where the case heads miked? Do you mean taking a micrometer to them and comparing to SAMMI specs?
 
Highbrass1227 said:
Thanks for the reply Seabeeken. Can you please describe, where the case heads miked? Do you mean taking a micrometer to them and comparing to SAMMI specs?
Click to expand...
Mic the solid portion of the head before and after firing just in front of the extractor groove. Since its once fired, I'd compare to saami spec, yes. Be better if they could be compared to an unfired case from the same lot.
 
Seabeeken said:
Mic the solid portion of the head before and after firing just in front of the extractor groove. Since its once fired, I'd compare to saami spec, yes. Be better if they could be compared to an unfired case from the same lot.
Click to expand...
Seabeeken,

I'm not even getting close to the case head in the resizing process. These have immense effort right as the expander enters the head. I'm getting stuck on the shoulder area.
 
Mike D Texas said:
No. Any quality die should not have that issue.

FWIW, Hornady is the only die I've ever had stuck cases in and it was multiple times. I've gotten rid of them and stuck with Redding and Forster.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Mike D

Hornady is blaming the brass. I see Cabela's has new Starline .270 brass in stock. I'm going try that in my Hornady Die. I've never had these issues before, all of the other calibers are a joy to load whether it be my Hornady or RCBS dies.
 
I had this issue with hornady dies in an rcbs press.
Used imperial sizing die wax along with some other lube (gunny slide) after a few go thru no issues. Had to clean inside necks as well adding a touch of wax to the first few inside helped throughout the loads.
Mixed fired rounds, from one fired myself, and older "once fired brass as well, fired more than once"
Making sure the die was set to the right "sweet spot" also helped.
 
I would suggest you only use the One Shot (or any other lanolin based spray on lube) on straight wall cartridges and then only if you're using carbide dies.

I use Imperial Wax mostly but keep some RCBS Case Lube for stubborn cases. I've never been thwarted trying to size even stubborn cases and only got one case stuck 20 something years ago! You do have to clean the dies more often using the RCBS lube or you can end up with dents in the neck from too much lube.

Also, how clean is your brass? I've gotten really anal about clean brass in my old age and use BoreTech's liquid brass cleaner in my Thumblers tumbler with steel pins as well, which makes the brass looks like new (and which, unfortunately won't work with a vibratory cleaner, a tumbler is required). Then I resize, and clean the brass again, with a clean cloth for the Imperial and hot water if using the RCBS lube (which I like because it's water soluble).

I will also agree that you need to inside lube the necks of your cases to ease the process. Again, another reason I like the Imperial wax (doesn't need much removing!) and the RCBS lube, which washes off with water. I dislike any of the lubes that use lanolin because it requires alcohol to remove it! Honestly, I don't want anything on or inside my cases when I go to reload them!

Since these cases are so difficult to size you will also have to watch carefully for head seperation signs! These sound like they are either hot loads or factory ammo that was fired in an oversized chamber. Many companies sell brass as "once fired" but to be perfectly honest, if the brass is in good condition when you get it, it can be hard to tell if it's been reloaded a few times or if it's truly once fired!
Cheers,
crkckr
 
Start at the start, and purchase some new brass as others have stated.

Try another lube, I have issues with One shot, basically due to application techniques.

Imperial sizing wax, Pro Blend Assembly lube, are excellent.
 

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