Larry Willis collet die

[deputyrpa]

It won't let me message you so I can shoot you my info here or you can message me or we can text. Whatever works best for you. I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much that means to me.

No problem. I'm glad I can make someone happy.

 

[ntsqd]

The Wills die brings the case above the Belt back into spec it does not work to stop case head separation in my experience

No, I'm not expecting it to do that. My new .308 NM is built on an action that can handle those pressures. Should not have a growing Head-Space problem this time around.

 

[victor3ranger]

I have the Willis die. Slow and messy.
Now I am thinking about a .458 Win Mag sizing die.
I doubt that a small base die is needed.
Does anyone even make a small base .458 WM sizing die?

I would love to find a small base die for a 7STW

 

[Mike Matteson]

My first chamber to reload ever was the .308 Norma. I had case head separations in 2 to 3 firings that I couldn't fix and nothing more vet reloaders suggested worked. When I got a case head separation on one of the factory rounds I knew that it wasn't me. Turned out that the rifle was the problem, 03A3's just aren't made for that. The action was stretching. I had a -06 barrel put on it for show and pretty much retired it.
Recently I ran across a used M70 FWT .308 NM in a shop in Minden, NV and that got me going again. It wasn't what I wanted in a .308 NM, but I've always had a soft spot for the chamber so now I'm slowing building another .308 NM rifle.

Which is to say that I've been following all of this closely. I, too, ordered one of the Willis dies. I may not need it, but if I do it's going to take a while to get. I'd rather that happen while I'm building than when I want to shoot it and can't. These ring dies and the comment above about using a 300 Win die have the gears spinning.....

My sons have one each also. I made a friend in Hemet Cal a long time ago. He built the rifles for me. All build on M-98 actions.
i would also lose cases in about 3 firing. I took a 300Win Mag neck sizing die and used it for reloading my 308NM rifle. It only size about 2/3 to 3/4 of the neck. I haven't use the rifle in a long time. So I don't totally recall if I had to full length the cases from time to time. I don't think I did. I went from 3 firing to 12 or so firing. Never lost a case after that. Primers became my problem after that.
It's not a big problem in sizing Win 300 mag case to 308 NM cases. So the cost is greatly reduced in getting cases to reload with. Now with Peterson Brass and other out there you can get far better brass that at the time I was using that rifle. I generally us a 338WM rifle now. I am getting 3200fps out of a 200gr Noslers ADB or B.T., but I don't like the powder I am using. So I am having new 338WM in a 28" being built presently. I am hopping that I can get the velocity up a little more, and use a more stable powder than W760.
ome more thing is annealing cut down on case neck separation too.