Shoulder bumping issue now stuck case

[338weatherby]

I am not able to get my shoulder to move on my 7x57AI. I've got fire formed brass that is twice fired. Went to the range and the loads are as I remember last. Shoot nice and tight, small groups. Some rounds are tighter to chamber when closing bolt. I had 3 that I couldn't close the bolt on. I pulled the bullets on those three and checked all my remaining rounds for chambering. All chambered with a couple a little tighter then I'd like. I took one of the pieces that wouldn't chamber and ran it through the FL sizing die. Got it to close but WAY too much effort. I then swapped the shell holder with the .008 Redding holder and no change, went to the .004 again no change. Tried the .002 and still no change. I then noticed that the die seems to move up in the press when I'm cammed over. The Hornady bushing seems to give a little. I threaded the die down slightly more and now I've got a case stuck with the rim tore off. I cant figure why it wasn't bumping the shoulder and then got stuck? This case was through the die multiple times and shouldn't have gotten stuck. Any ideas?

 

[Ken61]

lube

 

[BoomFlop]

My guess is that by running it in the die a bunch of times you work hardened the case and weren't getting spring back. That is my best guess. You might try different pieces of brass until you get the die set to prevent that.

Steve

 

[Ken61]

Not sure I understood your setup.
"I then noticed that the die seems to move up in the press when I'm cammed over".??
"The Hornady bushing seems to give a little".??

 

[338weatherby]

lube

The cases were lubed. I tried bumping the shoulder on two cases with no luck. The were ran through the die multiple times. Maybe the last time didn't have enough. I would have thought after passing through multiple times it would not stick though.

 

[338weatherby]

Not sure I understood your setup.
"I then noticed that the die seems to move up in the press when I'm cammed over".??
"The Hornady bushing seems to give a little".??

I can actually see the die move upward when at the bottom of the stroke and the shell holder wasn't touching the bottom of the die. The lock n load bushing seems to be sloppy. I was thinking this is why I wasn't getting the shoulder to move. I ran the die down slightly thinking that was it.

 

[GLTaylor]

I can actually see the die move upward when at the bottom of the stroke and the shell holder wasn't touching the bottom of the die. The lock n load bushing seems to be sloppy. I was thinking this is why I wasn't getting the shoulder to move. I ran the die down slightly thinking that was it.

 

[Ken61]

Maybe try a good O style press if you have access to one to eleminate the flex?

 

[338weatherby]

Maybe try a good O style press if you have access to one to eleminate the flex?

I think I may need to ditch the quick change bushing set up. The press itself does not flex. It's a MEC Marksman. The die is what is moving. Direct threaded won't.

 

[P7M13]

In my experience, quick change bushings are a great idea for pistol dies only. Direct thread die insert is best and you never have to worry about the metal migrating.

Have you annealed your cases?

For stuck case, if you haven't removed it yet and don't have a "stuck case extractor" kit, lemme know and I'll PM the parts list and solution.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

The cases were lubed. I tried bumping the shoulder on two cases with no luck. The were ran through the die multiple times. Maybe the last time didn't have enough. I would have thought after passing through multiple times it would not stick though.

Not sure if this helps, but when trying to set my bump, I do not run the same case back into the press while testing for fit in the rifle. I usually lube up 6-8..or whatever it takes.

Adjust die for initial set up, run the case up and clean. Then test fit in the chamber. If it isn't where I want it, I move onto one of the other case I lubed and have not sized. Once I get my die set, I will then re-lube and run the initial ones to the correct bump, but not multiple times because of work hardening. Stuck case because I did not do it this way...YUP!

How many times have you fired these cases. I have found that setting my dies on once fired cases (not fully formed) will not give enough bump on more firings.

I am struggling with a Hornady Die and Lee press. It will not cam over so I have no real way to tell, I just have to give it a little love, not issue with Redding dies and same press.

 

[338weatherby]

Not sure if this helps, but when trying to set my bump, I do not run the same case back into the press while testing for fit in the rifle. I usually lube up 6-8..or whatever it takes.

Adjust die for initial set up, run the case up and clean. Then test fit in the chamber. If it isn't where I want it, I move onto one of the other case I lubed and have not sized. Once I get my die set, I will then re-lube and run the initial ones to the correct bump, but not multiple times because of work hardening. Stuck case because I did not do it this way...YUP!

How many times have you fired these cases. I have found that setting my dies on once fired cases (not fully formed) will not give enough bump on more firings.

I am struggling with a Hornady Die and Lee press. It will not cam over so I have no real way to tell, I just have to give it a little love, not issue with Redding dies and same press.

Thank for the explaination. Yep, I beat the crap out of two cased and am paying for it now. These are twice fired brass. I will regroup tonight.

And as fate would have it, this one the proverbial "one more time" when I knew something didn't seem right. Should have stopped, posed the question, then do it correctly

 

[Shane Lindsey]

We all dun it...

Did you get the case out of the die? I keep the die in the press and remove the decapper. Get a metal dowel that fits and smack it with a hammer.

 

[338weatherby]

We all dun it...

Did you get the case out of the die? I keep the die in the press and remove the decapper. Get a metal dowel that fits and smack it with a hammer.

Working on it tonight!