Had reloaded rounds that wont fit my chamber ( fired from another rifle previously ) after running through my dillon small base 308 dies. This condition persists even after adjusting so that the press cams over into the die. The cases fit a gauge just fine but not in my match chamber. I called Dillon and an older fella suggested I take a few thousandths of an inch off the bottom of the sizer die and try again. I'm not so sure I wanna dick with that. I did buy an RCBS full length size die and it's better but I still get sticky extraction when manually cycling a round. Is the answer to go ahead and file on the die or is this guy full of hot air? Who makes the tightest die set out there so I can size brass fired from sloppy chambers to fit my match chamber? Brass availability is so damned sketchy as it is I really cant just depend on having virgin brass to replace everything that's worn out or lost on the range.
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
Know of any good machine shops in your area with a precision grinder? Take them two shell holders, have 0.005 taken off of one and 0.010 taken off of the other....much easier than taking material off of the die.
If a Redding small base body die won't take it down enough to chamber....not sure I'd want to use that piece of brass anyways.
Know of any good machine shops in your area with a precision grinder? Take them two shell holders, have 0.005 taken off of one and 0.010 taken off of the other....much easier than taking material off of the die.
If a Redding small base body die won't take it down enough to chamber....not sure I'd want to use that piece of brass anyways.
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
Slow down, here.
Take one of the sized cases without powder or primer or bullet. Take this case and mark it up with a marks-a-lot pen (or similar).
Carefully chamber and extract this round.
Look at the markings on the case and see what part of your chamber is causing the issue.
If you have a case sholder measuring device (RCBS Case Mic, or Hornady Tool) measure the sholder datum position and compare with SAAMI.
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My guess, is that since the case does fit in your gauge, and does not seem to fit in your chamber, that your so-called match chamber is suspect. About the only other thing it could be is neck trim length, and bullet seating position.
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Its a lot easier to take 0.002-0.004 off the case holder in the base of the ram (press) than to take the same off the sizing die.
Slow down, here.
Take one of the sized cases without powder or primer or bullet. Take this case and mark it up with a marks-a-lot pen (or similar).
Carefully chamber and extract this round.
Look at the markings on the case and see what part of your chamber is causing the issue.
If you have a case sholder measuring device (RCBS Case Mic, or Hornady Tool) measure the sholder datum position and compare with SAAMI.
-------------------------
My guess, is that since the case does fit in your gauge, and does not seem to fit in your chamber, that your so-called match chamber is suspect. About the only other thing it could be is neck trim length, and bullet seating position.
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Its a lot easier to take 0.002-0.004 off the case holder in the base of the ram (press) than to take the same off the sizing die.
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
Actually there are 2 rifles this does not fit in. One is a Rem 700 LTR that a buddy owns and had sent off to be worked over. I dont know if the barrel was set back or not on that. Trim length was 2.005" and the case will stick even if there is no bullet seated. I suspect that these were fired from either my LR308AP4 or a the aforementioned buddy's M1A. Known bolt gun brass or brass fired from my Krieger barreled LR are fine as is once fired brass commercially processed from Scharch.
I would not be opposed to pulling the barrel and bolt and sending it off to a shop to check out if only I knew where to send it.
Actually there are 2 rifles this does not fit in. One is a Rem 700 LTR that a buddy owns and had sent off to be worked over. I dont know if the barrel was set back or not on that. Trim length was 2.005" and the case will stick even if there is no bullet seated. I suspect that these were fired from either my LR308AP4 or a the aforementioned buddy's M1A. Known bolt gun brass or brass fired from my Krieger barreled LR are fine as is once fired brass commercially processed from Scharch.
I would not be opposed to pulling the barrel and bolt and sending it off to a shop to check out if only I knew where to send it.
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
If your press will accept standard shell holders like RCBS oe Redding check these out from Redding
http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/compshellhldrs.html
"The new Redding Competition Shellholders are packaged in five piece sets in .002” increments (+.002”, +.004”. +.006”, +.008” and +.010”). Each shellholder has a distinct black oxide finish and is clearly marked to indicate the amount it will decrease case-to-chamber headspace. You can now easily adjust case-to-chamber headspace of your reloads with a simple shellholder change. ITEM NO. 116XX (5 pc. set specify shellholder number) . . . $67.50"
If your press will accept standard shell holders like RCBS oe Redding check these out from Redding
http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/compshellhldrs.html
"The new Redding Competition Shellholders are packaged in five piece sets in .002” increments (+.002”, +.004”. +.006”, +.008” and +.010”). Each shellholder has a distinct black oxide finish and is clearly marked to indicate the amount it will decrease case-to-chamber headspace. You can now easily adjust case-to-chamber headspace of your reloads with a simple shellholder change. ITEM NO. 116XX (5 pc. set specify shellholder number) . . . $67.50"
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
Do you have a diamond file? If it turns out that you do need to shorten your cases more, take a shellholder and lap the top of it. Lay emery paper on a flat surface (plate glass or a surface plate) and manipulate the shellholder in a figure-8 pattern. You will now have a dedicated shellholder. A machinist would have to use a tool-post grinder on a lathe to shorten the die.
The Redding Competition Shellholder sets are neat tools. Unfortunately, they lengthen rather than shorten the sizing height.
I'm guessing that you have some tortured (MG) brass you're trying to work with. Might try a second pass through the small-based sizing die.
Do you have a diamond file? If it turns out that you do need to shorten your cases more, take a shellholder and lap the top of it. Lay emery paper on a flat surface (plate glass or a surface plate) and manipulate the shellholder in a figure-8 pattern. You will now have a dedicated shellholder. A machinist would have to use a tool-post grinder on a lathe to shorten the die.
The Redding Competition Shellholder sets are neat tools. Unfortunately, they lengthen rather than shorten the sizing height.
I'm guessing that you have some tortured (MG) brass you're trying to work with. Might try a second pass through the small-based sizing die.
Re: Filing on my sizing die???
I have used a wet surface grinder and a "Vee" block to remove a few thousandths for a custom chamber die. But the die body was marked as "-.005" OAL" or the proper corresponding numbers.
I have used a wet surface grinder and a "Vee" block to remove a few thousandths for a custom chamber die. But the die body was marked as "-.005" OAL" or the proper corresponding numbers.
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