Issue with Redding FL match die

[Maxim0]

Hello,
I’m still new to reloading and have been neck sizing up until now. I was able to neck size(Redding type s bushing neck die) only for 6 firings before it became an issue to chamber the rounds. Tonight I went To FL resize for the first time with a Redding FL national match die and I am unable to get the round to resize. I was Pushing down on my horandy single press enough that my table started fall forward and it is very stable. I set the die flush with the shell holder then backed off about 1/4 turn. I’m using one shot case lube on the brass, and I just cant get it to work. Am I missing something? Or could this possibly be a bad die? Or did I just Wait too long to FL resize?

Really lost on what I’m doing wrong here. My first 1500 rounds I’ve reloaded have shot great but This is my first time FL resizing and I need some help. If you need more information please let me know. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Maxim0]

After searching some more it appears some people have issues with the one shot case lube. Could switching to imperial wax make that much of a difference? I’m a 6’3 230lb guy and I cant Get it to go in the die for the life of me.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Are you getting a lube application on the bottom half of the case? I tip my cases upside down in a tray and spray the bottom half only, a case cannot get stuck in a die at the neck or shoulder, it is the base not going in. Make sure you shake the can good too before spraying.
Imperial may work better, but lube your cases better and retry first.

 

[918v]

Did you break the die in? A quarter turn off the shell holder is too much.

 

[spife7980]

^^^

If it’s not sizing just screw it in until it does.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Backed off 1/4 turn is an OK starting point.
One shot stuck the only case in a die ever for me.
Going in really hard is just asking for a stuck case in the die.
Try a different lube. I use the Lee stuff but any good lanolin lube should work.
Get the lube right up to the edge of the neck/body junction but not onto the neck..
So, Details? Caliber? Double check they sent you the right die.
Maybe a picture of a partially sized case body might help.
Take the spindle out, back the die off 2 turns, partially size, look at the case, snap a picture.

 

[Innovative]

MaximO . . . .

It sounds like you are trying to resize a belted magnum caliber. If so, there is a good reason for your problem. If it's not a belted caliber, you may have your de-capping rod adjusted too low, and it could be pushing against the web (solid part) of your case.

 

[Maxim0]

MaximO . . . .

It sounds like you are trying to resize a belted magnum caliber. If so, there is a good reason for your problem. If it's not a belted caliber, you may have your de-capping rod adjusted too low, and it could be pushing against the web (solid part) of your case.

I'm reloading a standard 308 case, not sure what a "belted magnum caliber" id though. Also I did think the decapping rod may be the issue so i completely removed it. I have some imperial resizing wax arriving today and will update after trying that out.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[Maxim0]

Did you break the die in? A quarter turn off the shell holder is too much.

There is a break in period for dies? Also what do you recommend for turn off? The redding instructions that came with my set stated to back off the die 1/4 turn after touching shell holder.

 

[Kyskeet]

He said he set die flush with shell holder and backed it off 1/4 turn. Redding instruction calls for flush then screw "IN" 1/8 to 1/4 turn to create cam over. He is not sizing the case

 

[Rocketvapor]

Amazon to the rescue?
If he is pulling over his resizing bench going more might end up with a stuck case.

You said the case was hard to resize, going into the die body, not coming out right?
The sizing ball goes through the neck, the die body starts on the body, the neck gets sized down, then at the last little bit of travel into the die the shoulder gets bumped. That's the hardest position going in. Body, shoulder and neck all in hard contact with the die.

You can try it without the decapping rod but it shouldn't cause an issue until it is pulled back through the neck.
Neck lube helps pulling the sizing ball back out of the squeezed down neck.

Apply your case lube and just partially size a case. Take it out and check it. Try again going a little further each time.
When you can run the case all the way in and back out, then try it with the decapper. Make sure it's in far enough for the pin to show out the bottom.

 

[Sig Marine]

You need to understand the process of FL sizing. When you size and the case diameter is compressed back to dimension, it grows in length. As you take the case farther up the die, you bump the shoulder which brings the case back to a headspace dimension for your rifle and chamber. Are you measuring the case base to the shoulder with a bump gauge? Is the shoulder getting bumped back? If so, how much? If not, turn the die in until it’s bumping the shoulder back .002

 

[Rocketvapor]

Did you guys read the original post?

 

[Milo 2.5]

There is a break in period for dies? Also what do you recommend for turn off? The redding instructions that came with my set stated to back off the die 1/4 turn after touching shell holder.

First I have heard of die break in too. Redding dies need to be cleaned before, heavy grease on them, solvent, wd 40, kroil work to get them clean, inside and out.
Is in fact the die you are using say 308 on it? A caliper measurement of die opening and a measurement above the rim on a fired case may answer some questions.

 

[Sig Marine]

Did you guys read the original post?

As a matter of fact I did. Not knowing how to set up a die; "backed off about 1/4 turn", not knowing what shoulder bump is; "I went To FL resize for the first time with a Redding FL national match die" and "I’m still new to reloading" was very clear. Giving a person new to reloading the information to understand the entire process of FL sizing, plus the information that he has already been given about lubrication and expander balls, should help him achieve a properly sized case.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I agree. The lube will probably fix this. Knowledge instead of brawn will help.
"I was Pushing down on my horandy single press enough that my table started fall forward and it is very stable. "

Where would you start with a FL die setting if you were going to bump just a little?
Starting position?

 

[Maxim0]

He said he set die flush with shell holder and backed it off 1/4 turn. Redding instruction calls for flush then screw "IN" 1/8 to 1/4 turn to create cam over. He is not sizing the case

Thank you for correcting what I must of misread. I dont believe this has any impact with the issue I'm having though because the case is barely making it half way into the die.

I'm hoping between cleaning out the die and lubing the case full length with imperial wax the issue will go away. I think the biggest factor is that i only sprayed the one shot case lube on the neck/shoulder like i typically do for neck sizing. After work I will clean out the die and spray the one shot over the complete shell and give it a try. If still difficult I will switch to the imperial.

I really appreciate all the help, sorry for the stupid question. I'll update the thread later with hopefully good news.

Thanks again

 

[Milo 2.5]

Thank you for correcting what I must of misread. I dont believe this has any impact with the issue I'm having though because the case is barely making it half way into the die.

I'm hoping between cleaning out the die and lubing the case full length with imperial wax the issue will go away. I think the biggest factor is that i only sprayed the one shot case lube on the neck/shoulder like i typically do for neck sizing. After work I will clean out the die and spray the one shot over the complete shell and give it a try. If still difficult I will switch to the imperial.

I really appreciate all the help, sorry for the stupid question. I'll update the thread later with hopefully good news.

Thanks again

Motor oil, atf, even a gear oil may have gotten the case into the die w/o waiting for Imperial. Right now, if you want to learn, eliminate these suggestions one by one, clean die, same lube but more of it, etc...
By making 5 changes at once and it working< you fail to figure the issue.

 

[spife7980]

I think the biggest factor is that i only sprayed the one shot case lube on the neck/shoulder like i typically do for neck sizing. After work I will clean out the die and spray the one shot over the complete shell and give it a try. If still difficult I will switch to the imperial.

In addition to the die being raised to high it sounds like you found a real issue here. As soon as that bare unlubed case brass hits the die steel you are going to start galling and youre feeling it now as evidenced by pulling your table over. Lube that brass good, roll it around in a ziploc or cardboard box to coat it evenly and let the alcohol flash off for 10 minutes so you dont have the liquid hydrolics bubbling your brass. It should go much smoother. Then once its sized tumble it clean. Its a messy process compared to just neck sizing, sure, but its necessary.

 

[Milo 2.5]

After work I will clean out the die and spray the one shot over the complete shell and give it a try. If still difficult I will switch to the imperial.


Thanks again

Remember, only the bottom half of your case needs lube, maybe the inside of the neck if you run the expander ball. Lubing a whole bunch of cases fully will result in hydraulic dents on the shoulders from buildup of excess lube in the die, PIA to say the least.

 

[918v]

FL dies need to be broken in. You first clean out the protective lube. Then you lube the inside of the die with case lube. Then you lube a case and run it partially into the die until you feel resistance. You withdraw the case and relube it as some of the lube got scraped off. Now run the case in deeper until you feel resistance. Withdraw the case and repeat until you can run the case all the way into the die. This should take 5-7 cycles. The die is gtg after that.

 

[918v]

As far as die turn out, try between 1/64 and 1/32 of a turn.

 

[Maxim0]

FL dies need to be broken in. You first clean out the protective lube. Then you lube the inside of the die with case lube. Then you lube a case and run it partially into the die until you feel resistance. You withdraw the case and relube it as some of the lube got scraped off. Now run the case in deeper until you feel resistance. Withdraw the case and repeat until you can run the case all the way into the die. This should take 5-7 cycles. The die is gtg after that.

Good news all cases are now resized. Had no idea of the required break in for a FL die. I tried Just using imperial wax first and got the brass about half way in, but still not functional. Then I cleaned The die thouroughly and set it up correctly which still only resulted with about half way in. Then I took A once fired case and followed the break in procedure noted above and it just got easier and easier as I followed that process.

Thank you very much for all the help. Now on to the next problem I left the top off my varget for two days. Room with no sunlight and humidity control ac. Do you think this is an issue? Or should I just try it out and see?

 

[918v]

No problem. I leave the lid off sometimes.

 

[918v]

Some FL dies are super smooth. My RCBS 300WM SB die is like that. Mirror finish. My Redding dies all have a brushed finish. They all required a break in. But afterwards they all work and feel the same.

 

[spife7980]

I’d just close the lid from now on to try and keep in consistent instead of fluctuating with the weather.

I’ve noticed that you aren’t giving any length measurements. Are you using a comparator on calipers to measure your fired vs resized case measurements?

 

[Maxim0]

I’d just close the lid from now on to try and keep in consistent instead of fluctuating with the weather.

I’ve noticed that you aren’t giving any length measurements. Are you using a comparator on calipers to measure your fired vs resized case measurements?

Yes I qc All my rounds at each stage of the process. A lot of it is probably a waste of time but i don’t know enough yet to cut certain corners

 

[Deleted member 10043]