• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Issues reloading .300WM

GreenBlood10

Lead Farmer
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 27, 2012
193
14
Spring Grove, Pa
Using a Forster Co-Ax press along with a Redding Type-S bushing style full length resizing die with bushing. I have the die adjusted as far down as I can and it isn't moving the shoulder. Attempting to move fired brass from 2.270" to 2.267." This is my first time reloading for this caliber. Using once fired brass from Applied Ballistics Munitions. Am I missing something?
 
Try taken out the bushing and decap pin and try to use it as a body die. Try that out see what happens. Also was the brass bought once fied or new box of ammo fired in your gun?
 
I use the same die on my 300wm and I don't have any issues bumping the shoulder. Off the top of my head:

A. Are you trying to bump beyond SAMMI specs? They won't do that, if you are.

B. Is your decapping rod or pin making contact inside the shell somewhere and preventing the die fro doing the work?

C. Did you put any lube on your expander ball or on the inside of the case necks? I've heard that the expander ball can actually pull the neck back up without lube.

I 'second' culater's suggestion. Aside from the 3 scenarios I listed, an out of spec die is about the only other possibility I can think of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sendit6.5 Thanks for the reply. The once fired brass is measuring 2.270" from the cartridge base to the datum line. I am attempting to bump that back to 2.267." I believe that is well within SAMMI spec based on my measurement of factory ammunition. Since I deprime in a separate step, I do not have the decapping pin in place and the rod is up as far as it will go. As far as lube goes, I have applied a light amount on the inside of the case mouth using a q-tip. I have used the same style die to reload for my 6.5 Creedmoor and didn't have this issue. It's almost like the base of the die needs to be shaved off a tad. I'll give Redding a call tomorrow morning to see if they have any insight.

culater I will give that a try this afternoon. The brass was new AB Ammo, once fired out of my rifle. Unfortunately, when I insert the fire formed brass into the chamber, the bolt will not close with out a significant amount of force.
 
Sendit6.5 Thanks for the reply. The once fired brass is measuring 2.270" from the cartridge base to the datum line. I am attempting to bump that back to 2.267." I believe that is well within SAMMI spec based on my measurement of factory ammunition. Since I deprime in a separate step, I do not have the decapping pin in place and the rod is up as far as it will go. As far as lube goes, I have applied a light amount on the inside of the case mouth using a q-tip. I have used the same style die to reload for my 6.5 Creedmoor and didn't have this issue. It's almost like the base of the die needs to be shaved off a tad. I'll give Redding a call tomorrow morning to see if they have any insight.

culater I will give that a try this afternoon. The brass was new AB Ammo, once fired out of my rifle. Unfortunately, when I insert the fire formed brass into the chamber, the bolt will not close with out a significant amount of force.

Keep us updated. Inquiring minds want to know.

Good luck with Redding. I've called them twice to ask questions and the "tech guy" was an absolute retard that was the typical east coast jerk with attitude. Hope you have better luck. Sure sounds to me like you have an out-of-spec die.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Keep us updated. Inquiring minds want to know.

Good luck with Redding. I've called them twice to ask questions and the "tech guy" was an absolute retard that was the typical east coast jerk with attitude. Hope you have better luck. Sure sounds to me like you have an out-of-spec die.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, I called Redding at lunch today. The guy I spoke with was nice but wasn't able to give me any clue as to what it might be. Told me to mail it back to Redding with 4 or 5 of my fired cases and they would try to diagnose it. Saga continues.
 
Does a coax use a standard shellholder? You could take some wetsand paper & oil on a flat surface and take a little off the shellholder. Otherwise you could do the same to the die.
 
Does a coax use a standard shellholder? You could take some wetsand paper & oil on a flat surface and take a little off the shellholder. Otherwise you could do the same to the die.

It can be converted to shell holder use, but stock they use a retractable jaw setup.
 
A little update. I contacted the gunsmith that built my .300WM, as he's a very experienced reloader, and after doing some digging it sounds like this is a common issue with this die/press combo. He informed me after canvassing a few of his friends and customers that a few of them reported the same issue that I'm having when it involves larger calibers like .300WM and .338 RUM and the Redding die/Forster press combo. They reported that the issue went away once the die was shortened by .010" or so on a lathe. He offered to throw it on his lathe for me next week so hopefully that'll fix it.
 
A little update. I contacted the gunsmith that built my .300WM, as he's a very experienced reloader, and after doing some digging it sounds like this is a common issue with this die/press combo. He informed me after canvassing a few of his friends and customers that a few of them reported the same issue that I'm having when it involves larger calibers like .300WM and .338 RUM and the Redding die/Forster press combo. They reported that the issue went away once the die was shortened by .010" or so on a lathe. He offered to throw it on his lathe for me next week so hopefully that'll fix it.

Status? I have the same press and a 300wm I will be loading for once I have made all my virgin brass "once-fired". I have a Redding bushing neck size die but have learned that won't work more than a couple firings. I was going to get a Type S full length die and noticed this thead. I am interested to see the outcome of trimming the die.

Have you tried one of the Innovative Technology (Larry Willis) collet dies?
http://www.larrywillis.com/mainpage.html
 
Status? I have the same press and a 300wm I will be loading for once I have made all my virgin brass "once-fired". I have a Redding bushing neck size die but have learned that won't work more than a couple firings. I was going to get a Type S full length die and noticed this thead. I am interested to see the outcome of trimming the die.

Have you tried one of the Innovative Technology (Larry Willis) collet dies?
http://www.larrywillis.com/mainpage.html

I do have an update actually. I took the die over to my gunsmiths and he took 15 thousandths of an inch off the die base. Went home and threw it in the press and voila. Works perfectly now.

I do not have one of Larry Willis’ dies yet but it’s on my list. I have 200 pieces of once fired brass to play with so I figured I could get one more firing out of them before the collet die will be needed.
 
I also have an update. I got the collet die in and in order to properly use it I will either have to get the shell holder adapter or a used, decent press as the bottom of the die contacts the screws of the jaw plate before the case/collet is all the way into the die to size it enough. I'll post pictures after the holiday.
 
I use the Redding Type S Match bushing 3 die set and have had 0 issues sizing 300WM in my Forster press. I have sized Federal, Norma and a little Remington brass. I do have a Larry Willis sizing die and was unable to use in the Forster so I pick up an RCBS Ammo Master 2 press and works great.
 
Here's the collet die in my Forster.
37794740235_cfa831b83a_c.jpg


Interference between die and shellholder jaw plate holddown screws:
38626008836_a3f5d201dd_c.jpg


 
I had the exact same problem, re: interference between the hold down plate screws on my Forster CoAx and the Larry Willis die. The shellholder adapter for the CoAx "fixes" the problem, but leaves the press handle in a less-than-ideal position for optimum leverage. I ended up using a cheater bar on the press handle, and sure as shit, I bent it (my press handle).

Looking at the design of the Willis die, I don't see a way that it could be easily modified to work in the CoAx. I think that the next time I break out the Willis die, I'm just going to have to use a more conventional press.
 
Last edited:
Use liberal amounts of imperial sizing wax when you start using the LW die. I used it with 257 Wby brass that was difficult to even chamber. I got a few stuck until the die wore in. Make sure every ten or so you clean the grooves in the collet so it can expand and contract as needed. I use a small dental pick to get it out. Mine works like a champ now, the sides of the collet look mirror polished after use. I don't go through as much wax any more.

Just a few tips for the die..

SHM

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 
I see 3 options to remedy this issue:
- trim the screw heads to clear the die lower flange - this could work as the screws are not providing much downward pressure. They are more locating the shellholders.
- grind clearance notches in the lower flange of the die to clear the screw heads. Combine this with matchmarks on the die and press and this should locate the die in the same place each time. Currently, this is where I think I am going first as it really doesn't affect die function or strength and leaves me open to other options.

- Buy another, conventional press. Hmmmmmm .... drilling and tapping more 5/16 holes in the steel sandwich plates on my bench. Ughhh
 
- grind clearance notches in the lower flange of the die to clear the screw heads. Combine this with matchmarks on the die and press and this should locate the die in the same place each time. Currently, this is where I think I am going first as it really doesn't affect die function or strength and leaves me open to other options.

I considered this option as well, but I still don't think that there will be enough clearance between the shellholder and the bottom flange of the die. I suppose that you could combine clearance notches (for the shellholder screws) with the removal of some material from the bottom of that flange, but at that point you may run into issue impeding the function of the die. Also, I suppose that you could remove some material from the top of the flange so that in could be raised relative to the shellholder at full height.

I have a conventional Hornady single stage press that I bought to do some brass forming (with the Whidden hydraulic forming die), so I think that's what I'm going to use for the LW die. One suggestion I have is rather than drilling additional mounting holes in your bench, what about building a steel mount that you could clamp in a bench vise? Think of it as a "T" shape, with the top bar being the surface to which the press is mounted, and the vertical bar being the bit that gets clamped in the vise. It wouldn't be the sturdiest/most stable setup, but for something like running the LW die it ought to get the job done.
 
Well, I opted for the first option listed and filed about 1/3 of the screw heads off so that the missing portions face toward center. I figured new screws would be cheaper than another die or a new press, even a used one. Works like a CHAMP. Brass that wouldn't seat in the top of the die dropped right in after sizing.

Screws as filed:
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/farm5.staticflickr.com\/4576\/37988854294_e7dd6da25d_c.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Press fully up with brass in the collet & shellholder jaws:
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/farm5.staticflickr.com\/4541\/38650641596_0f5d3991cc_c.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Brass before sizing in the top of the die:
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/farm5.staticflickr.com\/4536\/37988858314_3525bc5fd9_c.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Same piece of brass after collet sizing:
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/farm5.staticflickr.com\/4568\/26932148069_39e845cc5b_c.jpg"}[/IMG2]
 
Well, I opted for the first option listed and filed about 1/3 of the screw heads off so that the missing portions face toward center. I figured new screws would be cheaper than another die or a new press, even a used one. Works like a CHAMP. Brass that wouldn't seat in the top of the die dropped right in after sizing.

Interesting... thanks for making the trial run on this!