Need help with .308 reloading

[showgun]

I posted this in a different forum but I think I might receive faster results here! I started reloading a year ago for .223 and 22-250 and have learned a lot in the process. I pocket uniform, flash hole deburr, neck turn and get great results. I took the plunge and bought Forster BR dies and a Hornady match neck die for my .308.

This morning I ran 20 pcs of once fired federal through the neck die. I noticed no resistance so I placed a 180gn b-tip in the neck and it slid through with room to spare. I then decided to run them through the Forster BR FL die, I could not get the case all the way into the die. The bottom half of the case remains out of the die with zero room between the die wall and the case wall. This first thing I though of was lube so I re-lubed to the point in which I had a depression and still, the case wouldn't enter.

Is there a step I am missing with these Match dies or is it a sign that my chamber is out of spec enough that the cases are over expanded? The point at which it will not enter the die measures .465 and grows to .470 towards the base. I believe commercial specs show that the base of the case should measure .4709 so I am at a loss right now!

Not sure if it helps but the barrel is not "match grade". It is a factory barrel.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rarebreed93]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

I am not an expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.
The experts will be here soon.
I think you need to readjust your die. Assuming they are clean and lubed.
Run the arm up until it touches the die and back it off about 1 turn and try that.
Reply with your results.

 

[Driftwood]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

Have you tried calling Forster? Do you know someone with another set of 308 dies. It could be your dies just as easily as it could be your chamber. I am trying to understand how you passed it through your neck sizing die and it didn't size the neck enough to hold a bullet.

I don't want to be the guy responsible for you having a stuck case. Check and make sure your dies are set up properly. If you are not using Imperial Sizing Wax for lube now would be a good time to start. If everything is set up properly, I would either remove the expander ball or move it all the way up to see if it is contacting the case mouth and preventing the case from entering the die.

Your neck sizer did absolutely nothing if you can drop a round right into the case mouth. I would check it to make sure its the correct die. It almost sounds like you expanded the neck rather than contracting it and that is what is giving you problems in your full length die.

 

[showgun]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

Ok guys,

I once again cleaned the dies and lubed them with one shot case lube. I managed to run all 20 through the FL die and they will now slide into the seater die. I took the Hornady neck sizer apart and the expander ball over sizes the neck. Even if it sized them correctly, the once fired brass would still not fit in the the Forster BR seater die...

It looks like I'll be contacting Hornady to find out where the problem lies! I still cant believe how out of spec the .308 cases were for only being fired once. Maybe I am just use to regular rcbs dies and the open variation of tolerances.

Has anyone had a problem with the Hornady match dies?

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

Is the die lareled as .308? Wrong die in .308 box? Wrong die marked .308?

 

[showgun]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

I measured the diameter of the expander ball on the Hornady NS die and it measures .308 at its thickest. Can someone confirm this as being right? If the neck is opened to .308 and the bullet is .308 then there would be no pressure to hold the bullet which is the original problem with the die!

 

[Ol' RD]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

This is what I would do. Use a universal decapping tool and remove the ball altogether, run it through your neck sizer and measure your external and internal diameters. Good luck!

 

[showgun]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

Got it figured out.... who needs directions right?

I read the directions when setting up the die and did exactly as it said. After the days chain of events occured I began looking at the parts diagram for the die. The bushing was not put in the damn die! I measured the outside diameter of the neck after a full length resize and it measures .338. The Hornady match grade neck dies give you the option of placing a .332, .334, .336 or .338 bushing in the die for different neck tension. I will be getting the .338 bushing to start out with.

Thanks for the help fellas

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: showgun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I measured the diameter of the expander ball on the Hornady NS die and it measures .308 at its thickest. Can someone confirm this as being right? </div></div>

The expander ball is typically 0.003-0.004 smaller than the caliber measurement (from factory); some will lap the expander ball down a little to 0.0015-0.002 smaller than bullet for neck tension control.

 

[showgun]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

So It might be safe to order a .336 bushing to add a little tention, This will increase pressure just a tad correct?

 

[Enios]

Re: Need help with .308 reloading

Unless you have an unusually thick neck you would be better off with the .336. .015 neck thickness with a 308 bullet figures out to .338 which will leave you no neck tension....