Squeezing base of fired brass?

[flyfisherman246]

I just got a brand new custom built .308 ar10 barrel. I have thousands of LC 7.62 brass that I fully prepped to shoot in this rifle. It is once fired machine gun ammo. I came to realize the brass is getting stuck in the chamber when trying to extract by hand down around the web. This brass has already been sized in an RCBS small base sizing die and the shoulder has been bumped back .005". Still stick when trying to pull out by hand and caused many rounds to not fully go into battery and even ripped a rim off when fired and left the brass in the chamber. What can I do to size them back down? They are measuring right around .470" sized at the web. I'll have to call the smith to see what the reamer dimensions were. Thanks

 

[GrandpaDeadLegs]

What's your recipe for these loads? How do the cases look when they make it through? A few questions before they answer...

 

[flyfisherman246]

Anywhere from 42.5-43.5 Varget with a 178 hornady bthp at 2.800". Before even firing them or seating a bullet, they get stuck in the chamber. I colored the casings with a sharpie and you can see where it is rubbing and getting stuck around the web. There are no pressure signs on the fired casings.

 

[Milo 2.5]

PM me, I have a die that should fix you up, send it to you.
I have to say this though, if your 308 small base die is only taking that area down to .470", I'm not so sure your die is in spec.

 

[flyfisherman246]

Just got off the phone with RCBS, out of spec die. My sized casings are around .4698" and spec was something like .4640-.4680 I think he said. Its amazing how much out of spec gun related stuff you get now adays. At least they are willing to take care of it no problem!! Thanks for the help.

 

[918v]

Ummm LC measures .469” new, so your die would be hard pressed to take it down below that. .470” is about right. That’s what mine does.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Ummm LC measures .469” new, so your die would be hard pressed to take it down below that. .470” is about right. That’s what mine does.

So you stated what you believe is a fact. What is your solution then?

 

[918v]

It’s not what I believe. It’s what it is. New LC measures .469” at the casehead. I have three different 308 small base dies from Redding and Forster.

If you have a tighter die for small diameter brass, like WCC or similar, it’s going to coke bottle LC brass. It might work but it might also cause a stuck case inside the die. Or it will bend rims.

My solution is to get new brass.

 

[Milo 2.5]

It’s not what I believe. It’s what it is. New LC measures .469” at the casehead. I have three different 308 small base dies from Redding and Forster.

If you have a tighter die for small diameter brass, like WCC or similar, it’s going to coke bottle LC brass. It might work but it might also cause a stuck case inside the die. Or it will bend rims.

My solution is to get new brass.

My die a SB 243 with the shoulder bored off. I've squeezed some oversized xc and creed brass with no ill effects. It's a one time deal.
I'd probably buy new brass too, but I think also he needs to figure out why his chamber is so tight, worn reamer or some tight match reamer for a bolt gun.

 

[flyfisherman246]

RCBS told me standard .308 die should be around .469 and small based is usually around .003" smaller than that. Then they have their tolerance built into that of I'm guessing +/- .002" meaning .464-.468". Anyway, I went to a local store and for some reason they had a redding type s small base full length sizing .308 winchester die. I picked it up and now the base is measuring .4687" on the LC fired brass. It extracts just fine now out of the new chamber. I'd like a bit more than the .001" clearance, but it'll do for now.