FL Sizing Problem

M

Martin Busteed

Guest
I bought me a redding small base 6ppc die and have a problem. I found that i have to turn the die into the press until it touches the shell holder and then add about another 1/4 of a turn to get it to size my cases to where I can easily close the bolt. I dont think this would be good for my press or die.

I was wondering if it would be ok to shorten the die a little? or would this leed to too much body sizing? Any suggestions?
 
Martin Busteed said:
I bought me a redding small base 6ppc die and have a problem. I found that i have to turn the die into the press until it touches the shell holder and then add about another 1/4 of a turn to get it to size my cases to where I can easily close the bolt. I dont think this would be good for my press or die.

I was wondering if it would be ok to shorten the die a little? or would this leed to too much body sizing? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

You're right, it isn't good for the die or the press to overcam it. Hopefully, you haven't damaged them already.

To fix the your problem, you can cut off the die or cut down the shellholder. I've had to do it more times than I care to remember.:( But once it's done, it works as it should. Just be careful not to take too much off. It's likely only long by .010" or less.
 
Last edited:
A quarter turn after you just touch the shell holder without a case is good to go. Will cause no problem what so ever. It is actually a good situation. The worst being the die not touching the shell holder at all.

Hovis
 
Redding makes shellholders that are different thickness' to change how much the shoulder gets bumped.
 
I think the redding shell holders are thicker than standard.
 
HovisKM said:
A quarter turn after you just touch the shell holder without a case is good to go. Will cause no problem what so ever. It is actually a good situation. The worst being the die not touching the shell holder at all.

Hovis
Click to expand...

Like I said above....if this is set up is without a case. Your good to go...Don't screw up a good thing.

Hovis
 
sbindy said:
Redding makes shellholders that are different thickness' to change how much the shoulder gets bumped.
Click to expand...

These go the wrong way. They will only compound the problem. What he needs is a thinner shellholder.
 
Last edited:
HovisKM said:
A quarter turn after you just touch the shell holder without a case is good to go. Will cause no problem what so ever. It is actually a good situation. The worst being the die not touching the shell holder at all.

Hovis
Click to expand...

This is ideal just so long as the press is allowed to just cam over. If it won't, then he can damage things.
 
sbindy said:
Redding makes shellholders that are different thickness' to change how much the shoulder gets bumped.
Click to expand...

They only make the matter worse. I have had several shellholders that have had a few thousandths faced off the top with a mill. This works and as someone already stated the mere fact the die is 1/4 turn past touching is no real problem.

You should however attempt to measure your shoulder set back. if you are shoving shoulder back more than a couple of thousandths you may be creating a situation that can greatly shorten case life and even be potentially dangerous.

Try a redding small base die if you need to make base smaller without shoving shoulder back excessively.

Oops I see now you are already using a small base die.

Dick
 
Last edited:
If your die is too large at the base for your chamber, and you set it by bolt close feel, you will most assuredly be pushing the shoulder of the case back too far. How much is your bump with the die adjusted as you have described? If it is more than about .001", you will need a new die.

Personally, I think that everyone that advises die adjustment by feel, without reference to shoulder bump issues, should rethink the advice they are giving. If you repeatedly bump a case's shoulder back too far, it can eventually cause a case head separation, and at the very least it will shorten the safe use life of your cases.
 
Boyd Allen said:
If your die is too large at the base for your chamber, and you set it by bolt close feel, you will most assuredly be pushing the shoulder of the case back too far. How much is your bump with the die adjusted as you have described? If it is more than about .001", you will need a new die.

Personally, I think that everyone that advises die adjustment by feel, without reference to shoulder bump issues, should rethink the advice they are giving. If you repeatedly bump a case's shoulder back too far, it can eventually cause a case head separation, and at the very least it will shorten the safe use life of your cases.
Click to expand...

Dont know how much bump as I was adjusting by feel.
 
Boyd Allen said:
Personally, I think that everyone that advises die adjustment by feel, without reference to shoulder bump issues, should rethink the advice they are giving. If you repeatedly bump a case's shoulder back too far, it can eventually cause a case head separation, and at the very least it will shorten the safe use life of your cases.
Click to expand...

Great point Boyd. I always set my dies up fresh every time and check what's going on with a headspace gauge. Feel isn't as accurate.
 
Martin

This comes up periodically, and what Boyd tells you is true. DO NOT set the shoulder bump by feel. There are other things that can cause a case to feel snug in a chamber, if you keep running the die down untill it goes with no resistance, you could end up with way too much clearance between the bolt face and the face of the case. (aren't all of you glad I did not say "headspace").

The only propern way to ascertain this dimension is with the proper measuring tools.........jackie
 
martin,
is it your press ? flexing ?
my first press would flex and my redding sb die was not getting the job done. this press had done great in std reloading tasks, but when moving to br it did not work.
i bought my first single stage press( in 38 or so years of reloading).

just a heffty o frame...it works.

mike in co
 
Its easy to assume that by screwing the die down farther, you are
shortening the shoulder to head dimension. You may in fact be reducing
the diameter enough to close the bolt. If you have a small base bushing die,
there are issues just above the neck that may cause this, such as cases
were actually fired in a different chamber(not the same neck dimension).
Case separations are very dangerous to the shooter and can wreck nice
equiptment. There really are a lot of possibilities, you got to know
which way your squeezing things. Measuring it is the only way.
 
Another Thing

What kind of case lube are you using??

I can run a dry case into my full length PPC sizing die aand it will not bump the shoulder as much as when I use the proper lube, which in my opinion, is Imperial Sizing Wax........jackie
 
same SB problem

Martin Busteed said:
I bought me a redding small base 6ppc die and have a problem. I found that i have to turn the die into the press until it touches the shell holder and then add about another 1/4 of a turn to get it to size my cases to where I can easily close the bolt. I dont think this would be good for my press or die.

I was wondering if it would be ok to shorten the die a little? or would this leed to too much body sizing? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

The exact same thing was happening with my RCBS 223 SB die. I could not get it to resize without excess pressure that was on the verge of damageing my press. I put the shell holder in the lathe and took .005 off the face. Now I can set the shoulder back. I fought that die for years, assuming that the SB die was reducing the case to min size. I recentely purchased a Wilson cartridge case gague and the problem was instantly identified. The SB die was not SB!! I modified the shellholder because it was the least expensive piece of equipment.
 
Martin.
I had a same problem.
Call Redding. A Tech will answer your questions.
I have Redding # 77211. A used barrel. Both Sinclair and Redding recommended this die.
I was told, send it back and they would "polish it". You can customize the die, yourself. There is about .005" of play, on the bottom of the die.
Measure the die. 3 times. Got to be precise.
Find some fine(200-600) crocus cloth/sandpaper. Make figure 8's with the bottom of the die. Go real slow. Only remove a little .0005 to .001". Clean the die real good. Put the die back together. Try it. Hope, you are using Imperial Sizing Die wax. It 's easy.
My die works great. On my next Barrel. It will be a Harrell's die. :)
 
Last edited:
mike in co said:
martin,
is it your press ? flexing ?
my first press would flex and my redding sb die was not getting the job done. this press had done great in std reloading tasks, but when moving to br it did not work.
i bought my first single stage press( in 38 or so years of reloading).

just a heffty o frame...it works.

mike in co
Click to expand...

No I dont believe it is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top