Handloads not chambering smoothly.

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Ya, it sure could. The bench flexing might produce a false feeling of complete ram travel, or simply preventing it? Come to think of it, the OP should check to see if the linkage is making contact with the bench, thus limiting free and complete travel. I actually had that happen once a long while back, and I've also inadvertently put something under my bench that has caused similar problems.

In any case, for this to be consistently problematic across the board with all his bottle neck loads, I'm putting my money on press or bench interfering with full travel.

GS
 
Just happened to me... reloading for an ar15...
reloaded 300 rounds ... after all the troubleshooting... i was off 4 thousand on the shoulders... so after adjusting the die and resizing 300 more cases... using a rcbs bullet puller to move powder and bullets....
and yes dropping a resize case in the chamber is the easiest way of finding if is going to work !!
 
So, what press are you using Zgunner?
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Lee Challenger Single Stage.

He said he's rebuilding his bench. I wonder if the surface he has the press mounted on is flexing? This could allow inconsistent full length resizing. Especially on longer harder to resize cartridges. Just a thought.
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That very well could be it. I'm using a cheap mobile bench from Harbor Freight with a fiber board top that does flex quite a bit.

I'm still waiting on some t-track to come in before I can mount my presses on the new bench; unfortunately won't be until next week. This new one is in no danger of flexing, I made it with 4x4s, 2x6s and about $20 worth of 3" screws. It's sturdy to say the least.
 
This is happening with five (5) different rifles in four (4) different cartridges.

This can only mean there is something wrong with the set-up or the technique. If it were only one (1), I could see shimming or adjusting the shell holder, but with all five, something is amiss with the entire set-up.

I do not have a Lee Challenger press, it is my understanding that this press does not "cam" over, correct?
Anyhow, screwing the RCBS die into the press 1/2 turn past shell holder contact may be the problem. With that 1/2 past and a weak bench, he may not be able to get a Complete stroke of the press. Similar to what Reloadron just did only the OP is not standing on the press handle like Reloadron did.

I would back the die out to 1/4 turn past and make sure that the press is getting a complete stroke.
 
I dont pay any attention to "kissing the shellholder" or "1/4 turn past" or anything like that when I adjust my sizing die, or at least the fine tuning of it. I just go by the case gauge and adjust by using that. Is that ok? All this flex talk has me wondering about my technique.
 
Depends on the gauge you are using.

If you are using a Hornady(Stoney Point) gauge, then your technique sounds good to me.

If you are using one of those drop in gauges, then depending on how you use it, you may be oversizing the case as these gauges are set to SAAMI minimum.
 
Potatohead said:
I dont pay any attention to "kissing the shellholder" or "1/4 turn past" or anything like that when I adjust my sizing die, or at least the fine tuning of it. I just go by the case gauge and adjust by using that. Is that ok? All this flex talk has me wondering about my technique.
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They chamber and go bang. Life is good and I wouldn't worry about it. Your procedure and method work fine for your ammunition. Be happy. :)

Ron
 
Ok, I feel like an idiot. I got tired of going over this in my mind so I set my old bench back up. Using my Tikka T3 .270 as a guinea pig I set my dies the way they should be (touch the ram, 1/4 turn past). Right away after sizing they fit perfectly in the chamber. Charged and seated 5 130 gr Hornady SSTs to 3.210" COL (no crimp). All 5 chambered perfectly and grouped under an inch from prone with a bipod.

The only thing I can conclude is that my dies were screwed into far and the ram didn't get full travel as someone had said. I'll chalk this up as a valuable lesson. Now I have about 500 miscellaneous rounds that will chamber a little hard, but they still shoot very good.

Again, thank you everyone for the responses and talking me through my lapse in attention to detail.
 
As you learned if you go too far towards the ram with a die you loose the most powerful part of your pressss stroke with the most leverage.

The 1/4 turn rule is sufficient to take the flex out of the system yet still cam over the press linkage at maximum leverage
 
My gauge, is my chamber. I realize gauges offer a convenience for those who don't like to play the size and chamber game. But it has worked 100% for me for many years.

Now as for knowing what my target shoulder height should be, I measure several pieces of once fired brass from the chamber I'm loading for. To get the measurement, I use a dedicated, precision trimmed, chamfered, and belled piece of handgun brass. I place the piece of handgun brass over the bottle neck mouth so that it is seated square against the shoulder, then measure with a dial caliper, and then document that number. Been doing it this way for a long time.

I've used similar methods with other home made tools, but the handgun brass has worked well for me with everything from small bottle necks, to the big boys. And depending on how big or little the bottle neck, will determine what size handgun brass I modify, and how much I modify it. Once I have it dedicated for that cartridge, I place it in the die box and label it with a sharpie just to make sure there is no confusion.

GS
 
gamestalker said:
My gauge, is my chamber. I realize gauges offer a convenience for those who don't like to play the size and chamber game. But it has worked 100% for me for many years.

Now as for knowing what my target shoulder height should be, I measure several pieces of once fired brass from the chamber I'm loading for. To get the measurement, I use a dedicated, precision trimmed, chamfered, and belled piece of handgun brass. I place the piece of handgun brass over the bottle neck mouth so that it is seated square against the shoulder, then measure with a dial caliper, and then document that number. Been doing it this way for a long time.

I've used similar methods with other home made tools, but the handgun brass has worked well for me with everything from small bottle necks, to the big boys. And depending on how big or little the bottle neck, will determine what size handgun brass I modify, and how much I modify it. Once I have it dedicated for that cartridge, I place it in the die box and label it with a sharpie just to make sure there is no confusion.

GS
Click to expand...
If you could, please do me a favor and add this method as an alternative to using a case gauge to this thread where I am trying to collect information about different case gauges. That is a really slick alternative to the store bought gauges and a good description of what making your own tools and gauges is all about.

Thanks
Ron
 
You can buy a competition shell holders, shorter than the one's you currently use.
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Competition shell holders have an increased deck height. Redding has 5 shell holders in a set that increase the deck height .010" in .002" increments. I use the feeler gage, the idea of decreasing the deck height has not caught on yet but one day they will make the discovery. Until then when I want to size a case for a short chamber I will use the feeler gage to raise the case head off the deck of the shell holder, and, also when I do not have a small base die or when I want to increases the presses' ability to overcome the case's ability to resist sizing, I use the feeler gage.

F. Guffey
 
Just ordered the Hornady gauge set.I hope it comes with good instructions. If not, I'll be asking you guys some questions,

P.S. I also ordered a set of Leoupold scope rings for $16,95 and got free shipping on my order.
 
I have tried Frank's method of shorting the distance and it works ... tells me exactly how much needs to be taken off the bottom of the die or off the top of a shellholder...
 
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