308 cases not resizing?

[pj1985]

I have 2 308.win riffles When shot a round through 1 of them, I cannot resize them in my FL dies,only neck size them. In my other .308 win I can FL resize them. Time for a new barrel? The one that has resizing issues is a 1912 modelo I guess it was rechambered says 7.62 on it?

 

[rcmodel]

What kind of reloading press are you using?

Are you using sizing lube?

Do you have the sizing die adjusted properly so it "bumps over " at full press stroke?

Any decent press can make a .308 case into a 22-250 case in one stroke if thats what you want it to do.

rc

 

[pj1985]

Press

Im using a RCBS single press with frankfort arsenal lube and a pacific die. Where do you wanna set the die at?

 

[Bowfishrp]

I have 308 resizing die from Lee, RCBS (small base I think), and Redding and some rifles really make it difficult. My brother has a G3 and this rifle really mangles the brass. Most times I can resize the brass after it comes out of that rifle but I have to resize it 4-5 times per case before I can get it to fit in my case gauge...and yes ALL 308 and 223 brass I reload go through a lyman case gauge because its a pretty good go/no go for whether to continue.
He only shoots steel case with his G3 now.

About the only issues I have now is if the head is marred...and most times in that case it goes in the recycle bucket.

 

[Slamfire]

I believe in gages because you can measure things.

I highly suspect your Chilean Mauser has a huge or misshaped chamber.

One thing you really do need is a cartridge headspace gage. Once you get one of these you can measure the difference in length between cases fired in the different rifles. These gages do not measure “fatness” as it is cut large between the shoulder and base. But it will tell you if the Chilean mauser has an over length chamber.

It will also allow you to set up your sizing die so that the sized case gages between “Go” and “No Go”.

I am unfamiliar with your sizing lube but I also suspect that it is not very good. Cheap spray on lubes and other inferior lubes just are not slick enough for sizing down ballooned cases.

I use RCBS water soluble, Imperial Sizing wax. Based on a web recommendation I tried Kiwi Mink Oil shoe polish, and for the life of me, can’t tell much difference between it and Imperial sizing wax.

So, get a good lube, get a gage.

 

[jerkface11]

Do you have the sizing die adjusted properly so it "bumps over " at full press stroke?

Isn't the correct term "cam over"?

 

[ranger335v]

"Where do you wanna set the die at?"

Set dies so they can do what they're supposed to do. For FL sizing that means to look under the die when a case is fully inserted and see if there is a gap beteen the die and shell holder; if there is, adjust the die down until it's closed.

 

[Bowfishrp]

SlamFire1 that is the case gauge I use...I stand corrected, it is not a lyman but a LE Wilson. Thanks.
I used to have issues getting .223 and .308 to chamber when I first started reloading and come to find out some of the brass I had was badly mangled and some of it wasnt resizing with one pull of the press handle.

I also use Imperial Wax...it has been the best for me and doesnt leave a horrible mess on the brass or my hands.
http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

 

[kingmt]

"Where do you wanna set the die at?"

Set dies so they can do what they're supposed to do. For FL sizing that means to look under the die when a case is fully inserted and see if there is a gap beteen the die and shell holder; if there is, adjust the die down until it's closed.

That is my suggestion.

 

[bigedp51]

When you full length resize your case is your resizing die making hard contact with the shell holder?

When you are at the end of your press stroke can you see daylight between the die and the shell holder? If you see daylight you need to screw the resizing die further down to make hard contact with the shell holder.

When only partially full length resizing a case it is possible to make the cartridge headspace "longer" than before resizing. This means you moved the shoulder datum point forward and the case will not fit the chamber because it is too long.



On a rifle with a tight chamber or near minimum headspace sometimes it is necessary to take a few thousandths off the top of the shell holder in order to push the case further up into the resizing die. The shell holder below had .003 removed from the top of the shell holder for a rifle with a tight chamber.



Under "normal" conditions a full length resized case should push the shoulder back .002 under minimum headspace and chamber in any rifle of that caliber.

With cartridge headspace gauges you can measure the shoulder datum point location before and after resizing and only push the shoulder back .001 to .002 for a perfect fit of "YOUR" chamber.

 

[gamestalker]

If nothing your doing with the die is making it happen, then it's obviously a serious chamber mal-formation.

 

[rcmodel]

Isn't the correct term "cam over"?

Bump over? Cam over?

Who cares.
It's all the same thing to someone who doesn't know what it is when you are trying to help them.

then it's obviously a serious chamber mal-formation.

As I said, you can, and should be able to reform .308 cases to any number of other shorter calibers in one stroke if you want too.

It's not a chamber problem.

Has to be a die adjustment, or die problem.

rc

 

[bigedp51]

Setting dies for your rifle: Minimal resizing.

Begin by turning your full length die into the press until it contacts the shellholder at the rams highest point of travel. Back the die out one and a half to two full revolutions. Find a case that will not chamber easily in your rifle. Resize it, and try it in your rifle. It probably won't chamber easily, so adjust the die down by another eighth turn. Resize it again, and try to chamber it in your rifle again. Continue this until the bolt will close with some pressure. Continue to adjust the die downward by a sixteenth of a turn at a time, until the bolt will close with a slight "feel." The ideal fit is achieved when we can close the bolt without feeling any resistance at all, but will feel some resistance if the die is backed off even a sixteenth of a turn. Each time you resize, and before you fire the rifle, the chamber should be cleaned of lube from cases.

http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.cfm?section=techservice&page=xring&volume=1&issue=2#loadtip

If you use the above procedure and your die is making hard contact with the shell holder and the case will not fit in your chamber then the shoulder of the case has not been pushed back far enough. In this case lapping the shell holder shorter will push the case further up into the die pushing the shoulder back even further allowing the cartridge to chamber.

NOTE: In over 40 years of reloading I have had to shorten only one shell holder and that was for a European made .270 rifle which had very a tight chamber. Neck sized cases would fit the chamber but a full length resized case would not chamber until .003 was removed from the top of the shell holder.

As rcmodel stated it is most likely a die adjustment problem with the die needing to be moved downward.

 

[nitroexpress]

Ditto for me, a Tikka in 7mm mag, had to shorten the shell-holder about 0.003. I also have a 50's 8x57 Husky that is snug fit on a FL re-sized case. If the case comes out too short, I like the Redding shell-holders, the set comes with a 0.002 - 4 - 6 - 8 and 0.010.

Stuff happens, sometimes the chamber is not exactly right, sometimes the die is goofy and sometimes the shell-holder is off. Remember only we're playing with a couple of 0.001's here. I trouble shoot the shell-holder first, then the die and last it the rifle that has to go.

A "hot" load in a max chamber will also cause the above problem. The brass has been stretched (expanded) to the point that it takes allot of pressure to re-size. Some brass is real tough to re-size after it has been hot loaded. Even properly lubed cases will stick. Make sure the die is clean and shiny. Measure the fired case at the case web, expansion ring and at the shoulder, that may tell you something also.

 

[pj1985]

Thanx guys really appreciate your input. Gonna try everything you mentioned.This site is awesome and full of good peps.