.308 win reloading problem

[English Jay]

Hi, hope someone can help.
I haven't been reloading that long and I started with 30-30 which hasn't caused me any problems.
I've just stated reloading 308 winchester and an finding the cases require what seems like far to much force to decap/resize.

I'm using lee pace setter dies and resizing Prvi Partizan HPBT Match ammo after I've fired it.
I don't think you have it in the US, it's made in serbia, common in England, reasonably acurate and half the price of Federal, Winchester etc.

It is boxer primed but decaping takes far more force than 30-30.
Full length resizing feels like it's going to bust the press!

I'm sure this can't be normal for 308.
Is it the brass or the dies?
I'm guessing it's the brass, but it chambers/ejects fine so I don't Know.

Jay.

 

[taliv]

you using lube?

 

[Sniper X]

Could be that the firearm it was fired in has a worn out chamber or to much headspace allowing the cases to expand to much. But this usually also allows the primers to pop paritally out so that theory may be all wet!

 

[English Jay]

I'm using Lee case lube (inside the neck as well) it's been fine on 30-30 brass.
Rifle is an almost new Ruger No.1
The primers don't move (that's half the trouble )
The cases are tightest in the die at the bottom of the stroke.

Jay

 

[USSR]

English Jay,

Two things you can do: First, get yourself a Universal decapping die, and second, get yourself some Imperial sizing die wax which is sold by Redding.

Don

 

[Randall]

.308 brass is tougher than 30-30 brass in my experience, it takes more to resize.

 

[Idano]

By chance you're not using military crimped brass are you. I ask because of your statement:

The primers don't move (that's half the trouble )

I had some 30-06 brass where the primer was crimped so tight that on the ones I was able to deprime the primer came out looking like a Hershey Kiss. I ended up throwing out most of that brass.

I if it is commercial brass I would dump the lee lube I find it too thick and either go with either Imperial sizing die wax , Hornady 1-shot dry lube, or the Midway brand dry lube. Before you use the new lube I would clean the die out real good with Hopes Solvent or a degreaser

 

[hagar]

I like Lee products, but their lube SUCKS. That alone could be your whole problem.

 

[chris allen]

chamber and dies

Rifle chambers have a tolerances that they are allowed to have (by SAAMI specs) if you have a chamber that is on the large size and a set of dies that are cut on the small size,it will require quite some effort to resize the brass ,especially near the base where the brass is thickest.

If you look at reloading presses the leverage that is designed into them is not all the same.Usually the more expensive and larger presses give you better leaverage.Therefore less effort require to push the handle down while resizing.

you may want to look into a different press

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

OK, there's another approach...

Preferences for lube aside. (I like the RCBS lube more than the Lee)

First we need to determine where the friction of the full stroke of the press is happening.

Try this:

Pull your resizing/decapping die apart. Remove the decaping pin and or the whole center plug. Now, resize as if you were decapping in the same movement. If the stroke/friction returns to that or near what you experienced with 30-30wcf, then we'll figure it's the decapping process where the extreme friction is occuring.

If the resizing function is still difficult, then you can figure it's a lubrication factor. One thing to experament with is more or less lube on a case. There is truly a happy medium. Too much lube will actually make resizing very diffucult. -Especially with a thick lube. Too much lube- You might be able to see little dimples lengthwise in the case once you've resized it.

If you've read your reloading manuals, then you should know that neck sizing is prefered if you're going to use the same fired brass in the same rifle it was fired from.

The previous questions about whether you're reloading crimped military brass still apply. This is my first guess as to what's happening here. Sorry, I don't recocnize "Prvi Partizan".

You don't mention it, but I assume that you're using a Lee press of some sort.

Not to bash Lee at all.... Especially since I don't know what size press you're using. But there are few presses that have the leverage of an old Herters or an RCBS Rock Chucker press. Not that the Lee press isn't capable, but there are others that make the job a lot less physical.

-Remember, since you're lubing the "inside" of the case mouth, you're going to need to clean that out. In my eyes, you're contaminating an area that should remain dry.

-Steve

 

[Zippy06]

I'm with Jack.

But, I like Lee lube. Tried One shot(Cabela's does not sell Lee Lube). In a spray/squirt bottle. I found it sticky.
Even after soap and water. on 9mm and .357.
Went to .223. Who wants to guess, how many cases, got stuck?
I hadn't reloaded in about 10 yrs. I thought I had a bad die. Lee gave me a new one. First case stuck. But, Lee also sold me some lube. +5000 rounds later. No stuck cases.

Pull the decapping pin.
By the way. Lee sells a Pin and Die(manual w/ hammer). To remove MIL SPEC. primers. I broke one of these. Lee gave me new.

 

[Slamfire]

English Jay: Have no idea of how experienced a reloader you are. As stated earlier, try a different lube. I use RCBS water soluble case lube. It works great and I was it off after sizing. Lot of people use Imperial Sizing wax. Great stuff. I have used Lee lube and once that stuff dries, it is very hard to size a centerfire case.

As stated before the press you are using makes a big difference. I have an older Lyman Spar T press. Thing was designed in the 50's. Does not have compound leverage. I bent the press handle trying to size small base 30-06 cases. Could not do it and was tipping my bench over. In my Lyman T Mag or Redding T-9, just takes a little umph to small base size a 30-06.

I am going to add some advice that I think is real important, maybe you already know this. Go buy a cartridge headspace gage and size your cases to gage minimum. Or .003 less than what comes out of your rifle. Without a cartridge headspace gage you really don't know how much your are setting back that shoulder. On a rimmed case it does not make much of a difference, only case life will be affected. On a rimless case, especially in a single shot rifle, you will find that closing that breech block will get hard if you don't have that OAL controlled.

P.S. I have a Ruger #1 in 30-06. There is something fun about shooting a single shot. Drop the rifle, pull the lever down, and out zings the empty.

 

[scrat]

Ok i got a lee loader years ago. now i really dont use the full kit itself. however the depriming rod and decapper work great. Especially on the troubled ones. I find it very usefull in that respect. As far as the cassing. I kinda agree it almost sounds like you have a military round or a chamber problem.

 

[English Jay]

Thanks guys,
I'll try taking the pin out of the die to see if it's that or the sizing that's the trouble.
I'll get some different lube too.
Not much choice in England, Lee or RCBS is about it, I may be able to mail order something else.
And I'll have a look at the headspace.

Jay.

 

[sargenv]

You may also want to look into the Dilon spray on lube. I believe it's lanolin in an alcohol base that evaporates off leaving the lanolin. It works great for me in rifle or pistol and tumbles off easily.

Vince

 

[ProficientRifleman]

Check your primer pockets

Many military loads have primer pockets which are crimped. This is to help them remain water-tight. Call Dillon Precision. They have a tool you can use to swage primer pockets, large and small. It is worth the money if you are going to reload thousands or even hundreds of rounds using military brass.

Good luck!

 

[uk roe hunter]

a bit of force

I load .30-06 and .243 win. when loading .30-06 i find that i have to have the dies adjusted just right in the press, I also clean the dies at the beginning of each session. They get all gummed up with resizing dies.

Steve

 

[agd1953]

Hi Jay, your not using a small base resizing die are you? What kind of action does your rifle have, lever, bolt, auto?