That is where shims or "feeler gauges" come in handy, to take up the space between the die and shell holder to eliminate press flex when the die is not adjusted to hit the shell holder, which is seldom the best way to size. OK, just not the best.
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Just a suggestion, but, it is possible shims and feeler gages are not for everyone. I use the feeler gage to adjust the die off the shell holder, after adjusting the die off the shell holder the press, when the ram, is raised is in a ‘NO LOAD CONDITION’ meaning when the ram is raised the die does not contact the shell holder and, therefore, there is no press flex.(no load), until a case is installed into the shell holder. When the case is sized and it is a 6 time fired case it could have too much “offset rebound, jump back, recovery, memory, spring back or snap back” and that is the reason the ‘wild guestimate of a fractional turn’ of the die is such a big part of a reloaders world.
Back to SKIP’S shims, the die must be adjusted FIRST to determine .000, then the locking ring must be secured, after sizing a case and the reloader must determine if less sizing is desired, if less sizing is desired, the die can be removed from the press and a shim added, after the shim is added the die in installed into the press ‘WITH LESS LOAD on the press. Then, if that does not work, remove the die add/subtract another shim or combinations of shims, and I ask “WHY!!!!!!??? Back to shims, it is possible shims and feeler gages are not for everyone.
WHY? If a reloader purchased Skip’s shims, that is OK, when using Skip’s shims the reloader can verify his adjustments when setting up the press, die and shell holder for no load with a feeler gage, I understand the learning curve is different for most ???, but, when verifying Skip’s shims the reloader could realize adjusting the die off the shell holder with a feeler gage is the same as adding Skip’s shims below the locking ring IF THE RELOADER adjusted the die to .000 (indexed) first, THEN secured the locking ring and leaves it secured while adding/subtracting/removing/installing the die with shims. Then there are those that do not get the connection, and that is OK.
Again, close is OK for grenades and horse shoes, I choose to form cases before firing, I choose to off set the effect the chamber will have on the case when fired, I am not interested in firing first to form, firing to form is not necessary, as Jimmy said the chicken crossed the road to show the opossum it could be done, I do not know the limits, I do not set the limits, I am a big fan of walking before running.
Again, I form cases for short chambers, I can not do that with 5 time fired cases, in the perfect world, the reloader would choose new cases or once fired cases, after that the method for forming cases for short chambers become a method/technique for sizing cases that offer more resistance to sizing than the presses ability to overcome. Then there are the die/shell holder grinders, not necessary but it sound good when a problem is solved without understanding the cause of the problem.
F. Guffey
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Just a suggestion, but, it is possible shims and feeler gages are not for everyone. I use the feeler gage to adjust the die off the shell holder, after adjusting the die off the shell holder the press, when the ram, is raised is in a ‘NO LOAD CONDITION’ meaning when the ram is raised the die does not contact the shell holder and, therefore, there is no press flex.(no load), until a case is installed into the shell holder. When the case is sized and it is a 6 time fired case it could have too much “offset rebound, jump back, recovery, memory, spring back or snap back” and that is the reason the ‘wild guestimate of a fractional turn’ of the die is such a big part of a reloaders world.
Back to SKIP’S shims, the die must be adjusted FIRST to determine .000, then the locking ring must be secured, after sizing a case and the reloader must determine if less sizing is desired, if less sizing is desired, the die can be removed from the press and a shim added, after the shim is added the die in installed into the press ‘WITH LESS LOAD on the press. Then, if that does not work, remove the die add/subtract another shim or combinations of shims, and I ask “WHY!!!!!!??? Back to shims, it is possible shims and feeler gages are not for everyone.
WHY? If a reloader purchased Skip’s shims, that is OK, when using Skip’s shims the reloader can verify his adjustments when setting up the press, die and shell holder for no load with a feeler gage, I understand the learning curve is different for most ???, but, when verifying Skip’s shims the reloader could realize adjusting the die off the shell holder with a feeler gage is the same as adding Skip’s shims below the locking ring IF THE RELOADER adjusted the die to .000 (indexed) first, THEN secured the locking ring and leaves it secured while adding/subtracting/removing/installing the die with shims. Then there are those that do not get the connection, and that is OK.
Again, close is OK for grenades and horse shoes, I choose to form cases before firing, I choose to off set the effect the chamber will have on the case when fired, I am not interested in firing first to form, firing to form is not necessary, as Jimmy said the chicken crossed the road to show the opossum it could be done, I do not know the limits, I do not set the limits, I am a big fan of walking before running.
Again, I form cases for short chambers, I can not do that with 5 time fired cases, in the perfect world, the reloader would choose new cases or once fired cases, after that the method for forming cases for short chambers become a method/technique for sizing cases that offer more resistance to sizing than the presses ability to overcome. Then there are the die/shell holder grinders, not necessary but it sound good when a problem is solved without understanding the cause of the problem.
F. Guffey