Crushing shoulders on my 308 cases

[stgdz]

When I first started loading I followed the instructions that said

"Adjust the die until it touches the shellplate, back off the ram and turn the die once more in."

When I did this with my once fired cases I would crush the should of the case and it would mushroom out. I solved this by backing the die off a little and then deprime.

Am I lengthening the body of the case with this method?

 

[45ACPUSER]

What press are you using?

In a std single stage press to FL size you screw the die body down till it contacts the shellholder. Then turn it 1/8th of turn in. This should give you the sensation of camming over! This will FL cases. If you re trying to neck size, then you need to back the die body off! Smoking the case neck to watch how much of the case neck is sized will get you a sense of how much of the neck is being sized.

 

[BigG]

Are you using too much lube? That can crush shoulders, too.

 

[dwave]

I was thinking too much lube also.

 

[30Cal]

If you're using an FL die, you should have a case gage. Blindly setting it (by following the manufacturer's instructions) is not a good recipe for success.

 

[USSR]

If you're using an FL die, you should have a case gage. Blindly setting it (by following the manufacturer's instructions) is not a good recipe for success.

+1.

Don

 

[rcmodel]

If he is using a FL sizing die, he can't be having shoulders collapse.

All it would do it is push the shoulder back slightly and make the neck longer. (Case Forming)

But even that is highly unlikely with a standard FL die & shell holder.

I'd bet money it's excess lube if it's the sizing die doing it.

Or improper die adjustment if it's the seating/crimping die.

rcmodel

 

[Bowfishrp]

+1 on too much lube. I have the same problem with Win cases if I get too much lube on it. Not as big an issue with thicker brass like LC.
Robert

 

[stgdz]

I will look in the lube problem, I have kept the lube away from the shoulder.

Been using imperial sizing wax. The die a is hornady new dimension die.

 

[gandog56]

And if it was over lubing, I'll bet he needs to clean the crud out of his dies, too.

 

[Larry E]

Only a small amount of Imperial is needed to FL size a case, wipe a finger across the lube, rub the finger and thumb together then rub the case body between the thumb and forefinger. Relube fingers every four or five cases. That's all you need.

Adjusting an FL die per the die instructions that come with 99% of them will result in oversized cases that will fit in any chamber. Unless you're loading for more than one .308 adjust the die to fit your chamber. If you adjust the die to push the shoulder back 0.002"-0.003" that should be enough to give reliable feeding and easy chambering. Use a case gauge or something like the Hornady (formerly Stoney Point) "headspace gauge" to find the proper die adjustment. Measure a fired case, then adjust your die to give the proper amount of "shoulder bump". Cases will last a lot longer.

 

[USSR]

...I have kept the lube away from the shoulder.

Been using imperial sizing wax.

Well, it's not a lube problem then.

Don

 

[GunTech]

Just out of curiosity, have you measured headspace in the rifle that is generating the fired brass? Could you perhaps have an overgenerous, or NATO, but not SAAMI spec chamber so that the shoulder in fired brass is moved forward.

 

[stubbicatt]

Have you cleaned your sizing die?

 

[stgdz]

Yes I have cleaned the sizing die.

 

[rjohnson4405]

Had the same problem with our Hornady press doing 308 Win!

Lol, posted on here, props to RCModel for the answer:

Your seating die is too far in, it crimps the brass before the bullet is fully seated.

Link to post here:
http://http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=324842

PM me if you need further info on how to adjust.

-rjohnson4405

 

[snowpro440]

308 cal

i shoot 308 and i solved alot of problems by switching to dry lube . that should not ,will not leave your cases all sticky gummy or crud up your dies and you'l notice how much easier it resizes in your press.....!