Gracey case trimmer follow up questions

[KY DAN]

I ordered a replacement case holder for my 223 case trimmer from Creedmoor sports.

Upon arrival I inserted a resized case and just like my original 223 case holder it locked up and the case would not turn..... so I retrieved a factory loaded round and inserted it into both old and new shell holder and the fit was loose and case freely spun.

I no longer think the shell holder is at fault, my Lee full length sizing die is and it perplexes me as my cases drop freely into a LYMAN head space gauge.

If this is indeed a sizing die issue could anyone recommend a die that would size to the appropriate dimensions?

 

[Englishmn]

What happens with a unsized fired case?

 

[KY DAN]

What happens with a unsized fired case?

They case will not enter either shell holders for gracey trimmer nor the Lyman head space gauge.

 

[garandsrus]

You are using a full length sizing die, right? Does the resized case chamber easily in your rifle? The die isn’t sizing the case enough, as you suspect. If the die isn’t bottomed out on the shell holder, lower the die and see if that helps. If you are using a Lyman M die or any type of expander, you will need to trim before expanding the neck. The case neck should stick out of the die by about 1/8” or so.

You could try inserting the case neck from the trimming end of the die. It should go in all the way to the case shoulder. That would tell you if the problem is that the case neck is too big to enter the holder. The only other place the case touches is at the case shoulder and the case body, near the end of the die. Add some marker to a case and then put into the holder just short of it locking up and spin it by hand to remove marker where it is contacting the holder. My guess is that the bottom of the case isn’t being sized enough.

As for dies, any of them should work correctly. Any of them could also be out of spec. I have more RCBS dies than any other brand but have dies from 4 or 5 different companies and they all work. Lee has a good warranty on their products and will replace the die if it’s out of spec.

 

[Blue68f100]

Measure the base of the fired and compare to the new. You may be over pressure, expanding the base and primer pockets will be loose.