I sold some boxer primed 7.5 X 55 Swiss brass that was once fired in one (or more) of my K-31's. Today I received a note from the buyer indicating that the 80 percent of the brass wouldn't resize properly to work in his K-31 after resizing it in his set of Redding dies. I tried resizing several pieces of this brass from the same lot with my Redding dies and I have no problem with them working in several of my K-31's. I understand that neck sizing this brass can be problematic but I have never had any problems full length resizing this brass and having it not fit in any of my K-31's. He said the brass is extremely difficult to resize and is concerned he may damage his press or the Redding dies. I just use RCBS lube on one of the Lyman lube pads and have had no problems running it through my Redding dies with a RCBS RockChucker. Any idea what might be causing this problem? Thanks.
Resizing Brass For K-31's
- Thread starter PCCUSNRET
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 7.5 x 55 swiss
- Status
atblis
Member
Yeah. Lube. I've always found Redding dies to be tight.
tcoz
Member
I'm the buyer and lubricating isn't the problem as I do use Imperial Sizing Wax on the outside and Imperial Dry Neck Lube (graphite) on the inside.
The cases all chamber and extract although the longest ones are a bit sticky. The problem is that I can't get them to run through my Redding die. I have it adjusted to set the shoulder back .002 from my fire formed cases, to 1.800 datum to base using a headspace comparator.
In addition, all of my fire formed brass as well as new unfired brass size to 1.800 without any problem whatsoever. I'm really stumped on this.
Edit- The Redding dies are K31 specific so they don't attempt to size as much as the standard 7.5x55 Swiss dies do.
The cases all chamber and extract although the longest ones are a bit sticky. The problem is that I can't get them to run through my Redding die. I have it adjusted to set the shoulder back .002 from my fire formed cases, to 1.800 datum to base using a headspace comparator.
In addition, all of my fire formed brass as well as new unfired brass size to 1.800 without any problem whatsoever. I'm really stumped on this.
Edit- The Redding dies are K31 specific so they don't attempt to size as much as the standard 7.5x55 Swiss dies do.
Last edited:
Will the ones you are having difficulty resizing fit in your gun's chamber before resizing? If yes, it would seem to me that these are either new cases or they were resized prior to you receiving this brass. I would think that if this brass chambers it would be resized in your rifle once fired. Not trying to talk you out of returning this brass just trying to figure out why it is so difficult to resize in your Redding dies and I am having no problem resizing it with my Redding dies.
tcoz
Member
They do although they are very tight to extract and on some, I had to really bang the bolt to get it open. I initially thought of that but on further thought I decided that if they chamber now, they're smaller than the chamber and will only grow when they're fired thus making them more difficult to extract and even harder to resize...unless I'm missing something here.
If the brass fits inside the chamber of your K-31 but not inside the die when lubed then it would seem to me that your gun has an oversized chamber or the die is cut for one of the older Swiss 1911's. Other than this possibility, I'm stumped.
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
TCOZ, you could send me a single brass round. I use Lee Dies and purchased them specifically to resize 284 Winchester to 7.5 Swiss. The Lee has a very tapered expander which make it excellent for converting. I use Lanolin mixed with alcohol (high %) to lube. I could then see if it cycles in my Swiss. I have a Co-AX to size with. I could then return the round for your testing.
My dad has a kazillin Win 284 brass so it just made sense to convert instead of buy.
My dad has a kazillin Win 284 brass so it just made sense to convert instead of buy.
243winxb
Member
straight-pull bolt-action rifle
Could this type of action allow stretching of the case on firing? This may give a false reading of the head to datum measurement? More shoulder bump or let the shell holder contact the FL die?
Try different lube. It has fixed problems like this before.
Last edited:
243winxb
Member
I remember a rule for reloading in old manuals. Something like, only reload and use brass thats been fired in your rifle. I think this is because the FL die does not size all the way to the extractor groove of the brass. If the head is expanded, it going to cause friction on chambering in a tight chamber.
atblis
Member
The question is not about fitting in the rifle, but rather the sizing die requiring excessive effort.
I have always had issues with Redding dies being particular about lubing, and subsequent stuck cases. I've stuck more cases in Redding dies than any other brand.
I have always had issues with Redding dies being particular about lubing, and subsequent stuck cases. I've stuck more cases in Redding dies than any other brand.
243winxb
Member
Contact Redding, they may want 3 fired brass from your rifle, and the die to make adjustments. But do try different lube first. RCBS. Good luck.
tcoz
Member
I have quite a few of my fired formed cases that size, chamber and extract perfectly so I don't want to make any changes to the die to accommodate a few cases that I bought. I'm going to do a few things to the expander ball and perform a couple of extra case neck prep steps and see if that helps. If not, I'll call it an anomaly and give up.
Thanks for all of your suggestions.
Thanks for all of your suggestions.
atblis
Member
I've always wondered why didn't they design the dies to simply return brass to the dimensions of GP11 rather than trying to figure it out based on the chamber.
Last edited:
dh1633pm,
Sorry in advance for off topic question.
I would be very interested if you have the time, for you to post (a new one) exactly how you convert .284 Winchester to GP11 Schmidt Rubin--Dies, lube used, trimming, etc. I have not run across that conversion of brass in my online reading and it would be very useful to me and others I think.
Sorry in advance for off topic question.
I would be very interested if you have the time, for you to post (a new one) exactly how you convert .284 Winchester to GP11 Schmidt Rubin--Dies, lube used, trimming, etc. I have not run across that conversion of brass in my online reading and it would be very useful to me and others I think.
No problem at all resizing .284 for use in 7.5 X 55 Swiss K-31's. I have done it using a RCBS RockChucker press, Redding dies using RCBS lube. Just trim after resizing like you would with any other brass. I believe the case head of the .284 is a little smaller than the 7.5 X 55 brass but it still works just fine in my rifles. Hope this helps.
Sunray
Member
It's about the camming strength of the action, not the dies. Straight pulls need FL sizing just like semi's, levers and pumps. The problem is operator failure.
Any rifle requires FL resizing for once fired brass.
Not a chance in Hades the brass will hurt his dies, never mind the press.
Any rifle requires FL resizing for once fired brass.
Not a chance in Hades the brass will hurt his dies, never mind the press.
I've resized several hundred pieces of this brass over the past 6 years using a RockChucker press, RCBS Lube (on a Lyman pad) and Redding dies and have not experienced any problems resizing both GP-11 and Boxer primed commercial Swiss brass to use in my K-31's. Once I receive it back I'll try resizing it in my press to see if I can figure out what is going on. Thanks for everyone's help.
243winxb
Member
7.5 x 55 Swiss Case Separation-Parker51
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=507000&highlight=7.5+55+Swiss 7.5 x 55 Swiss Case Separation-Parker51. I bet you have learned a lot since your post here in 2010.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=507000&highlight=7.5+55+Swiss 7.5 x 55 Swiss Case Separation-Parker51. I bet you have learned a lot since your post here in 2010.
Hopefully I've learned a little in the past 5 years. I believe this problem and the one with that GP-11 brass is part of what keeps reloading interesting and never dull. I ended up retiring the rifle that the GP-11 brass would separate in due to excessive head space. I met a retired Navy gunners mate that was able to determine the gun had excessive head space (same fellow that came up with the Berdan primer removing tool). I have since turned 63 and have reduced my Swiss collection considerably (only kept a few that I have scopes mounted on and a couple of the 1911's. I am now only reloading GP-11 brass for my Swiss rifles. I picked up a couple of thousand Berdan primers and several cases of GP-11 ammo so I am trying to get through these primers as nobody else in my family that reloads will mess with the Berdan primed brass. This is why I was able to spare a couple hundred pieces of the Graf/Prvi Partizan brass. I still believe if this brass had been full length resized with the Redding dies that it would have been fire formed to fit that gun and then the shoulder could have been bumped back slightly for his gun. I'm not sure what kind of press was being used to resize this brass but I sure don't want him to mess up his equipment trying to resize this brass. Until I get the brass back and I can try resizing it with my equipment I can't tell for sure there isn't something else wrong with this brass.http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=507000&highlight=7.5+55+Swiss 7.5 x 55 Swiss Case Separation-Parker51. I bet you have learned a lot since your post here in 2010.
tcoz
Member
I'm using a Lee Classic Turret which is the same press that I've used to load thousands of rounds of pistol and rifle brass in the past. For those of you unfamiliar with it, the press has a pretty substantial linkage that can exert a lot of leverage when needed. That's what makes this whole thing so frustrating. I realize 7.5x55 could possibly be a little more difficult than .30-06 of which I've sized many, but this goes beyond being a little more difficult. When you have to put so much pressure on the arm that it raises your feet off the ground, something is definitely wrong. I'm going to try a couple of minor things with the die and primarily with the expander and then I'll attempt to size quite a few more. I'll note the starting case length of those that fail, along with the headstamp since there are a few different ones involved. I'll report back with my findings.
Chuck, I'll definitely hold off on returning the brass to you until I finish my testing which might be a week or more. I appreciate your patience and understanding.
Chuck, I'll definitely hold off on returning the brass to you until I finish my testing which might be a week or more. I appreciate your patience and understanding.
Instead of taking the risk of damaging your press or getting a stuck case just let me know how many pieces you are having problems resizing and I will send you replacements. I have some of this brass that is already resized that I can remove the primers and send to you. If you could just send me a few of the ones you are having problems with I would like to see if I can figure out what gun they were fired in as I may have another K-31's with excessive head space. There has to be an explanation to what is causing this problem and if it is that hard to resize then it must be caused by the gun it was fired in.
- Status
Similar threads
