Armory Sponsor
Posted: 4/19/2009 8:46:01 AM EDT
|
I've been reloading .223 for quite some time and am now getting started with .308. I resized my once-fired cases last night and had a time getting the expander back through the
case necks. I'm using the Redding full-length resizer. It has a longer expander than the ball type that I'm used to (Use RCBS with .223). Also, I've polished the expander to a mirror shine. With .223 I always just scraped my finger with a thin film of imperial sizing wax across the mouth of the case just to deposit a tiny bit. This didn't seem to help at all with the .308 cases. They would stick on the expander and I had to really crank on the handle to get the case pulled down and over the expander and there was a loud popping sound as the case finally came out of the die. I then started gobbing sizing wax inside the mouth of the case and things got easier but still not all that smooth. Just wondering if this is normal. I didn't expect neck expansion to be that much harder on .308. BTW: I'm using a RCBS Rockchucker so I know it's not an issue of an underpowered press. Thanks, DOC |
|
Quoted:
I've been reloading .223 for quite some time and am now getting started with .308. I resized my once-fired cases last night and had a time getting the expander back through the case necks. I'm using the Redding full-length resizer. It has a longer expander than the ball type that I'm used to (Use RCBS with .223). Also, I've polished the expander to a mirror shine. With .223 I always just scraped my finger with a thin film of imperial sizing wax across the mouth of the case just to deposit a tiny bit. This didn't seem to help at all with the .308 cases. They would stick on the expander and I had to really crank on the handle to get the case pulled down and over the expander and there was a loud popping sound as the case finally came out of the die. I then started gobbing sizing wax inside the mouth of the case and things got easier but still not all that smooth. Just wondering if this is normal. I didn't expect neck expansion to be that much harder on .308. BTW: I'm using a RCBS Rockchucker so I know it's not an issue of an underpowered press. Thanks, DOC I use only floating Carbide expanders from Hornady. Use a 30 cal cotton swab and RCBS lube in the neck........ Never have a choaking problem............ Jim |
|
I load 308. I use Midway or Dillon spray lube.
My method, Stand the cases upright in a shallow cardboard box and spray. Get a little in the case mouth and a little on the side of the case. Shake box, repeat. Size and tumble the lube of in plain corn cob. Takes about 1/2 hour. edit to add, I am using a Rockchucker and RCBS dies. |
|
Quoted:
Pull the expander entirely and see how much squeeze the necks are getting. If it's taking a lot of work like that, I bet your case shoulders are being pulled forward instead of being set back. Indeed they are. I didn't mention in the original post it but I was measuring each case with the hornady headspace gage and I was getting a consistent .002" shoulder set back with the first cases which were only minimally lubed. I was surprised at how consistent the headspace was because I knew these cases had to be getting stretched. When I started gobbing the lube in the necks the expanding got a little easier and just as I predicted headspace got shorter. Those cases shoulders were set back a full .007" from fired dimensions. I'll take your advice and see how much my necks are being overworked. I may need to get the neck sizing portion of the die opened up a bit, for that matter I could get it opened up enough to do away with the expander altogether. Probably be cheaper just to get a Forster full length sizer and get them to open up the neck portion to my specs. I think they only charge $10 for that. We'll see. Thanks, DOC |
|
Quoted:
I've been reloading .223 for quite some time and am now getting started with .308. I resized my once-fired cases last night and had a time getting the expander back through the case necks. I'm using the Redding full-length resizer. It has a longer expander than the ball type that I'm used to (Use RCBS with .223). Also, I've polished the expander to a mirror shine. With .223 I always just scraped my finger with a thin film of imperial sizing wax across the mouth of the case just to deposit a tiny bit. This didn't seem to help at all with the .308 cases. They would stick on the expander and I had to really crank on the handle to get the case pulled down and over the expander and there was a loud popping sound as the case finally came out of the die. I then started gobbing sizing wax inside the mouth of the case and things got easier but still not all that smooth. Just wondering if this is normal. I didn't expect neck expansion to be that much harder on .308. BTW: I'm using a RCBS Rockchucker so I know it's not an issue of an underpowered press. Thanks, DOC If you're shooting the ammo out of a bolt gun and if you're not dropping them on the ground, thereby dinging in the case mouths, you don't need to use the expander ball and therefore, you can dispense with lubbing the inside of the necks. The mouths will already be concentric after firing. Redding dies come with an undersized primer pin retaining nut that replaces the .30x expander ball. I don't know of any others that offer this added retaining pin piece to use in lieu of the standard expander ball. It eliminates the whole process of having to lube those necks and then get that lube off. If you don't want to go with this method, do as the others have stated and lube the inside of your necks. Good luck, Chris |
Armory Sponsor