Thought reloading would be a lot easier to set up, but I ran into some issues and wasted a bunch of brass to try and set it up properly. I`m using a full length x die and fiddled with the settings to get my headspace to 1.626 on the brass and once I resize the brass the OAL is below 1.995. What to do next?
Reloading issue brass shrinks when resized
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Joined
·
492 Posts
Sizing brass
You collect all that brass, deprime it, clean it and resize it. I'm not sure what you're talking about when you describe what you're doing and that it is giving you trouble.
Your full length sizing die should reshape your brass to SAAMI specs (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute specs). All manufacturers adhere to a common set of measurements for all cartridges commercially produced. That way you can shoot just about any brand of 308 Win through your M1A and not worry that one is going to be too long and end up jamming your gun.
Are you trying to shoulder bump your brass by adjusting the die? If so, why? Perhaps I'll learn something here too.
When you run a piece of fired brass into a full-length die, it does indeed squeeze it back into the same, smaller dimensions as it was before you fired it. When you fire a round, the brass expands against the bolt face,and expands to contact and cling to the sides of your chamber. That's why you should try and keep oils out of your chamber. If the expanding brass hits the chamber walls, but slips back toward the bolt due to a greasy/oily chamber you greatly increase the bolt thrust your bolt experiences from that piece of just fired brass. Ideally the brass then springs part of the way back and this allows the extractor to drag it out and the ejector pops it out when the case neck clears the chamber walls.
You collect all that brass, deprime it, clean it and resize it. I'm not sure what you're talking about when you describe what you're doing and that it is giving you trouble.
Your full length sizing die should reshape your brass to SAAMI specs (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute specs). All manufacturers adhere to a common set of measurements for all cartridges commercially produced. That way you can shoot just about any brand of 308 Win through your M1A and not worry that one is going to be too long and end up jamming your gun.
Are you trying to shoulder bump your brass by adjusting the die? If so, why? Perhaps I'll learn something here too.
Joined
·
1,551 Posts
X dies are used to keep brass trimming to a minimum, but you have to do it the right way.
1. Using a regular (non X-die), resize your brass to whatever headspace you want.
2. Trim your brass to 1.995
3. Using your X die, set the mandrill correctly according to the instructions, then resize again in the X-Die. Your brass should have grown a little during this second resizing.
4. Load your rounds using whatever primers, powder and bullets you like.
5. Fire your rounds.
6. Reload your brass again without touching the mandrill settings on the X-Die. After resizing in the X-Die you should not have to trim your brass as the mandrill should have kept it from growing.
If your process isn't something like this, you are using your X-Die incorrectly.
All that said, I think X-Dies are a waste of time for M14 ammo. They are so tough on brass that you're probably going to only get 4 firings total... so spending all that time to keep from trimming a few times isn't a huge time savings... especially if you have a powered trimmer like the "worlds finest trimmer".
1. Using a regular (non X-die), resize your brass to whatever headspace you want.
2. Trim your brass to 1.995
3. Using your X die, set the mandrill correctly according to the instructions, then resize again in the X-Die. Your brass should have grown a little during this second resizing.
4. Load your rounds using whatever primers, powder and bullets you like.
5. Fire your rounds.
6. Reload your brass again without touching the mandrill settings on the X-Die. After resizing in the X-Die you should not have to trim your brass as the mandrill should have kept it from growing.
If your process isn't something like this, you are using your X-Die incorrectly.
All that said, I think X-Dies are a waste of time for M14 ammo. They are so tough on brass that you're probably going to only get 4 firings total... so spending all that time to keep from trimming a few times isn't a huge time savings... especially if you have a powered trimmer like the "worlds finest trimmer".
Joined
·
3,714 Posts
That may or may not be true. Some have reported as many as 15 firings before incipient head separation when using the RCBS X Die:
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/hand-l...s-sponsored-by-diamond-k-brass/m1a-reloaders/
I have no dog in this fight, and currently no X Dies in the house. It is something to ponder, though.
Joined
·
1,016 Posts
How much are you moving the shoulder to get to 1.626? How much OAL are you losing to get to 1.626?
I bump my shoulder only about .002-.003", and I do not have any trouble with feeding or bolt closure. If you are bumping the shoulder .005" or more, you will soon encounter stretching and head separation.
I bump my shoulder only about .002-.003", and I do not have any trouble with feeding or bolt closure. If you are bumping the shoulder .005" or more, you will soon encounter stretching and head separation.
Joined
·
22,885 Posts
I have been using sb x dies for a couple of years now. If you set things up as directed, you should have no problems.
I normally only use brass for 4 loadings anyway and then discard it. I have a test batch of ppu casings that has gone past 10 with no signs of trouble. I would not recommend this, but that is what this batch is doing.
I normally only use brass for 4 loadings anyway and then discard it. I have a test batch of ppu casings that has gone past 10 with no signs of trouble. I would not recommend this, but that is what this batch is doing.
Joined
·
592 Posts
What was the OAL before you resized? How much did it shrink?
Brass was 2.010 ish and after resizing it came down to to 1.889 ish. I'm just going to get a regular fl die and figure from there.
Joined
·
8,728 Posts
Like nf1e I switched over to the 'small base' X die and am totally happy with it so far... Set mine at my Lee trimmer length 2.07 and tend to trim every firing so may be defeating the purpose? Did notice that less brass gets trimmed with the X die.
Have only had one 'ring' show up on a twice fired LC case and also have a 10 round batch of nny brass loaded for its 10 firing to see...
Have only had one 'ring' show up on a twice fired LC case and also have a 10 round batch of nny brass loaded for its 10 firing to see...
Joined
·
8,728 Posts
the instructions, I think?, were to run the 'die' down on a sized case to set the growth limits?
Am not to good at reading instructions but my Lee trimmer trims my brass to 2.07 in my drill press
Joined
·
8,728 Posts
? I would check the die set up mine seem to grow a .001 or two every firing after set @ 2.07
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
