300 wsm brass

ce61

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Has anybody else had problems with to thin on the necks to be able to hold the bullets? This was with Winchester brass that I full length resized. Thanks ce61
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-28-17 AT 04:41PM (MST)[p]No.
Is it the brass or perhaps one of your reloading steps that's giving you fits? Some of us could help (if you want) if you'll walk us through what's happening.

Note: make sure your seater die isn't screwed into the press so deeply that it wants to "crimp" the brass onto the bullet. This will make you bullets loose and also poor fit in the chamber unless the bullet is designed for it and crimping is not necessary. If you think this MIGHT be it we can walk you through setting it.

Have you measured the brass thickness or at least compared the OD with brass that works?

I cannot imagine brass that thin when loaded with a conventional die set.

On the other hand, if this is too much info and NOT what you want please just tell me that I'm full of sh!t and I'll move along quietly.

Zeke
 
It sounds like a die adjustment error.
I have confidence that the brass wall thickness isn't likely the problem.

With a little more info, I'm sure someone can help you find the problem.

What type of dies are they? What brand of manufacture are they?

The set up process is a little different for some types and brands.
Some may not always work like they should even after properly following the directions. Maybe a turn or two less or more will fix the problem.
 
I've actually had this problem with my 300WSM too. I'm sure it's something I'm not doing right, but because I have hunts coming up that I need the loads for now, I'm just buying new Nosler brass. But at some point I would like to resolve it. I'm using both Hornady and RCBS dies. I really cant't tell whether using one or the makes any notable difference. The brass that I was having the issues with was both Winchester and Federal.
 
My first guess would be that the expander ball stem needs adjusted slightly, so that it is passing down through the neck at the right moment, when the neck is engaged into the throat of the resizing die.
The expander ball stem could also require a good polishing.
If you remove the stem and Chuck it in a drill, a good rouphing with 320gr. sand paper followed by a thorough polish with 0000 steel wool will remove a thou or few and tighten the sizing of the neck.

A quick mic of before and after diameter of the resizing ball and the brass neck inner will probably get it doing what you need.
Size three pieces of brass before as a control.
Then check progress after the polish.
If necessary the process can be repeated.
Just use steel wool only for second or third polishing.

I polish all my stems to smooth the process up and have had some that were pretty rough.
Hope this helps.
I do not load 300 wsm and have not heard of this problem from anyone else that does. But have had similar trouble with some REM. 260 years ago.
 
I can take a case and full length resize it without the expander ball. And the bullet will slip into the case. I think the brass in the neck area of the case is to thin. I also tried a neck sizing die and had the same results with this brass. Not trying to figure out what I did wrong, just wondering if any one else has seen this. Thanks for the replies, ce61
 
I've never heard of brass that thin....even after I've outside turned the necks too much.
I'd have said the sizing die is out of spec's but you said you've tried it in more than one die so probably you can rule that out.
Somethings weird for sure.
Sorry for your issues man!
Zeke
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-29-17 AT 07:48PM (MST)[p]The issues I have experience with were all sorted with a small adjustment of some kind.

Don't think I can help you with this one.
 
Something is way off here man!

Sized 30 caliber brass should measure about 333-335 on the OUTSIDE of sized brass. You're saying it measures that on the INSIDE?

Zeke
 
> the sized brass measures .337
>on the neck and a
>.308 bullet slides right in.
>ce61

.337 might not be much bullet tension even with an OD measurement.

I've loaded with .335 OD and no expander ball and the bullet just presses in without much tension.

.333 +/- is more like what most guys shoot for. Either your expander button is too large or the die is cut wrong..... or your brass is too thin (which I doubt). LOL

Zeke
 
Take the decapper/expander button out and size your brass and then check the OD. That should be revealing.
 
.337 is the O.D. of the neck without using the expander ball. Full length resize, no expander ball used, taken out. ce61
 
That's too big for a sizer to only get the necks back down to .337".

.335 is very little neck tension and .333 +/- is more like what you should expect.

I'll bet your die is bad since your .337 OD has nothing to do with brass thickness and everything to do with the sizer die.

I'll go home tonight and remove my expander ball, do just what you did, and then measure the OD.

Zeke
 
I have seen this problem when using neck-turned brass in my 270 WSM. I only removed about .001" and now the die (Forster F/L) is not touching the necks. So I use a Redding neck bushing die to get proper neck tension. When this batch of brass wears out I'll look for some with thicker walls or just keep neck sizing.

I use Redding bushing dies for my 300 win and I believe its a .333" bushing that works best for my Norma brass. .337 is big. Is it possible that this die was honed out by a previous owner?
 
I measure brass sized with and without expander button.
With measures .334"
Without measures .3325"
That's 4.5 thousandth tighter than your sized. Huge difference.
We're talking OD here so brass thickness would have no bearing on that measurement but just for interest sake, I outside turn all my 300 WSM
Zeke
 
Thanks for measuring this for me Zeke. The dies are RCBS that I bought new. Will give them a call and see what they think. ce61
 

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