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Old February 1, 2013, 12:40 AM   #1
kuca_2004
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Hornady Sizing Die Problem!

I have the Hornady Lock n Load AP press and I also have the hornady dies. I am working on 223 rounds and I ran accross a problem. I am loading the 223 rounds with the Hornady SP with cannelure bullets. The problem I have is that when I seat the bullet it slides up and down and I can spin the bullet where the cannelure is. So it seems that I am not crimping it enough...... So you would probably say it is my seating die that I am having problems with..

Here is the thing... I just bought some once fired Remington brass and this is the description... "All cases are fired and have been deprimed, cleaned "INSIDE" and out, full length resized (checked with Dillon case gage), trimmed to length, primer pocket swaged, and polished"

So it says it is resized so I DID NOT put my sizing die. I started putting brass in and ran some through the press. When i seated the bullets they were tight and couldn't move the bullet. So that is why I am saying it might be my sizing die.... Can somebody help me?? I use Imperial Sizing Wax or Hornady One Shot Case Lube in the aerosol can. Let me know if you understand my problem or need more info..
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Old February 1, 2013, 07:51 AM   #2
Bart B.
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This is confusing:
Quote:
So it says it is resized so I DID NOT put my sizing die. I started putting brass in and ran some through the press. When i seated the bullets they were tight and couldn't move the bullet. So that is why I am saying it might be my sizing die.
Sounds contradictory.

Are you resizing that brass with your full length sizing die?

What happens when you try to seat a bullet in one of those cases without using a sizing die on it first?
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Old February 1, 2013, 07:58 AM   #3
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So it says it is resized so I DID NOT put my sizing die. I started putting brass in and ran some through the press. When i seated the bullets they were tight and couldn't move the bullet"

Sounds like your dies,,Or I'm reading wrong ; ) PS Try another Die
Y/D
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Old February 1, 2013, 10:03 AM   #4
schmellba99
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If I'm reading this correctly, you have the following problems:

1. When you use your Hornady die, the projectiles can be moved by hand (spun, moved up or down in the case) - basically there is no neck tension on the projectile.

2. When you used the bought brass without sizing, there was adequate neck tension?

Suggestions:

1. Mic the expander ball on your Hornady die and make sure it is within spec. It almost sounds like the ball is oversized.

2. Take one of your sized cases from your Hornady die and mic the outside diameter of the neck after you run it through the die. Then mic the inside diameter of the case mouth. If one or both of those is out of spec, you probably have a die that Hornady needs to replace.

3. Just as a general rule, I would NEVER rely on brass that has been "resized" before I procured it to be actually resized. Never. Not once. You are taking a gamble with that.
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Old February 1, 2013, 10:11 AM   #5
Brian Pfleuger
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How do you have your sizing die adjusted?
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Old February 1, 2013, 10:19 AM   #6
foxc57
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"When i seated the bullets they were tight and couldn't move the bullet."

You may be over crimping.
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Old February 1, 2013, 10:43 AM   #7
Slamfire
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Quote:
3. Just as a general rule, I would NEVER rely on brass that has been "resized" before I procured it to be actually resized. Never. Not once. You are taking a gamble with that.
I agree with this. If you bought this brass with the understanding that the brass was sized, primed it, put powder in it, and now found the bullets are loose, that ought to tell you the neck was not properly sized.

Maybe some of it was, which maybe why some bullets have a nice tight fit.

The next time you buy once fired brass, you size, trim all of the cases, in your dies, regardless of what the seller said he did with it.

And use small base dies on 223 rounds to be used in gas guns. Many of those once fired military rounds were fired in machine guns which have chambers so large, they use sausages as headspace gages.
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Old February 1, 2013, 11:09 AM   #8
Brian Pfleuger
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Guys, his own brass is having the trouble.

The brass he bought works fine, that's why he thinks it's the sizing die.
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Old February 1, 2013, 12:20 PM   #9
Nathan
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Please post the OD of the expander ball and the ID of the case neck before seating.
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:01 PM   #10
kuca_2004
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Quote:
Guys, his own brass is having the trouble.The brass he bought works fine, that's why he thinks it's the sizing die.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for pointing that out. i thought I made it clear enough that it was my own brass i was having problems with and not the stuff i just purchased.

Quote:
How do you have your sizing die adjusted?
*all i did is screw the die into the press so it is level with the top of the shell plate. than i screwed the needle down to where ever it needed to be to pop out old primers

Quote:
If you bought this brass with the understanding that the brass was sized, primed it, put powder in it, and now found the bullets are loose, that ought to tell you the neck was not properly sized.
You need to read my post again and focus on what i wrote about which brass worked and which brass didnt work right for me......
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:04 PM   #11
kuca_2004
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[QUOTE]Please post the OD of the expander ball and the ID of the case neck before seating.[QUOTE]

I will get your your measurments as sion as I get back home
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:07 PM   #12
kuca_2004
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Quote:
1. Mic the expander ball on your Hornady die and make sure it is within spec.*
What is the measurment u consider "within spec"...
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:30 PM   #13
schmellba99
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For a .223, the expander ball should be in the .224" to .222" range I would think. It should most definitely not be any larger than .224" as that is the projectile diameter.
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:34 PM   #14
schmellba99
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Quote:
*all i did is screw the die into the press so it is level with the top of the shell plate. than i screwed the needle down to where ever it needed to be to pop out old primers
You may not have it screwed into your press quite enough. Hornady's instructions are to raise the ram to the highest position, then screw the die until it touches the shell plate or shell holder (depending on what type of press you are using).

I'd screw it until it touches, then about 1/8 more of a turn before locking the die in position.

It is highly doubtful it makes any difference, but always start with everything set the way the MFR instructs.
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Old February 1, 2013, 05:16 PM   #15
243winxb
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The Full Length sizing die needs to be adjusted correctly. The correct expander ball diameter is .222"
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Old February 1, 2013, 07:51 PM   #16
m&p45acp10+1
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Try screwing the sizing die in 1/4 turn more at a time. It may take some cam over on the press to get the brass sized enough. You are correct in the that it is your sizing die. Not the seating die.
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Old February 1, 2013, 08:06 PM   #17
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As a simple test I would remove the decapping pin from the sizing die and run a few cases through the die. Then try some bullets to see if you have enough neck tension. If you do then your expander is too large. If not your sizing die is too large.
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Old February 1, 2013, 08:16 PM   #18
LE-28
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Quote:
You are correct in the that it is your sizing die. Not the seating die.
It does sound like it, I would call Hornady and explain this to them. If there is something wrong with your dies they will certainly make it right with you.

They are good people.
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Old February 1, 2013, 08:41 PM   #19
m&p45acp10+1
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Before calling the maker screw the darn die down another quarter turn. Lube a case. Run it through again. See if you can push a bullet in with your finger pressure alone. If yes then call them.


If you call them. While you at the press on the phone with them. They will say screw the die down a quarter turn and try it. Repeat till three quarters of a turn. If the problem is then not solved they will mail you another sizing die.
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