What at I doing wrong?

[ninosdemente]

Hey guys, just started to resize 30-06 brass for first time. I have already de capped primer with a separate die. Now I have checked various videos on reloading this cartridge, just to follow how to set up the sizing die correctly. Now when I started and remove the brass from press, I noticed I am getting rings at the bottom of the brass.

I have a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Single Stage Press and using RCBS FL 30-06 dies.

I placed the ram (not sure what is the correct spelling) all the way up, then turn the die until it touches the shell holder. Once I feel them touching, then I lower the ram a bit the turn the die 1/4 turn clockwise and lock the die. I am lubing the brass with tube lube on a pad (RCBS). Is this because I am not using enough lube, not setting correctly or beginners mistake. I have done 10 so far. A majority show a ring and some not so much and maybe 2 no ring at all.

The brass I have all have been shot from my rifle so I am only using my brass.

[blackwidowp61]

I get those rings on my 06 cases because I use an RCBS small base resizing die. Doesn't hurt a thing, just gets your heart thudding the first time you notice it. Also an ohmygodiscrewedupagain thought or two.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks for the reply. That is what I thought, "I screwed up". Is this a common thing with any RCBS dies or just certain dies?

[jmorris]

Google “case head separation “ and look at the images. That case on the right looks suspect more than the one on the left, middle one looks good. Guess first question is why they are all different?

I don’t set my dies where I crank them down to the ram and then crank them down further.

I set them to a case gauge or the rifle I am loading for. Any excess sizing will only exacerbate a case head separation problem and that’s more likely than not when you’re going all the way + 1/4 turn.

[5whiskey]

OP, I don't think those rings are anything to stress. Is that federal brass BTW? That looks like a federal brass issue (federal has really soft brass, unless its military contract lake city).

On another note, you can set up your FL sizing die to "match" the length of your rifle chamber. You will likely make more accurate ammo when you learn how to set the die up like this. The method you used isn't wrong, and its in many reloading manuals and die instructions. This is the method described because it is easy to describe and almost can't be messed up. There is a better, albeit more complicated, way.

[ninosdemente]

The brass are Winchester and Herters.

[ninosdemente]

Jmorris, would I just eliminate the additional 1/4 turn or do another set up type such as what 5whiskey mentions?

[shootniron]

What at I doing wrong?

Spelling, maybe???

[FrankenMauser]

Par for the course. Keep on truckin'.

Most dies do it, in some way. The degree to which it occurs has to do with the relationship between the size of the reamer that cut your chamber and how old the reamer was that cut your sizing die. (Newer reamers cut larger holes. Older [resharpened] reamers cut smallers holes. Brass from a large chamber, in small sizing die = extra squeeze.)

Other posters have touched on the topic of "over-sizing" brass. Learn about that when you have the time. For now, understand that the talk about case head separation is not really an issue as long as the brass hasn't been fired more than a few times.

[USSR]

ninosdemente,

The "ring" represents where resizing stops due to the bottom of the sizing die meeting the top of the case holder. No problem, it is natural.

Don

[F. Guffey]

I would like to know what make and model rifle the cases were fired in. One more time, the deck height of the shell holder is .125" and after that there is the radius at the opening of the die and someone should ask if the ring goes all the way around the case.

If the ring appeared during firing and was noticed when the case was ejected I would suspect the sizing operation had nothing to do with the ring but if the ring appeared during sizing I would suspect the problem was sizing related.

F. Guffey

[jmorris]

Jmorris, would I just eliminate the additional 1/4 turn or do another set up type such as what 5whiskey mentions?

If you don’t have a case gauge, then yes, I would size them just enough for the particular rifle they will be fired in.

Sizing more than necessary can to lead to stretching the cases until they do separate, about where the line is on the left and right ones in your photo.

Google case head separation and look at the images that come up.

[blackwidowp61]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but, if you are firing the brass in only one rifle, you can just use a neck sizing die instead of full length resizing the case, saving the wear and tear on the brass and lessening the case head separation issue.

[USSR]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but, if you are firing the brass in only one rifle, you can just use a neck sizing die instead of full length resizing the case, saving the wear and tear on the brass and lessening the case head separation issue.

You can do that for a couple of times if you are using a bolt action rifle, but eventually you will have to full length size it. If you are using a pump action, lever action or autoloader rifle, then always full length resize.

Don

[ninosdemente]

Shootniron, haha, not a big deal. Thanks for offering help in the wrong area though. Lol.

FrankenMauser, thanks. The brass has only been fired once. I just have been collecting brass, still don't have much brass (130) but a good number for me to start reloading and learning the process.

FrankenMauser/USSR, thanks for the info.

F. Guffey, Savage Model 111. The ring for the majority of them does go all the way around. Very few only fade out half way, 2 or 3 none at all, 2 with what looks like a ghost image.

Jmorris, I do have a cartridge gauge that I acquired a month. Wasn't sure about what you meant about the case gauge but I saw a video today in the morning of someone using the case gauge right after it was de capped/sized.

[F. Guffey]

Any excess sizing will only exacerbate a case head separation problem and that’s more likely than not when you’re going all the way + 1/4 turn.

In the perfect world and a go gage length 30/06 chamber the additional 1/4 turn of the die lowers the die .017". The .017" increases the ability of the press, lube and die to overcome the case's ability to resist the cases ability to overcome sizing.

By design the die contacting the shell holder be it 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn or 1 turn beyond contact the die and shell holder's ability to size the case is limited to .005" or as we shooter/reloaders say; ""a full length sizing die can full length size the case to minimum length". That would be .005" shorter than a go gage length chamber.

And then? There are times the case has more resistance to sizing than the press can overcome; when I start reloading I 'first' reach for the feeler gage.

F. Guffey

[jamaica]

Quote: " A majority show a ring and some not so much and maybe 2 no ring at all. "

No problem. That is often the case. Just don't worry about it! what Don says above.

[Dano4734]

Mine all look like that and are the boss as accuracy goes.. All good

[T. O'Heir]

"...turn the die 1/4 turn clockwise..." Isn't needed. The shell holder in the ram, spelt R A M, should just kiss the bottom of the die with the ram all the way up. And you'll still have the wee ring. Nothing to worry about.
Neck sizing only is usually more trouble than it's worth. Moreso, if you're setting up an FL die to do it.

[mikld]

Just to make sure, make a probe and check the interior of the case to check for case separation. I used a piece of wire coat hanger and tapered a point on one end and bent the last 3/16" or so 90 degrees. I feel the inside of the case with the sharp point of the probe feeling for any dips, thinning areas or rough spots corresponding with the shiny rings on the outside of the case.

More than likely though, the shiny spots are just where the die stopped...

[RC20]

Sadly, what the OP has posted is exactly what RCBS book says to do.

Ninesosdemtete: If you continue, do not shoot those cases more than 5 x.

You will get a head separations crack.

Just kissing helps.

Minium shoulder bump back is more better, should be U tubes on that.

Or you can turn the die out trying your shell in the gun each time until the bolt close gets still.

What the full quarter turn thing does is shoves that shoulder all the way back to original.

That stresses the base. That then breaks on firing 5 or so.

Minim shoulder bump back uses a device that goes on the micrometer blade, an insert that indexed to the shoulder and the dies is adjust to bump the shoulder back just a .001 or so, enough to get back in the gun fine, but not stress the base.

That case is sized to the chamber in your gun, it may not fit another one.

[cw308]

Im a bench rest shooter 308 cal . My one an only press is the same as yours , good choice great press . don't cam over just bring the die down to meet the shell holder to remove any slack in the threads . I ordered the Redding competition shelll holder set of 5 , this helps to prevent from oversizing your cases. I use them with the RCBS F/L die . Works really well , on the ring at the bottom of the case , rub some 0000 steel wool around the base an see if it cleans up . I wouldn't think once fired brass would stretch leaving the ring . Can you chamber a fired case ? How hot are you loading ? are you jumping or jamming your rounds ?

[5whiskey]

Or you can turn the die out trying your shell in the gun each time until the bolt close gets still.

This is what I use... the "feel" method. I used to neck size. Then found that you must eventually FL size eventually anyway. Then I learned how to properly set up a FL die to promote accuracy and reduce stress on your brass by sizing just the right amount. It's not the method die instructions or reloading manuals describe. Lee and RCBS give instructions on how to set the

[Wrought]

There's nothing wrong here thats where the brass becomes thicker and it depends on how far you sized it if youre full sizing you should go as far as you can.

[USSR]

There's nothing wrong here thats where the brass becomes thicker and it depends on how far you sized it if youre full sizing you should go as far as you can.

No, the idea is NOT to size as far down the case as you can with bottleneck cases. Remember, as you size further down the case into the web area, you are also bumping the shoulder further back, creating a potential excessive headspace situation. The idea is to bump the shoulder back just enough so that the cartridge chambers properly irregardless of how far down into the web area sizing takes place.

Don