Help! dents in case shoulder.

[hntnnut]

I need some help, I'm loading for a remington 700 in 6mm Rem.. The brass is from Hornady and has been loaded once. Dies are new Redding std. full lengh sizing dies that have been cleaned and degreased with 99% isopropyl. The decaping/neck expander button have been removed. I'm lubing with imperial wax and not touching the neck/shoulder area with the wax.
Out of fifty cases roughly 90% have denting to some extent. Even with ample wax, sizing is dificult and not smooth. I recleaned the die and no change. Anyone have thoughts on what might be causing this?

Best regards
Richard

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Without seeing pictures it sounds like excessive lube. Have you cleaned the vent hole in the siding die

 

[cnelk]

Excessive lubricant.
Also, do you clean out the inside of the neck with a round brush?

 

[hntnnut]

My first thought was excessive lube. No lube was put on the neck/shoulder area. I checked 3 sets of redding dies, the 6mm Rem, 6.5mm PRC and a set for 35 Whelen and none of them have a vent hole.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Pictures….

 

[hntnnut]

Excessive lubricant.
Also, do you clean out the inside of the neck with a round brush?

Neck of the die was cleaned with a brush before I used them for the first time and the brass had been wet tumbled before sizing.

Richard

 

[hntnnut]

Pics added

 

[hntnnut]

Also I'm sizing with out the neck expander installed as I expand the neck in a seperate operation.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Those are hydraulic dents. Too much lube. After doing some digging Redding doesn’t use vent holes like the others use. Clean die and make sure you get all the old lube out. Not sure if it’s a new die, if it is it could be out of spec.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

This thread may help you out

Drilling hole in Redding sizing die

Has anyone drilled a vent hole in a Redding sizing for if so what’s it take to do it. Thanks. David

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[hntnnut]

Those are hydraulic dents. Too much lube. After doing some digging Redding doesn’t use vent holes like the others use. Clean die and make sure you get all the old lube out. Not sure if it’s a new die, if it is it could be out of spec.

I don't think its too much lube. I use it sparingly and I don't have this issue with any of the other 20+ rifle cartridges I load for. As stated before the die has been cleaned twice onece before first use and again after I noticed the issue. Yes this is a new die set.

 

[MOwhitetail]

I had that issue with Redding dies for my 300WM. Issue for me was too much lube, even though I didn’t use that much. If I go super light and clean the dies frequently I get less of them like that but still some in every batch. The good thing is it doesn’t affect performance at all.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I don't think its too much lube. I use it sparingly and I don't have this issue with any of the other 20+ rifle cartridges I load for. As stated before the die has been cleaned twice onece before first use and again after I noticed the issue. Yes this is a new die set.

Call Redding. Your die could be out of spec or you’re using too much lube, even tho you don’t think you are.

 

[BBob]

What does a fired case measure at the shoulder? What does one of the sized and dented cases measure at the shoulder? If it’s sizing too much it can cause dents in the case like that. If that is what is causing it you either have a chamber that’s too large at the shoulder or a die that’s too small at the shoulder or a lucky combination of both.

But as others have said make sure that the die is totally clean at the shoulder and sure that you aren’t using too much lube.

 

[hntnnut]

OK i didn't have a fired case to measure so I loaded up 3 real quick went out and shot them and heres what I came up with.
3 sized cases all measure .425" @ shoulder, the 3 fired ones measure .431", and my speer manual says shoulder dimension should be .4294".
It would appear my die might possibly be slightly undersized. What say you?

Also I dug out my bore scope and looked at the die and to the eye i appears to have more tooling marks than the other two dies I looked at. The 6mm die has both radial and longitudinal tool marks, the 6.5 die looks more like what you would see in a honed piston with a cross hatched and last the Whelen die appears near smooth with only radial tool marks showing.

Richard

 

[Taudisio]

Back your die out so you are only pushing the shoulders back to .429 maximum and use less lube. I had the same “wrinkles” on my 6arc because it was the smallest case I had loaded at the time. Lubed every 3rd or 4th case very sparingly and it never happened again.

 

[Nine Banger]

OP may be chasing his tail adjusting the die.

I had the same thing going on with Redding 6.5 PRC die and if I turned the die out, then the rounds would chamber with a hard to close bolt. I switched it out for a Hornady FL die and its great. $40 at Midway.

I had an issue with my 450 Marlin set from Redding. I use my RCBS FL sizer and then the micrometer seater.

Redding is overrated or living off an old reputation.

 

[wapitibob]

Get a set of competition shell holders so you can get the correct shoulder set back and still get cam over with the die hitting that shell holder. Or better yet, get a die/bushing set from SAC.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Too much lube. As has been said. Not a die problem. If I was inclined, I could go down to the reloading room and duplicate that and take a picture. But you'll have to trust me and others on this one.

Keep backing off the die a hair to the point the cases chamber with a bit of resistance. Then turn back down an eight of a turn or a bit at a time until they chamber resistance free. Running the die too tight puts more force on the shoulder during sizing and exacerbates the issue.

 

[BBob]

3 sized cases all measure .425" @ shoulder, the 3 fired ones measure .431", and my speer manual says shoulder dimension should be .4294".
It would appear my die might possibly be slightly undersized. What say you?

SAAMI says:
Case @ shoulder .4294" -.008" tolerance
Chamber @ shoulder .4316" +.002" tolerance
If your sized cases are .425" @ shoulder after sizing that would seem the die is too small and sizing too much. Technically it's within SAAMI spec but IMO it's sizing too much. I'd call Redding with your info.