Inconsistent/not enough shoulder bumps?

[TimberHunter]

This is bizarre because any typical press has more than enough force to form cases. For example a .260 Remington case is much longer than a 6.5cm case and a press can constrict it without any trouble what so ever. Are you for sure using a full length sizing die? You aren't using a Lee collet neck die are you?

Yup, Lee FL die. The dies I bought didn’t come with the collet die


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[TimberHunter]

I second this idea. It could be that your decap stem is bottoming on the inside of the case.

Before I created this thread, I had hope this was it but tried this and shell holder still doesn’t contact the die


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[TimberHunter]

The shell holder touches the die without a case in it?

Correct, without the case the die and shell holder will touch

At first it was sizing once fire brass ok but now it doesn’t matter if it’s nice fired or 5x fired, shell holder and die won’t make contact and my shoulder bump is minimal if any at all


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[Taudisio]

Correct, without the case the die and shell holder will touch

At first it was sizing once fire brass ok but now it doesn’t matter if it’s nice fired or 5x fired, shell holder and die won’t make contact and my shoulder bump is minimal if any at all


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It honestly sounds like your brass is wider at the base and fire hardened. Thus making it harder to full length size. Check your case length and trim if necessary, remove the decapping stem, make sure you have lube all down a case and press one with some more beans until the holder touches the die. That eliminates all variables I can think of and if it jacks up a piece of brass, it should be diagnosable.

 

[JF_Idaho]

That's really weird. Take the collet out with the stem. That's the only thing that could stop it if the neck was too long (and it would have to be really really long). Other than that the only thing that can stop it is the shoulder itself.....

Might have to hit it with your big purse

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Decap pin is too low.

 

[TimberHunter]

It honestly sounds like your brass is wider at the base and fire hardened. Thus making it harder to full length size. Check your case length and trim if necessary, remove the decapping stem, make sure you have lube all down a case and press one with some more beans until the holder touches the die. That eliminates all variables I can think of and if it jacks up a piece of brass, it should be diagnosable.

I had thought you were onto something with the wider base. Per Hornady the base should be .467. Fired brass is right at .467 and my resized brass is just under .467

My case length is at or near max. Maybe a few thou over in a few pieces. But I tried trimming them back and still no luck

I pressed one with a lot of beans lol and still there’s the same space between the shell holder and die. Really weird, like it hits something and stops at the same spot each time


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[Taudisio]

I had thought you were onto something with the wider base. Per Hornady the base should be .467. Fired brass is right at .467 and my resized brass is just under .467

My case length is at or near max. Maybe a few thou over in a few pieces. But I tried trimming them back and still no luck

I pressed one with a lot of beans lol and still there’s the same space between the shell holder and die. Really weird, like it hits something and stops at the same spot each time


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Take everything you can out of the top of the die so it is just one hollow piece and then nothing can stop the brass. If that doesn’t work, I would take it and a few pieces of brass to a buddies house, that also reloads, and let them diagnose it for themselves. Might be overlooking something simple like 250 savage trying to squeeze in the 22-250 neck and it’s just tight. Or the wrong die completely. A second set of eyes doesn’t hurt.

 

[huntnful]

Just to clarify, the die and shell holder do not NEED to contact in order to shoulder bump a piece of brass. So stop thinking they are 100% in conjunction with each other. Tolerances can easily be off and stacked to where you get a shoulder bump, without the die contacting the shell holder.

That brass is getting crushed somewhere more than likely.

 

[JF_Idaho]

Since you're trying to bump the shoulder I would imagine you have a headspace comparator? Is the fired brass shoulder you're trying to bump longer than saami spec (i.e. the die)?

 

[pbroski]

Take everything you can out of the top of the die so it is just one hollow piece and then nothing can stop the brass. If that doesn’t work, I would take it and a few pieces of brass to a buddies house, that also reloads, and let them diagnose it for themselves. Might be overlooking something simple like 250 savage trying to squeeze in the 22-250 neck and it’s just tight. Or the wrong die completely. A second set of eyes doesn’t hurt.

This is good. Try it on a different press, if you can.

 

[Shortschaf]

Does your brass rechamber?
If it rechambers, leave it all alone

 

[ryanww]

All the other replies are probably more helpful, but Redding does make a set of competition shell holders that are incrementally taller. You may still end up with the same problem, but thought I'd throw that option into the mix.