Thread: Brass FL Sizing Trouble

Originally Posted by joelhenton

Thanks GWH, interesting... I have a Hornady #19 shellholder which I believe is the correct shellholder for the 6.5x55, though it's not a Redding. We've ended up with the Redding die as a stand alone, not a full set of dies that would include a shellholder.

Regards,
Joel

Some brands of shell holders will accept 308 sized brass and 6.5x55. A few years ago I upgraded my shellholders and now use a RCBS #2 or a Redding E-Z #7 for the Swede.
The Redding E-Z #7 will fit my 6.5 SM but I need a Redding E-Z #2 for my 7.5x55 SR. The difference lies not in the rim diameter but the rim thickness.
The RCBS #2 will accept both the Swede and the Swiss cartridges. It's not as tight in its tolerances as the Redding.

One trick if your FLSing die has bottomed out in the press and you still have not pushed the shoulder back enough is to insert a feeler gauge between the case head and the shell holder. Some shell holders will take up to a 5 thou feeler gauge.

You could try colouring the cases with a sharpie pen as a means to identifying the contact point(s) where it rubs off that is giving the "feel" when chambering.

Go the body die after neck sizing. Then you know your shoulder is right where you want it. To my understanding, and correct me if im wrong but that combo does constitute full length sizing? Just in two half operations?

Works perfect for me. Using the forster seater die my loads are still really low runout after 3 cycles on the norma brass.