Thread: Reloading issues: stuck decaping pin, stiff pull when resizing

Hello there,

It's been a reloading day today - unfortunately a bit of a frustrating one too. I've been reloading 7.7x58mm Arisaka, and I've been FL resizing previously fired brass cases, which most have only been neck sized. Almost all the brass I'm resizing is Graf.

While FL resizing, I've noticed the brass case gets 'hung up' on the die, and the upwards pull of the ram is quite stiff. It takes quite a bit of force to get the brass case out of the die. I'm using RCBS lube, and having to use it quite liberally.
In addition, my decaping pin on my Redding die every 8-10 cases gets stuck in one of the brass cases' flash hole. I've never experienced this issue before, and I've successfully reloaded other ammunition in the past without hassle.
My FL die has been set up so that it touches the top of my shell holder when the ram is all the way up, and then I add a 1/4 turn after lowering the ram. I currently have a Lee #2 shellholder and turret press.

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

D

Firstly set up your die height to suit your chamber, not by a wind it down to the shell holder stab in the dark.

Do this by starting well above the case holder and use a case that is tight to chamber on the shoulder and needs the shoulder bumping back.

Use a good lube sparingly.

Imperial sizing wax/ lee sizing wax is a good one.

Size the case and try to chamber, in a large chambered rifle this will actually get worse before it gets better which makes it easy to feel when you are actually bumping the shoulder.
The reason it it gets worse is you start squeezing the body in but the shoulder of the die hasnt contacted the shoulder of the case so the shoulder is pushed forward minutely for a start, wind down the die a 16th of a turn at a time resizing the same case untill you get the case to chamber with light downward pressure on the bolt, you now have zero "headspace" another 16th of a turn should see the bolt handle close without resistance.

Any more sizing than that is risking excessive headspace and while this is not really an issue for one firing of factory brass(unless wildly out of spec) as the brass will stretch just fine but as reloaders we need our brass to last multiple firings and lengthwise stretching must be contained to an absolute minimum or case head separation may be the result.

As for your decapping rod sticking in the flash hole I have not experienced that before....Is it set just low enough to eject the primer?

Some graphite/lube on the inside of the neck might help.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Firstly set up your die height to suit your chamber, not by a wind it down to the shell holder stab in the dark.

Do this by starting well above the case holder and use a case that is tight to chamber on the shoulder and needs the shoulder bumping back.

Use a good lube sparingly.

Imperial sizing wax/ lee sizing wax is a good one.

Size the case and try to chamber, in a large chambered rifle this will actually get worse before it gets better which makes it easy to feel when you are actually bumping the shoulder.
The reason it it gets worse is you start squeezing the body in but the shoulder of the die hasnt contacted the shoulder of the case so the shoulder is pushed forward minutely for a start, wind down the die a 16th of a turn at a time resizing the same case untill you get the case to chamber with light downward pressure on the bolt, you now have zero "headspace" another 16th of a turn should see the bolt handle close without resistance.

Any more sizing than that is risking excessive headspace and while this is not really an issue for one firing of factory brass(unless wildly out of spec) as the brass will stretch just fine but as reloaders we need our brass to last multiple firings and lengthwise stretching must be contained to an absolute minimum or case head separation may be the result.

As for your decapping rod sticking in the flash hole I have not experienced that before....Is it set just low enough to eject the primer?

I can't thank you enough for your help vietnamcam, you've been a great help.

Originally Posted by sneeze

Some graphite/lube on the inside of the neck might help.

+1 dry inside of the neck causes what you have described.

I found the problem... is anybody able to shed some light in regards to this picture?



The case on the right was one of the cases I was having trouble with, as detailed in my initial post. It looks like the shoulder has been 'bumped back' too far (is this the right terminology?). On the left hand side is a case I did after re-adjusting my FL die, this time the die was backed out 1/4 turn away from the shell holder. I didn't have any issues with decapping pin getting stuck in the flash hole and the operation was a lot smoother.

As I'm trying to expand my knowledge base, what has actually occurred here? Is the case on the right hand side still safe to reload and shoot? Am I right to think that my headspace has now been shortened, and thus, would not be safe to fire?



Thank you everyone, you've been a real help.

The left case looks OK. The right case there's only one thing I can think of... You said the decapping pin was getting stuck. My guess is the expander ball was tight or no lube inside the neck, and as you with drew the case it's stretched the neck out, also pulling the shoulder. Run it back through the die as you did the left case and see if it improves.
This is just my guess. Otherwise it's hard to say. But you seem fairly sorted now looking at the left case.

You could save the case by seating a bullet long so that the bolt is tight to close on it with a minimum charge behind it to blow the shoulder forward.

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