kdrogers71775
Well-Known Member
Ok i might be buying that right there........
6.5 PRC Hornady brass wont size correctly. Dent on shoulder. Confused.....
- Thread starter kdrogers71775
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Do you own a headspace comparator? You need to see how much you're pushing your shoulder back. You don't have to have the die touching the shell holder or more so smashing into it. Grab a new piece of brass and measure it. Resize it without bumping the shoulder and shoot it. Measure the shoulder once more and see how much it has grown from the first firing. Then bump the should back 2-3 thou.
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator The Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator extends brass life, improves accuracy, and enhances safety. The gauge measures...
Last edited:
kdrogers71775
Well-Known Member
I dont have a headspace gauge or comparator. But it seems I'll be getting one soon......
Also......i took my shellholder the the belt sander and accidentally took .005" of instead of .002".
So.......now i have another problem.
When i size the shell, everything looks great, no problems.
But then when i put the shell in the rifle and close the bolt.........DENT. AGAIN.
UGHHHHH
Also......i took my shellholder the the belt sander and accidentally took .005" of instead of .002".
So.......now i have another problem.
When i size the shell, everything looks great, no problems.
But then when i put the shell in the rifle and close the bolt.........DENT. AGAIN.
UGHHHHH
Attachments
kdrogers71775
Well-Known Member
To say im frustrated is an absolute understatement
lyle2231
Well-Known Member
Check out LE Wilson . Uses case gauge and micrometer units.Do you own a headspace comparator? You need to see how much you're pushing your shoulder back. You don't have to have the die touching the shell holder or more so smashing into it. Grab a new piece of brass and measure it. Resize it without bumping the shoulder and shoot it. Measure the shoulder once more and see how much it has grown from the first firing. Then bump the should back 2-3 thou.
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator The Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator extends brass life, improves accuracy, and enhances safety. The gauge measures...www.hornady.com
kdrogers71775
Well-Known Member
Honestly this is going to make me sound like a complete moron. (I may already).........but, i dont really understand "shoulder bump". Or even really know how you measure the shoulder. Or from what point to what point the measurement is taken. Ive never even had to deal with this before.
lyle2231
Well-Known Member
May I suggest….get on youtube and search for Ultimate Reloader, search for LE Wilson case gauge depth micrometer.
After that one look for rcbs P-mic. This should explain things for you. HTH
Hawk in WY
Well-Known Member
Hornady brass benefits from weight sorting. You only do it once.
Steelhuntin
Member
Make sure you do NOT put any lube on the shoulder of the case when sizing your case, otherwise you'll have lots of dimples to fire out.
hesse
Well-Known Member
The question I have is it sounds like you've got an aftermarket barrel if so was the brass fired out of a production rifle. If so your production rifle may have a little more slop in the chamber and so that brass is expanded way more than what your tighter chamber is allow. So you need to measure your chamber on your rifle and then your brass and see how much of a difference there is. Because if you go buying premium brass which ones fired you may have the same issue. Because I have that issue I have two rifles chambered in 264 win mag one with a aftermarket barrel on it and I cannot switch brass between the guns that involved me beating a live round out of a barrel it hung up so bad couldn't get the bolt closed more than halfway
epoletna
Well-Known Member
"how you measure the shoulder. Or from what point to what point the measurement is taken."
Shoulders are measured from a "datum line." But that's not absolutely necessary for you unless you are measuring or cutting a chamber.
Remember this: you are measuring your case in your rifle. If you have an unfired case, measure from some point on the shoulder to the base. It is unimportant if it is not the same point on the shoulder that anyone else uses, UNLESS you are using their specifications. but if you are measuring your unfired brass, then measuring the same brass with the same tools after firing, you have a measurement of the growth upon firing and will be able to establish how much you need to "bump" the shoulder back when you resize.
How do you measure from a shoulder to a base? There are tools made for this. I have several, and they are really only a tube that fits around the neck, has a flat top to measure from, and usually a chamfered inside cut on the bottom (that goes against the shoulder) so you are measuring from the same place every time. I have used tools made by good die makers, but I think if you use a piece of tubing that fits around the neck and has a flat top, and your micrometer sits flat agains the top of the tubing and flat against the base of the case, you will get a repeatable measurement and will know how much your brass is growing and how much you are bumping it back.
Hornady makes a set of these tools, called a comparator, if you want to be able to get the same measurement the chamber maker got. But really, you are measuring the growth, and then the bump, of your case before it is fired, after it is fired, and after it is "bumped".
i hope this makes sense.
Shoulders are measured from a "datum line." But that's not absolutely necessary for you unless you are measuring or cutting a chamber.
Remember this: you are measuring your case in your rifle. If you have an unfired case, measure from some point on the shoulder to the base. It is unimportant if it is not the same point on the shoulder that anyone else uses, UNLESS you are using their specifications. but if you are measuring your unfired brass, then measuring the same brass with the same tools after firing, you have a measurement of the growth upon firing and will be able to establish how much you need to "bump" the shoulder back when you resize.
How do you measure from a shoulder to a base? There are tools made for this. I have several, and they are really only a tube that fits around the neck, has a flat top to measure from, and usually a chamfered inside cut on the bottom (that goes against the shoulder) so you are measuring from the same place every time. I have used tools made by good die makers, but I think if you use a piece of tubing that fits around the neck and has a flat top, and your micrometer sits flat agains the top of the tubing and flat against the base of the case, you will get a repeatable measurement and will know how much your brass is growing and how much you are bumping it back.
Hornady makes a set of these tools, called a comparator, if you want to be able to get the same measurement the chamber maker got. But really, you are measuring the growth, and then the bump, of your case before it is fired, after it is fired, and after it is "bumped".
i hope this makes sense.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
OK, after reading all this advice, here is a simple step to set your die up without a comparator measuring tool.
Firstly, strip your rifle bolt, clean your chamber, (that dent looks like it's from a foreign body), then screw your die in with the ram up, don't tighten the lock ring. Screw it in until firm contact with shell holder. Size a case, clean the lube off and try to chamber it. If it doesn't chamber, turn the die in 1/12 of a turn PAST touching. Size a DIFFERENT case and repeat procedure until the bolt closes with some resistance, then add another 1/24 turn IN. This should give you a .003" headspace clearance. Before ending this, measure the case at the .200" up line from the case head, if scuffing or shiny spots are present after sizing, you NEED to know by how much that brass is expanded…
Let me know how this goes for you, I can help more if necessary.
Cheers.
Firstly, strip your rifle bolt, clean your chamber, (that dent looks like it's from a foreign body), then screw your die in with the ram up, don't tighten the lock ring. Screw it in until firm contact with shell holder. Size a case, clean the lube off and try to chamber it. If it doesn't chamber, turn the die in 1/12 of a turn PAST touching. Size a DIFFERENT case and repeat procedure until the bolt closes with some resistance, then add another 1/24 turn IN. This should give you a .003" headspace clearance. Before ending this, measure the case at the .200" up line from the case head, if scuffing or shiny spots are present after sizing, you NEED to know by how much that brass is expanded…
Let me know how this goes for you, I can help more if necessary.
Cheers.
kdrogers71775
Well-Known Member
Its a factory Ruger barrel. And thank you for the shoulder bump explanation. Yes it did make sense. I was also wondering......the brass i have is used to test fire factory rifles before they are boxed and sold. 3 to 4 rounds are fired the another rifle swapped out , the 3 to 4 rounds fired then repeat.
Is it possible that the brasa is varying so much because its fired out of so many different rifles?
Something just doesn't make sense. Ive never had this much trouble reloading a cartridge for a rifle in my life.
Is it possible that the brasa is varying so much because its fired out of so many different rifles?
Something just doesn't make sense. Ive never had this much trouble reloading a cartridge for a rifle in my life.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
Do you know how to disassemble a Ruger bolt?
With it cocked out of the rifle, look at the cocking piece, there is a 1/8" hole. Place something, a drill bit, into the hole and unscrew the firing pin assembly from the bolt body. Use your disassembled bolt to work out your best headspace with that brass.
Keep me informed.
Cheers.
With it cocked out of the rifle, look at the cocking piece, there is a 1/8" hole. Place something, a drill bit, into the hole and unscrew the firing pin assembly from the bolt body. Use your disassembled bolt to work out your best headspace with that brass.
Keep me informed.
Cheers.
