Brass is hard to chamber after full-length resize

[Ken61]

Worried about pushing the shoulder back to much

I have done it successfully. I would take a little off the shellholder and size the hard to chamber round, then try it in the rifle chamber. I would keep doing it until the brass chambered the way I way I wanted it to. It took quite a bit of work to get it right. The only thing at risk is a shellholder and even then it is still usable.

 

[Mikecr]

Seems like consensus to further squish brass in a die until chambering works, but that may not be a free action.
There are prices for oversizing to the point of reforming brass with every cycle.
It really is best to determine the actual problem and address that, as it might be neither chamber or die or brass causing the issue.

 

[Critter Picker]

You might double check the case length. Could be too long and need to be trimmed. Shouldn't be after 1 loading, but it's possible.

I would agree with bassassassin . I had a rifle years ago give me fits. Tried everything. Noticed shiny case mouth, trimmed brass,problem solved. Of course I was bald from pulling my hair out. But that gun would shoot!

 

[Mikecr]

Trim length is a good check for sure if never measured and FL sizing.
I was taught to always check for shiny case mouths, every case. I learned that I could feel with a finger for a case that had hit chamber end, and I don't have to look hard, but I do always feel every mouth ejected out of habit. I look at every primer out of habit while I feel the case mouth.
I stopped FL sizing probably 30yrs ago, and always measure chambers, so I don't ever have to trim(beyond initial) or worry about growth. Actually, getting away from FL sizing made everything easier for this reloader.

 

[MagnumManiac]

A top BR shooter once said "a case should fit a chamber like a rat turd in a violin case".
Truer words have never been spoken.

Shootallday,
If you're not willing to try the feeler gauge under the case head trick to determine if it's headspace issues or not, then you are on your own.
Just remember that if you do this, you need to wind the decapping stem up or you risk bending the feeler gauge AND decapping pin.
You already mentioned a case head wipe, has the rifle got a plunger ejector?
If so, does it compress flush with the bolt face?
I do not use these in my comp rifles, it's a possibility that there is a problem with it.

Cheers.

 

[Tall]

I didnt see anybody mention, But do you Anneal your brass? I had issues with my 7mm Remington mag doing the same thing and when I started to Anneal my brass they felt like brand new brass again. just a thought. I bought the Annealeez anealer. love it

 

[shootallday]

A top BR shooter once said "a case should fit a chamber like a rat turd in a violin case".
Truer words have never been spoken.

Shootallday,
If you're not willing to try the feeler gauge under the case head trick to determine if it's headspace issues or not, then you are on your own.
Just remember that if you do this, you need to wind the decapping stem up or you risk bending the feeler gauge AND decapping pin.
You already mentioned a case head wipe, has the rifle got a plunger ejector?
If so, does it compress flush with the bolt face?
I do not use these in my comp rifles, it's a possibility that there is a problem with it.

Cheers.

I have a Lyman shellholder and it's about .005 lower from the base to the top then my rcbs. Even then the web area is not sizeing as much as I'd won't on the nosler brass.

 

[nksmfamjp]

It's this easy….measure 5-10 fired cases base, neck, cbtd.

Size the case. Measure the same cases base, neck, cbtd.

Show us the data. Try turning the die in to shorten cbtd. Try smaller bushing and expander on the neck. Call Hornady if the base is the issue. It likely is not.

 

[Hoss50]

My 22.250 does this. I have to bottom the die on the shell holder, then lower the ram. Screw the die in a little more and the ram came up on the die a little. If I don't give it that extra little turn after it bottoms out the brass is hard to chamber.

 

[Ken61]

Again, take a little off the shellholder or get a shellholder that is made a little shorter.
Just my experience with that problem.

 

[nksmfamjp]

One other piece of advice….dump those Hornady dies in the trash! They are JUNK.

Why?

 

[Mike Matteson]

Possible to take the case holder down a few thousands to allow for increase depth the case goes into the die. It sound like the length to the shoulder is long with the die presently. The case holder stops the case from going in far enough to bump the shoulder back enough. You can adjust the die up if getting to depth. Also need to check the size on the case at just above the rim on a unfired case a fired case, and a resize case for the Dia. There are sets of case holder that do that that can be purchased. Sorry I can't remember who makes them. I think Redding or Lee makes them and possible others.
Back to the case holder. Remember it's only a few thousand to change things. Be sure to be flat across the of the case holder.

 

[OG-danimal]

If you are not far from me, I'd be happy to help by loaning my Lee 6.5PRC die to you. Or you send me some once fired unsized brass and I push it for you, then you can use it for measurements to collect the data to determine what's happening with your dies.
I've never had that problem with the Lee dies. I've loaded a couple hundred 6.5PRC with it.

I'm in the Bozeman area.

Ga6570 what brand brass are you using with your Lee dies? I'm thinking about switching to Lee from FL Redding die for the same issue

 

[OG-danimal]

This is 100% true on both the 6.5 PRC and the 300 PRC. There are hundreds of articles online regarding this topic. Redding has even manufactured specific does to alleviate this issue. The SAMI specifications the die manufacturers utilized in developing standard and match dies did not take into account the amount of length expansion in the PRC cases. An alternative to buying a full set of new dies (although I have four sets of both the PRC's) is to utilize the RCBS match extended shell holder with allows the die body to go slightly down over the shell holder allowing you to bump the shoulder to what you need.

What dies would you recommend for alleviating this issue?