Case too tight

[mike33]

So what can i do to fix the problem.
mike

 

[elkaholic]

So what can i do to fix the problem.
mike

The only thing I know is to get custom dies. It seems bazaar but I had RCBS, Hornady, and Redding dies and NONE of them would size the web of my 300 ultra past .550" which was very close to the chamber size. I've heard of people with other non belted mags, including the short mags, that have had the same problem. Check your brass before you buy new dies, but I think that's what you will find. Good luck......Rich

 

[elkaholic]

I found that if you head spacing is a little long with the WSM stuff you can set your shoulder back to fit the chamber but the case needs to go deeper to get the area ahead of the web sized back down to fit the diameter of the chamber, but to do that you end up setting your shoulder way back again and the cycle goes round.
I had to grind a die of also but it was to get the brass sized down not set the shoulder back. I reset my head spacing and I can set it up normal now and only bump the shoulder. Grind your shell holder if you need to that's easier to replace.

Mike.....I just read this from Bign and he is saying essentially the same thing. I tried grinding the die on mine and it still wasn't enough to correct the problem. in order to take it back far enough to get rid of the problem I would have created a WILDCAT

 

[bigngreen]

I was thinking the same thing as elkaholic, you can send a sample of the brass to a die maker and have then ream you out one that would size the web down without mashing the shoulder way back. Or get your head space set to min spec.
Even if you do get the case sized down you would have set the shoulder back so far that your moving a lot of brass each firing so it's hard to have consistency and low runout when you always moving and trimming. I was moving the case head back .010 every firing, I was having to trim every firing and my brass failed fast. I reset my head spacing to .002 on a head space guage, now I can fire max loads and only move a couple thou with a firing and I can set my Redding die to the shell holder and when the handle cams over I just set my shoulder back and just get it sized down.
Good luck, I feel your pain!!

 

[elkaholic]

After all the discussion and recalling my own experiences with case sizing, I called Lonnie Hummel at Hornady Custom today and relayed the ultra and short mag case sticking problems. He was surprised and said that he personally has not heard the complaints but would ask some of his staff? He did say that the Ultra spec on the Hornady dies at the expansion ring was .548" which would be about right to fit a .550 chamber. When I told him about my, and others, problem he said the case was likely fire hardened and springing back to .550" even after 2 or 3 firings. He agreed that the magnum cases are worse for this than say '06 size. He also stated that the only real solution, if this was the case, was to order custom dies a couple of thou smaller. From our discussion, I felt that Hornady, and others, probably built there std. dies on the tight side because if someone had a "sloppy" chamber, you could end up with a ruptured case problem if they were sized down too far. I see safety written all over this one. Hope this helps everybody.....Rich

 

[mike33]

Im hoping i corrected my problem today. I took my gun to a local gunsmith and found my extractor was bad. He was able to bend it enough for me to go back to the playground. Of course he is ordering me one and it will be replaced. I did send out a couple e-mails for custom dies though. What would be a good route for custom dies as far who to contact.
Mike

 

[elkaholic]

Im hoping i corrected my problem today. I took my gun to a local gunsmith and found my extractor was bad. He was able to bend it enough for me to go back to the playground. Of course he is ordering me one and it will be replaced. I did send out a couple e-mails for custom dies though. What would be a good route for custom dies as far who to contact.
Mike

Lonnie Hummel @ Hornady custom shop
(308)382-1390

 

[bigbuckjeff]

After further work, new unfired,resized brass chambers fine. Once fired resized brass is what is hard to close the bolt.

 

[elkaholic]

After further work, new unfired,resized brass chambers fine. Once fired resized brass is what is hard to close the bolt.

That shouldn't happen. Do you have a mic to see where you're at?