Hornady Die Won’t Bump Shoulder Beyond 0

[Mike Matteson]

I have a .30 06 Hornady New Dimension Die set and no matter how far I screw the die into the press it will not bump the shoulder beyond 0.00. I have a RCBS die set and to get it to 0.02 bump I have to screw it in so far the press handle goes a little further than half way.

Am I doing something wrong?

Oh and the once fired brass chambered perfectly today at the range after full length resizing even though I wasn't able to bump the shoulder back beyond 0.00 measured with a Hornady headspace comparator tool against another piece of once fired brass.

I have a question? Are you using SAAMI as the measurement? There wouldn't be any bump back is using SAAMI dimension and using a FL sizing die. The bump would come after fire case length, checking the length of them fire case. The bumping comes from reducing the length of that fired case at the shoulder by .02 from that chamber length. SAAMI length is a standard for all cases to use in any rifle of that the case is sized for, not yours. Because you are custom sizing your case for your rife not anybody elses. That how I am reading this. I probable wrong but that what I see here.

 

[jerry moore]

Thats kinda right, but why not do it right. And definitely dont go by rcbs instructions, turn die down till it has a cam over. Which is completely wrong.
You need to measure your fired brass with a Hornady headspace comparator and set your die up to only bump the shoulder back 2 thou from fired, for bolt rifles. With all rifle brass, including belted mags. Your brass will last longer and your ammo will be more accurate. Factory ammo is bumped back 8 to 15 thou usually so it fits in all rifles. No reason to do that in rounds made for a specific rifle. Semi-auto's bump the shoulder 3 to 5 thou.
Over sizing cases is the main reason people have case head separation and then they want to blame the belt. Once you set the headspace on a belted mag treat it as any other cartridge and set the die up to only bump the shoulder 2 thou.
I get 13 to 15 reloads in my 7mag with a warm loads. And then retire the brass before any issues. But I anneal it every firing also. The Hornady headspace and bullet comparators are neccessary tools for reloading imo.

rcbs std die setting is to assure ammo fits any rifle chamber in that caliber

 

[Mikecr]

Oh and the once fired brass chambered perfectly today at the range after full length resizing even though I wasn't able to bump the shoulder back beyond 0.00 measured with a Hornady headspace comparator tool against another piece of once fired brass.

Just continue firing your brass, and when you actually need sizing, the die may provide this for you without issue.
I often fire form my brass 3 times with no more than neck sizing. I have gone as many as 8 reload cycles before shoulder bumping was needed. Then, once a bump was needed, it will be needed pretty much every time from that point onward. Brass memory.

 

[jdyoung]

I have a .30 06 Hornady New Dimension Die set and no matter how far I screw the die into the press it will not bump the shoulder beyond 0.00. I have a RCBS die set and to get it to 0.02 bump I have to screw it in so far the press handle goes a little further than half way.

Am I doing something wrong?

Do you know the actual headspace measurement of your chamber ? By making a chamber cast and measuring it at the proper time for instance as per the instructions.

 

[GrayCreed]

I have a .30 06 Hornady New Dimension Die set and no matter how far I screw the die into the press it will not bump the shoulder beyond 0.00. I have a RCBS die set and to get it to 0.02 bump I have to screw it in so far the press handle goes a little further than half way.

Am I doing something wrong?

I had the same problem with my new demention dies, when I started reloading I used the Lyman All American 8 set. It comes with the lube pad and a greasy lube about the consistency of wax or honey. One day I started trying different "spray on" lubes. I started having problems with headspace, and sticky bolts on mid-wieght charges. Also I was screwing the die untill it seemed like the cam over was extreme. Also even with this much pressure on the cam over it would sometimes only bump .001". Other times it would bump .005" randomly and sometimes it would buckle the shoulder.

Here's what I found, I went back to my old lube pad and Lyman lube and found that all my problems went away. Now I don't lube the neck or shoulder at all with that die. I just lube the body of the case with the lube pad. Headspace is very consistent.

 

[Philward]

I would never suggest to someone to modify shell holder or die unless you really really really know that you need to because you have created some oddball custom cartridge, and be sure to mark those components for use with only that cartridge( as mentioned earlier in thread). My father picked up for me a 30-06 die set from a gun show years ago. I sized some cases and loaded ammo with it and when shooting it the primers were half out of the primer pocket. When we inspected the sizer it appeared the bottom of the die had been shaved down by a good amount. Hence I don't buy used reloading dies or shellholders etc anymore.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You dont set up a die by bottoming it out. I cant believe the lawyers let these companies say that. You have to use a comparator to measure the case before and after. Otherwise you dont know how much your moving the shoulder.

 

[FEENIX]

You have to use a comparator to measure the case before and after. Otherwise you dont know how much your moving the shoulder.

^^^This!^^^

 

[L.Sherm]

Yes. The reason to size a case is so that it fits back in the chamber, not to change any dimension by "x" amount. Call me old school but I never measure shoulder bump, I size until the cases fit my chamber with the amount of resistance that I want for the application.

Yeah but is it .002 or .010 they both will close freely. You keep doing .010 and you will have a separation sooner or later

 

[RWeeks7mm]

I thought that I was just crazy. I am not new to reloading, but new to trying to shoulder bump. I am using Hornady Match Grade dies for the 7mm Rem Mag. I am using a Hornady #5 shell holder, a Hornady .306 Match Grade neck bushing and I am having the same problem. The brass I am using is once fired from multiple manufacturers and all was fired in this rifle: most with this barrel. I have set up my old Lee "O style" press just like described but to no avail. I am also using a Hornady Comparator with digital calipers. I have also tried without the bushing. Is it the shell holder or what?

 

[Blacktailer]

Yeah but is it .002 or .010 they both will close freely. You keep doing .010 and you will have a separation sooner or later

Not if you know how to set your die to YOUR chamber.

 

[L.Sherm]

Not if you know how to set your die to YOUR chamber.

O.k

 

[General RE LEE]

I have a question? Are you using SAAMI as the measurement? There wouldn't be any bump back is using SAAMI dimension and using a FL sizing die. The bump would come after fire case length, checking the length of them fire case. The bumping comes from reducing the length of that fired case at the shoulder by .02 from that chamber length. SAAMI length is a standard for all cases to use in any rifle of that the case is sized for, not yours. Because you are custom sizing your case for your rife not anybody elses. That how I am reading this. I probable wrong but that what I see here.

No there is no SAAMI spec for shoulder. I am using a Hornady Headspace Comparator kit that gets a datum point off a once fired case from my chamber.

 

[General RE LEE]

I'm guilty of this as well especially when life is busy but if some folks would look through the pages in this thread I have addressed how I am measuring shoulder bump and with that tool.