The PRC die "problem"

[elkaholic]

Yes, a 28". There are some guys getting very close to that with 26" barrels though.
Ive run it up to 3050' before I saw ANY pressure signs and still no clicker just mild ejector mark

Marc LeQuieu is running his at 3050' with a 29" and I think Carl Scott runs Retumbo at 2970' with his 26"

 

[loaders_loft]

Just to be clear, is this a 300 PRC problem or aan. PRC problem, or both?

 

[dargie12317]

I'm having problems with resizing two 6.5 PRC's. Bought a second set of dies but no help.....

Try the Redding full size dies, it works for me

 

[dennisinaz]

The other think that a lot of people overlook is how to adjust a FLS die. Most manufacturers say wind down to the shell holder and go for it.

This is in 99% of cases the worst thing to do.just by changing from a say one shot spray lube to imperial sizing wax headspace can be changed

If a die isn't slowly wound down towards the shell holder and then cases sized and measured to the desired shoulder bump problems can occur.
I have seen dies wound down to the shell holder and the cases would not chamber. When the cases were measured they were .012" shorter than fired cases so the shooter went to a small based die and the same issue arose.
We obtained once fired brass and his standard FLS die and adjusted it to .002" shoulder bump and the die worked.

If the brass is over sized as mentioned it can fracture at the base and that can not be un done.

Always set up dies correctly with regard to shoulder bump the case should grow slightly before it is bumped back.

If the die is set correctly to the desired shoulder bump and the case won't chamber then look at a tighter die, smaller brass or a larger chamber base.

This is wrong,
Your die should always bottom out on your shell holder. If it doesn't. You will get variance in head space. A very real thing. You fix it with custom shell holders, not with the locking collar.
Redding makes a set of shell holders for this exact reason.

 

[milanuk]

This is wrong,
Your die should always bottom out on your shell holder. If it doesn't. You will get variance in head space. A very real thing. You fix it with custom shell holders, not with the locking collar.

Really?

So... how do them there fellers with Forster Co-Ax presses adjust their dies for headspace?

Redding makes a set of shell holders for this exact reason.

Wow... someone really drank the green Kool-Aid.

Redding makes things like that because people will buy them, not because they need them.

 

[highdrum]

This is wrong,
Your die should always bottom out on your shell holder. If it doesn't. You will get variance in head space. A very real thing. You fix it with custom shell holders, not with the locking collar.
Redding makes a set of shell holders for this exact reason.

You get a shoulder bump gauge, measure your fired cases(with primers decapped), and set your die to bump the should 1.5-2.5 thou back from fired dimension. Your die may slightly bump the shell holder, or in some cases it will not, depending on depth of chamber/headspace. This greatly improves accuracy and brass life, as it prevents a lot of brass stretch and thinning above the case head. Excessive sizing causes case head seperation.

 

[Rhovee]

When custom die makers assume that you can makes dies with the same process ranging from 6BR to 338 Lapua, we will have issues. Whidden made me a 338 Edge die on fired brass. It gets .001 on the shoulder and .001 on the web. I called and was told that's correct per Whidden. I am not using them for custom dies again. I will be getting 4 sets of dies from Hornady for custom 7 SAUM chambers this week. I'll report back on sizing. 338 edge die should be here in a few weeks.

 

[Pdvdh]

When custom die makers assume that you can makes dies with the same process ranging from 6BR to 338 Lapua, we will have issues. Whidden made me a 338 Edge die on fired brass. It gets .001 on the shoulder and .001 on the web. I called and was told that's correct per Whidden. I am not using them for custom dies again. I will be getting 4 sets of dies from Hornady for custom 7 SAUM chambers this week. I'll report back on sizing. 338 edge die should be here in a few weeks.

Take the side grinder to it... and whidden it down.

 

[P7M13]

When custom die makers assume that you can makes dies with the same process ranging from 6BR to 338 Lapua, we will have issues. Whidden made me a 338 Edge die on fired brass. It gets .001 on the shoulder and .001 on the web. I called and was told that's correct per Whidden. I am not using them for custom dies again. I will be getting 4 sets of dies from Hornady for custom 7 SAUM chambers this week. I'll report back on sizing. 338 edge die should be here in a few weeks.

Man, that's a lot of money out for a tight fit !! Can you get them to chamber?
I ask, because if you give many people a drill rod and a hole to put it in where the hole Ø is only 2 mils larger -- they cannot make it fit.

 

[dennisinaz]

Really?

So... how do them there fellers with Forster Co-Ax presses adjust their dies for headspace?



Wow... someone really drank the green Kool-Aid.

Redding makes things like that because people will buy them, not because they need them.

That is the biggest down side to the Forster press.
There has been a lot of research done on this. Get a head space gage and dial indicator and check for yourself. I use a Redding T7 and in some cases a Wilson arbor press. I got rid of my Forster

 

[milanuk]

I know it's dragging the thread further off-topic, but I can't resist. Care to share some links to all that research?

 

[CapeEsperance]

What are "clickers" in this context. searched the forum and found several other 'items' called clickers, but nothing on this. many thanks...

 

[Gcan]

There are a number of people experiencing sizing issues with the PRC case. When designing a chamber, brass, and resize die there is no one size fits all. We want good hard case brass, but its harder to size. We dont want sloppy chambers either. I have experience with designing reamers with hard brass and in my opinion the PRC base diameter is just too small to work. The die specs are not the main problem. You cant make a die much smaller than the solid web without it cracking. And once a case head expands a little no die can fix the clickers that you will get.

Looking at the 300 PRC and ADG brass there is only .003-.0035" difference between a virgin case head and the chamber. Thats not enough for this type of brass in a magnum case head. And will lead to long term problems.

I already have reamers spec'd out for myself with other changes, but I have spec'd new ones and will post the prints here with the only change being to the base size. That in my opinion should have been the Saami spec to begin with. They should solve most all of your sizing issues. The dies still needs to measure .5295"-.530" at the base though. Many are polished out.

Alex, I just finished my personal 300prc. I've been completely invested in 300RUMs for a long time. I haven't shot the PRC yet so no experience with reloading for it. I have heard of ppl having issues.
We build a lot of 300PRCs. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the folks receiving them use them for their intended purposes. So there is no reloading involved. We had custom reamers made and build rifles to a specific (NDA) US spec. They all shoot amazingly well.

I will for certain reload. Id rather fix my chamber before I render a bunch of brass unusable. Am I correct that the existing chambers can be re-reamed to resolve the problem? Do you have a reamer print you can share? Thanks very much for your insight. G

 

[rharfo]

Try the Redding full size dies, it works for me

I bought a couple premium set from Redding. Still have same problem on a friends Christensen arms