Well, I posted this in 2020 >>> https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-reloading.253837/You should have told me that a few months ago!
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What am I doing wrong here!!
- Thread starter Ucsdryder
- Start date
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If you said you loaded many fired cases and had no problem with the same dies then the neck diameter of fire formed
cases get sized with more spring back leaving 1 or 2 thousanth's more open inside diameter. The new cases may have spring back the other way after pulling expander ball thru creating tighter neck on new brass. Fire a few newly loaded and try again... may work out after fire forming a bit.
As Dmagn said... Chamfer inside and outside on new cases.
Ucsdryder
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Here are the measurements…
virgin brass
Neck ID .260
Neck OD.2885
virgin brass FL size
Neck ID .261
Neck OD .2895
2x fired brass
Neck ID .265
Neck OD .2945
2X fired brass FL sized
Neck ID .2615
Neck OD .288
I guess the big question for me is what changed? The first hundred brass that I did I had no neck tension issues. Now all of a sudden I'm having neck tension issues. It's like I set up the dies wrong, or the expander ball inside the dies got worn down which doesn't seem possible.
virgin brass
Neck ID .260
Neck OD.2885
virgin brass FL size
Neck ID .261
Neck OD .2895
2x fired brass
Neck ID .265
Neck OD .2945
2X fired brass FL sized
Neck ID .2615
Neck OD .288
I guess the big question for me is what changed? The first hundred brass that I did I had no neck tension issues. Now all of a sudden I'm having neck tension issues. It's like I set up the dies wrong, or the expander ball inside the dies got worn down which doesn't seem possible.
First thing I notice is your sized ID is 0.261"+/-, OD os 0.264"nominal so that's not likely the problem. Your virgin brass at 0.260" with no chamfer and dry could very well be an issue. Is the FL sized with or without the expander ball? It's a border line a silly question but are you sure the expander is passing all the way through the neck on the downward stroke?
I take fine steelwool to my expander before putting them to use...and clean them..irregularly.....
BUT....
I swab the necks on my brass before resizing...lets the expander slide thru easier...less run out.....
It's all about figuring out your problem....fixing it....staying with a routine.......you may change later...but figure out the little problems before they drive ya nutsso...
BUT....
I swab the necks on my brass before resizing...lets the expander slide thru easier...less run out.....
It's all about figuring out your problem....fixing it....staying with a routine.......you may change later...but figure out the little problems before they drive ya nutsso...
Also we all assumed there was a chamfer missing on the brass necks. I haven't seen where you said if you did or didn't chamfer.
This very well may be because the dies is not sizing the neck of the virgin brass because the virgin is already less. One gentleman bumped on this but that would support the fired vs virgin. Fired brass typically has a little powder residue still in the necks for a little lube, virgin and SS tumbles are very grippy.
Did you anneal yet ?
I was wondering if the brass has lost toughness and become cold worked but 2x doesn't seem like it should already.
Yeah, I know, .....doesn't seem like it should really require annealing a 2x............unless the loads are towards the hotter side.....more heat.......more brass flow.
Out of curiosity what is your loaded round neck OD, it will help us on it the brass is getting overworked by the dies.
Ucsdryder
Well-Known Member
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You guys might want to stop helping me. I'm about to have a fire sale on a bunch of components! 
Loaded neck OD .291
I chamfered. Just tried annealing too with no change in virgin brass. I take back the comment about it loading easily on 2x. Tried again. Still hard.
heres a picture of the expander on the Rcbs. It's obviously getting some work.
Loaded neck OD .291
I chamfered. Just tried annealing too with no change in virgin brass. I take back the comment about it loading easily on 2x. Tried again. Still hard.
heres a picture of the expander on the Rcbs. It's obviously getting some work.
