What is causing this dent below the shoulder on my Ackley Improved cases?

[Seabeeken]

I load for several AI's and since switching to Royal Case and die lube I've not had any lube dents. Yours is lube being pushed back from the shoulder and neck. You might try tiny amounts of lube on the neck and none on the shoulder, it will work its way back as you have seen.

 

[FEENIX]

I emailed Redding and asked if they would make me a die with the vent and they said none of their dies have and they won't make me one. Was disappointed to hear that.

I have all kinds of dies (as well as lubes), including customs, most of which are Redding and do not have the issue you have. As others have noted, you do not need a lot of lube. If you truly feel you need a die with a vent hole, go with the Forster, as @Hugnot recommended in #10, or have a gunsmith drill yours. A new set of dies might be cheaper than a gunsmith's minimum set-up charge, though.

 

[jsthntn247]

I have all kinds of dies (as well as lubes), including customs, most of which are Redding and do not have the issue you have. As others have noted, you do not need a lot of lube. If you truly feel you need a die with a vent hole, go with the Forster, as @Hugnot recommended in #10, or have a gunsmith drill yours. A new set of dies might be cheaper than a gunsmith's minimum set-up charge, though.

I've loaded easily over 10k rounds and never had this happen once. I've gobbled lube on before by accident with no issue. I think it's something else, maybe improper die set up.

 

[Just a hunter]

I've loaded easily over 10k rounds and never had this happen once. I've gobbled lube on before by accident with no issue. I think it's something else, maybe improper die set up.

It possibly could have been. I did back my die out to where the shoulder wasn't being bumped at all and I had no issues closing the bolt after resizing. All the things I did at the same time so I can't say for sure which one caused it. If I get to where I can't chamber my rounds and have to bump the shoulder and it shows back up I guess I will know.

 

[cape cove]

When I resize my cases I never put lube on the shoulder or outside neck. I just use a very small amount on the inside neck to make expansion easier. Whenever, by accident, I get some on the shoulder area I get dents somewhat like you. JME

 

[Hugnot]

I gave up on the idea of drilling a small hole thru the side of my hardened steel Redding 6mm AI F/L die. Presently sizing is done in incremental steps without removing brass from shell holder - creeping up to top of stroke. No lube near shoulder or on shoulder. My thinking is that allows air to escape so pressure will not increase to the point to case is dented in. Go slow to avoid dents.

 

[Fiftydriver]

This is my first Ackley. It's a 6mm AI. I thought I was bumping the shoulder too far but with my Hornady comparator I am bumping .001-.002". Thought I was using too much lube but I tried it with the least amount of imperial wax I could get on the case. It's not the same on each case which still leads me to believe it is too much lube. I've looking in the sizing die and don't see anything. I even wiped it clean and tried. What am I missing? Are the Ackley cases that finicky or am I just simply panicking because I am trying to get everything done before season opens Saturday?? Thank you in advance.

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Excessive lube CAN cause this but i see it more when using brass that is to hard or brittle, especially if the shoulders are being bumped significantly. One downside of the 40 degree shoulder and absolute minimum case body taper….. the good news is that they will just blow out when fired.

 

[59FLH]

If you're trapping that much air I'm surprised you're not popping the primers out. If you don't have primers installed then your most likely vented.

My moneys on its a lube issue.

 

[CBH Australia]

If you're trapping that much air I'm surprised you're not popping the primers out. If you don't have primers installed then your most likely vented.

My moneys on its a lube issue.

Would the depriming pin make contact before the neck/shoulder junction come under full pressure.

The deccapping pin could be set further out.

 

[Philward]

This is my first Ackley. It's a 6mm AI. I thought I was bumping the shoulder too far but with my Hornady comparator I am bumping .001-.002". Thought I was using too much lube but I tried it with the least amount of imperial wax I could get on the case. It's not the same on each case which still leads me to believe it is too much lube. I've looking in the sizing die and don't see anything. I even wiped it clean and tried. What am I missing? Are the Ackley cases that finicky or am I just simply panicking because I am trying to get everything done before season opens Saturday?? Thank you in advance.

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I've not seen dents like that from sizing. I have seen dents like that from pressure leaking into the chamber when being fired. Usually though from a case head separation or a partial separation. Maybe the straight walled cases have this issue when sizing, I haven't worked with any AI cartridges. Excessive lube dent while sizing usually, for me, happen on the shoulder.

 

[jpope02]

This is my first Ackley. It's a 6mm AI. I thought I was bumping the shoulder too far but with my Hornady comparator I am bumping .001-.002". Thought I was using too much lube but I tried it with the least amount of imperial wax I could get on the case. It's not the same on each case which still leads me to believe it is too much lube. I've looking in the sizing die and don't see anything. I even wiped it clean and tried. What am I missing? Are the Ackley cases that finicky or am I just simply panicking because I am trying to get everything done before season opens Saturday?? Thank you in advance.

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Clean your dies and don't over lube cases. Also you die may not have an air relief pin hole that releases air when the ram goes up.