Reloading dies

pablo.222

Well-Known Member
I currently have lee dies. I have full and length sizing dies and a seater die. But tryed sizing some cases today and firstly the pin on the neck sizing die broke. 2nd the rod in the full length sizing die seems too be bent and when you try to size them it just jams the rod inside the case and it wont come out.

So couple questions, is there sets out there other than Lee who make a 2 die set with the full and neck sizing dies in it? Or even places that sell them seperatly?

Im using a lyman press so would like too use lyman dies if you think that makes sense? I dont want go spending fortues as im not into making small groups just reasonably groups too go shooting with.

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatfully recieved.

Paul
 
Are you new to reloading Pablo? Just wondering because something has gone quite wrong there.
The cases aren't berdan primed by any chance are they, if not what cases are they?

The make of the dies will make no difference whatsoever. It just seems odd to me you breaking the pin on a collet die and then bending the pin/rod on the full length die. I take it the inside of the neck was lubed when full length resizing.
 
Are you new to reloading Pablo? Just wondering because something has gone quite wrong there.
The cases aren't berdan primed by any chance are they, if not what cases are they?

The make of the dies will make no difference whatsoever. It just seems odd to me you breaking the pin on a collet die and then bending the pin/rod on the full length die. I take it the inside of the neck was lubed when full length resizing.

I tryed a variety of cases. Hornady, federal, sako, norma. They all jammed in the full length sizer.
Yes the case was lubed well. I bought the dies 2nd hand and im wondering if there has been a problem before i got them??

i dont know but there something wrong with it thats for sure. You pull lever down and you need excessive force too even get close too getting it to cam over. Then when u did the rod was jammed. Then when take the die apart and try to remove the rod from collet nut it was solid where as i thought it should be free floating? Eventually got rod out and it seemed bent. This is first time ive used the full length sizer.

I dont know if ive explained this wrong or not. Im trying too put into words whats wrong.
 
I'm sorry I'm not quite following you on that but there again I am tired so perhaps it is me. Have you read the Lee die instructions? It's just that the manufacturers sometimes have slightly differing instructions. I'm also wondering if the flash hole is smaller than usual as I have had that in the past with one batch of cases, but there again you say that you have tried various makes of case which makes me think that its you that have got it slightly wrong somewhere.
 
I'm sorry I'm not quite following you on that but there again I am tired so perhaps it is me. Have you read the Lee die instructions? It's just that the manufacturers sometimes have slightly differing instructions. I'm also wondering if the flash hole is smaller than usual as I have had that in the past with one batch of cases, but there again you say that you have tried various makes of case which makes me think that its you that have got it slightly wrong somewhere.


I could well have done something wrong. But my fathers been loading for years and he cant figure it out either. Either way somthings not correct as i cnt get the cases to size properly. They are just way too tight! I know there is ment to be tight but this is crazy tight. What i mean is the rod that goes into the case to size the neck grips so tightly it pulls the whole rod out with it when u pull it back. If you got me?
U seem to have a good bit knowledge on this subject. Could you possibly point me in the direction of new dies? I was thinking mayb rcbs? A FL and neck sizer?
 
Don't give up on your dies just yet, go right back to the start and read the die instructions. For a start if you are pulling the sizing rod out you haven't got the locking collar tightened properly. So go right back to step one and set up the dies correctly and see where you go from there.
 
You could try cleaning the inside of the case neck with a wire brush and then lubing the inside of the neck with a cotton bud and then try, I have had this happen when there is not enough internal lube.
Also are you using the correct case holder as you dont say which rifle you are reloading for.
 
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I know this might be silly, but you are lubricating the cases before sizing aren't you? If you're using steel dies the cases MUST be lubed, otherwise you could end up with some of the problems you're describing.
 
Well im tighten the collor all the way as tight as it will go? Tryed reading instructions and doing wat it says. It seems to make it worse. When checked pin its defo bent or miss shapping in some way. This causing it not to be central in the die. Thats wat i think problem is..... No expert by any means.
 
I had a very similar problem when I started and I was screwing the die too far down in the press. This caused the neck to overtighten and the central rod would stick bent a pin or two as well. Make sure to only screw the die down to the raised ram then about a quarter turn more. Try to resize. If neck not tight enough then turn a quarter more and try resizing. Stop when neck is just tight enough.

BE
 
Something in your set up is way wrong. Lee decapping pins take an awful lot to break. I have never broken one but have had a couple of RCBS ones snap hence I have a little packet of RCBS spares. Actually bending the decapping rod must have taken quite a bit of effort. Surely the amount of force required should have told you something was amiss?

I cannot see how changing make of dies will help when the basic setting up is all awry :doh:.

May I suggest you read the how to at the front of most reloading manuals and start from the very beginning ... step by step and see if you can find where you went wrong.
 
Something in your set up is way wrong. Lee decapping pins take an awful lot to break. I have never broken one but have had a couple of RCBS ones snap hence I have a little packet of RCBS spares. Actually bending the decapping rod must have taken quite a bit of effort. Surely the amount of force required should have told you something was amiss?

I cannot see how changing make of dies will help when the basic setting up is all awry :doh:.

May I suggest you read the how to at the front of most reloading manuals and start from the very beginning ... step by step and see if you can find where you went wrong.


As i said this is first time ive used this dies. It was the very first case that done this. I bought the dies second hand i wonder if it was caused before and this is why they were for sale. And of course i did not check them that well as thought what can be wrong with dies. When your setting the decapping pin and turning in the nut the whole pin twists and if u look up the bottom at the pin u can see it is not sitting central in the die which is why i think they are the problems i encountered. Its nothing to do with the way i have set them up. I have read the instructions and followed them to the word. I even went back and doubled checked everything i had done thinking it was me but i get the same problem each time i try. The only difference there is. Is that im not using a lee press for lee dies.
 
The fact that you say you need excessive force to get the ram to cam over tells me that you have the die screwed down to far, you only need to screw the die down so that it touches the top of the shell holder when the ram is all the way up.
There is no need to put on an extra 1/8 or 1/4 turn as is sometimes suggested, all this does is put extra stress on the frame of the press.
This kind of set up applies to all dies, it always puzzles me why an extra fraction of a turn is put on.

To set up your decapping pin and centralise it, you need a new or deprimed case with the neck chopped off at the shoulder juncture.
Locate this in the shell and raise the ram so the case is fully into the die, simpley locate the loosened decapping assembly so that the pin is through the flash-hole of the case and tighten.
If it springs out of the way and looks off centre when you remove the case then it is bent.

Ian.

Ian.
 
The fact that you say you need excessive force to get the ram to cam over tells me that you have the die screwed down to far, you only need to screw the die down so that it touches the top of the shell holder when the ram is all the way up.
There is no need to put on an extra 1/8 or 1/4 turn as is sometimes suggested, all this does is put extra stress on the frame of the press.
This kind of set up applies to all dies, it always puzzles me why an extra fraction of a turn is put on.

To set up your decapping pin and centralise it, you need a new or deprimed case with the neck chopped off at the shoulder juncture.
Locate this in the shell and raise the ram so the case is fully into the die, simpley locate the loosened decapping assembly so that the pin is through the flash-hole of the case and tighten.
If it springs out of the way and looks off centre when you remove the case then it is bent.

Ian.

Ian.


Thanks thats helpfull with the cht case trip but the pins definatly bent. You can see its bent.
 
Pablo, i presume you are loading for the 222? this is one of the easiest cases to load accurately and its demoralising to come up against some die probelms.
Although perfectly good ammo can be loaded on Lee equipment, it is at the bottom of the quality scale and is made to a price.
It is quite possible you have a bent decapping stem however the threaded collet holding the stem is just adequate to do the job.
Many novice reloaders soon relaise the limitations of Lee dies and quickly move on to better quality dies but just as many successfully and happily use Lee dies for all their reloading career.
It matters not what dies are used in what press, save yourself some grief and buy a set of Redding or RCBS

Ian.
 
save yourself some grief and buy a set of Redding or RCBS

Yep you can spend more and have similar problems.

Out of all my dies only a few have been bought brand new. Most have been bought used. I have dies by Lee in RGB and Collet types, RCBS and Redding. I used to have some Lyman dies as well. Oh yes I also bought some of the old hammer dies from Lee. The Lee Loader.
 
Pablo, i presume you are loading for the 222? this is one of the easiest cases to load accurately and its demoralising to come up against some die probelms.
Although perfectly good ammo can be loaded on Lee equipment, it is at the bottom of the quality scale and is made to a price.
It is quite possible you have a bent decapping stem however the threaded collet holding the stem is just adequate to do the job.
Many novice reloaders soon relaise the limitations of Lee dies and quickly move on to better quality dies but just as many successfully and happily use Lee dies for all their reloading career.
It matters not what dies are used in what press, save yourself some grief and buy a set of Redding or RCBS

Ian.


No it for a .243. Have no problems loading for .222 its simple. Worst ave had is an odd case here or there splitting but thats just tge brass. I wish i could get the .243 to be as easy. The first batch i loaded for 243 were only neck sized as i bought factory ammo to getbrass and that was that. But this first time ive aquired cases that need FL. FL sizing for the .222 is easy. I know what im doing. Its just this .243 die thats the lain atm.

Thanks for your help Ian i think i will invest in a new die for FL sizing and go from there as this o e here is not going to be salvaged. Hoping scone has selection as all shops round here just stock Lee and i would like a change aftr this experience.

Paul
 
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