Neck size help

D13REW

Well-Known Member
Hi all

I'm about to have my first go at reloading but have somehow managed to lose the instructions for setting up my Hornady neck size die with regard to it touching the RCBS press ram. Can anyone help please?
 
screw it down until it contacts the shell holder (in the up position obviously) then back it off a smidgeon.
 
Am I right in thinking that the ram should go fully to the top of its stroke with a case in the shell holder? mines not??
 
Am I right in thinking that the ram should go fully to the top of its stroke with a case in the shell holder? mines not??

I dont use Hornaday die but I know their quality is good. If you have set the die up as Milligan has said, I would be surprised if you are unable to get the ram to go fully to the top - daft question, but I assume the calibre printed on your case's head stamp matches what is written on the die and not what is on the box?

Have you tried removing the decapping pin and seeing if that lets you complete the cycle?
 
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Egad. Hornady dies are twenty five steps below Lee, Lyman, RCBS and Forester if you ask me. I have several new sets and they are terrible.

That aside. Are we lubing the cases? is it boxer primed brass? Does any part of the neck get sized? A pic would be great.~Muir
 
Its the right calible but doesnt state a case length. I have tried removing the decapping pin but still wont go to the top of the ram, The cases are lubed and the onlt bit that get sized is the inside where the expander goes. I havent tried it with a case that has the old primer in yet. What pics would you like Muir?
 
This may sound totally daft and I may be stating the obvious because I am trying to picture the situation and you are totally new to reloading, but have you slackened off the die locking ring and wound the die fully down until it contacts the shell holder?
 
Pics of a case. You're sure that you have a neck sizing die there, right? And that the cartridge body isn't hitting the die walls?~Muir
 
Egad. Hornady dies are twenty five steps below Lee, Lyman, RCBS and Forester if you ask me. I have several new sets and they are terrible.

That aside. Are we lubing the cases? is it boxer primed brass? Does any part of the neck get sized? A pic would be great.~Muir

Sorry to sidetrack here ... but... since you've only gone and been and written a list...

Where would you rate Redding dies in relation to the rest? ... (as you've excluded them thus far)

Incidentally, I have used Lee, Lyman, RCBS, "Forster" and Redding dies... and have been very pleased with results from them all. As chance would have it I've also got a couple or three sets of Hornady dies, safely lost somewhere in the big box of "stuff". Weirdly, they remain unused (a fact you've just caused me to remember) and here am I pondering whether they'd perhaps not please at all now. Needless to say, I'm signing off to go and try them in .223 rem and .30-06 springfield.
 
Sorry to sidetrack here ... but... since you've only gone and been and written a list...

Where would you rate Redding dies in relation to the rest? ... (as you've excluded them thus far)

Incidentally, I have used Lee, Lyman, RCBS, "Forster" and Redding dies... and have been very pleased with results from them all. As chance would have it I've also got a couple or three sets of Hornady dies, safely lost somewhere in the big box of "stuff". Weirdly, they remain unused (a fact you've just caused me to remember) and here am I pondering whether they'd perhaps not please at all now. Needless to say, I'm signing off to go and try them in .223 rem and .30-06 springfield.

Redding dies are great. I just don't own any at this time that I remember. (Oh wait! 30 Whisper) Hornady "New Dimension" dies are my gripe. I have 220 Swift, 243, and a particularly troublesome 9.3x57 set. All of them are problematic and cheaply made. My 243 and 9,3 dies had the expander ball drilled off of axis so it pulled the neck crooked. Now that I think of it, my latest 30-06 Small Based dies from RCBS aren't exactly a peach, either.~Muir
 
I've had Rcbs and redding dies I prefer the redding dies. Though. I get great results with both but not long back got some new rcbs dies for my 17 remington. The seater die keeps marking the bullets.

The seater plug in the top of it is to small and marking the bullets badly. But in all fairness Rcbs did sent me a new one out. Which they polished out. This done the trick.

But the guy who sent me the email about my problem. said they have had to do a number of these lately. You would think they would check them now before sending them out.
 
probably 6 sets over 7-8 calibres and twenty years of reloading

lee are just fine but no better than that at best

they do exactly what they say on the tin and thats ok but if you want less run out etc there are way better out there
 
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