Advice on .270 reloading

[Herne]

I would really appreciate any advice with a problem I have experienced,

I am new to reloading and have just prepped my first batch of once fired (in my own rifle cases), the bullet head seating seems very loose on all the cases prepped, I have checked it and they seem to be all formed at 0.280".

I have checked my new Lee die set it is 0.275" I have referenced this against another die set and it appears to be correct for calibre, in addition, a case formed in a friends .270 seems to resize correctly in my neck dies.

I can only assume that the brass has been "fire formed" to this diameter. Or it is something I have done in the cleaning and reaming?? The rifle is a 4 year old Sako 75 and has given excellent service.

Can anyone shed any light on the problem?

Thanks

Herne

 

[Brithunter]

Or it is something I have done in the cleaning and reaming??

What the heck are you reaming?

If it's the necks then I can only assume that you have ruined the cases. In all the thousands of .270 cases I have reloaded over the years I have never ........................ never reamed anything on them nor have I needed to.

You need to go back to basics and just size trim to a common length clean the primer pocket of old firing residue and load.

 

[Herne]

I have proably given the wrong impression here Brithunter.

When I say "reaming" I meant light chamfering of the case neck. Surely it can't be something I have done during re-sizing and cleaning?

H

 

[sikadog]

It is totaly immaterial what neck size your rifle expands the neck of the case to as your neck re-sizer will if used as per the instruction will size the neck to the correct size it can only be a fault in the neck dies or they are being used incorrectly.
Sikadog

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I suggest you try and find someone local to you who can come round and see what you have been doing. I suggest you need to:

Remove the bullet heads and decant the powder from any rounds you have loaded up.
Set aside some of your own brass that you haven't done anything to.
Label everything.
Make sure your records are up to date so that your 'mentor' can step through with you what you have been done.
Stop......
Whereabouts roughly are you?

Finally, do you have a reloading guide? I have a Lyman guide for sale in Classifieds.

 

[Adamant]

Herne,

Your die is either faulty or set up incorrectly in your press - you don't say if you are fully resizing or just neck sizing. Where are you in the country - if you're anywhere near me in Herefordshire, you're welcome to come and have a play with my .270 reloading set-up to see if we can see what's wrong.

Mind you, I'd suggest the root of your problem lies in the word 'Lee' but someone's bound to take umbrage and leap to their defence - just buy some RCBS or Redding dies and you'll be fine

Adam.

 

[Herne]

Hmmm,

Die set has been compared to the same size and model and is identical.

The cases have not been loaded just cleaned and prepped.

I think it may be the set up.......

 

[Brithunter]

Well if you over on the East coast I may be able to help depending on how far it is.

As for lee Dies I know some don't like them but I have a dozen sets of lee dies (whoops make that 13), seven sets of RCBS and one set of Redding. Hmmm there should be two sets of redding I wonder where the 7.62x54R ones are? The Lee seem to work fine so ????????????????

 

[Adamant]

I know the Lee dies can and do work OK but they're so damn agricultural in comparison to a nice Redding micrometer die - setting them up is a case of trial and error rather than a nice precise (and infinitely repeatable) set of clicks. I also appreciate that the collet neck sizing principal is a better engineering solution than the expander ball approach - I just wish the finish was better with the Lee stuff. They're cheap and mostly precise but a pain to use if you are swapping bullet types, calibres etc.

Mind you, my Redding and RCBS dies feel a bit grotty when I'e been fondling the Wilson or Forster dies in Reloading Solutions. None of which helps Herne with his mysterious .280 sized .277 case...

Adam.

 

[Muir]

I have about 30 sets of Lee dies. They are fine and finished well enough where is counts. I have found that RCBS/Redding are just more expensive. Ever use Hornady dies?? Those are a rough shod bit of engineering and machining. Nasty... Makes Lee look like aerospace engineering.

But to the problem: Are you using Collet Dies? If so, you haven't adjusted them correctly. If you just screwed then in until the collet sleeve touches the shell-holder then you are getting no sizing at all. As JCSmith said, get a good reloading book if you haven't yet. Modern Reloading by Lee is excellent despite the "sales pitch" you get tossed for his gear. It will teach you HOW to reload, not just what to reload.~Muir

 

[Herne]

I think Muir is right, it is seems to be an adjustment issue.

I have checked the instructions and followed them exactly but it seems that they need further adjusting.

Any advice from someone with some experiece of Lee collett neck sizing die in the cast single stage press?

Thanks all

herne

 

[finnbear270]

Herne, I really would'nt labour too much on it yourself, get someone close by to get it running for you, It's probably staring you in the face, We've all been there before, something simple, just overlooked! Steve.

 

[vizslamad]

Herne,
If you have not already, get yourself onto the Lee website. They have a help section which will guide you through best practice in setting up your loading gear. Sometimes its better to listen and watch rather than just read. Hope it helps.

John.

 

[Herne]

Genius!

Watched the Lee help DVDs. I was simply not applying suffcient pressure to size the neck correctly!

Well on the way now. Thanks all who replied.

H.

 

[finnbear270]

The wood for the trees man!