7MM Rem Mag Case Broke in die...Why....and What next?

[cloverleaf]

Hi all-
Below please find a series of mails between my Dad and myself regarding some supposedly once fired brass I got from a freind. I gave it to Dad and as you can see he has had lots of problems. Whats going on here? He is an experienced reloader and has been churning out very accurate (I think) stuff for me. Feel terribel cause I finally got him interested again and now hes having trouble. Also is there a way to save the die? Its a sentimental thing I suppose but still...
Thanks for the thoughts. CL



Finally started reloading some of those cases that you brought me. Very interesting. The W.W. ones I did not even have to resize. Other then re-necking there was nothing to re-size. The length was actually shorter before I re-sized then after. The F.C. for the most part was a different story. They re-sized hard and one even got so stuck that the base let go. To make a long story short I ended up buying a new set of dies. After that and a box of bullet I remember why I don't do a lot of shooting. After the weather clears this weekend I think I'll go out to Vermillion and waste a few rounds.

My response....
Interesting....one question. What did you mean by "the FC"...? Were they Remington cases? I dont think Federal ever loaded a 250 savage? I am sorry that you ended up putzing around with that. Maybe I should just let the rifle go? Maybe could swap it for somthing I could shoot off the shelf ammo through. Why did you end up buying anthoer box of bullets? Sure did enjoy that time spent re-loading with you. Thanks.

PS One last thought on your rifle. Dont get too disgusted if your 7Mag dosent Group well right off. My experience (If Im guessing right) is that my barrel is so squeaky clean (apparently) after I clean it with that Wipe Out that it takes 5-6 shots and all the sudden the groups are good. It might not come right around after the typical; "fouling shot". Good luck, Wish could do that with you but they are talking 6-8 inches of snow tonight and tommorrow.

Dad says.....
Opps!, Should have stated that I was working with the 7MM brass you gave me. "FC" I presume is Federal. There were a few Remington cases. Also one & "STW" or What ever that stands for. The case was about 1/2 in longer then the 7MM Rem. The bullets I bought were Speers "Hot Cor." The web said that they have been making them for 40 years but I never saw this type of label. Look just like what I'v always used.

My Reply.....
OH, Man! Thats even worse. So much for me doing you a favor. That "STW" stands for "Shooting times Westerner" believe it or not. That of course is a whole different case I think. I bet its bigger some how so I imagine you were trying to push a different shoulder or somthing into your 7Mag dies. MAN!! Did you throw your dies already? Oh Nuts, I wonder if those were "7mmRUM" (Remmington Ultra Mag) cases. Not much difference between RUM and REM stamped in the base of a case. Same deal there I bet. That 7mag is so popular that some of the Wildcats have been "standardized" and are loaded by the big companies with rifles chambered to match. Kinda like the wuzzem (WSSM) craze. What if some body shot a box of "standard" 7Mag Shells in one of those other chambers? They might fire form to the Ultra mag chamber for example and the give you all kinds of grief when sized in your standard dies AND they would still be marked 7mmRem Mag. Sorry for all the trouble. Did you get a camera in your phone? Shoot me a pic of the die and or cases and I can run it by the collective on the Nosler reloading site on the NET if you want. Maybe you can save those dies. Be a shame to loose Genuine Herter's dies. Again sorry for the grief.

Agian, since I dont have any pics I cant say for sure. Can that old Herter's die be saved? Thanks CL

 

[JD338]

CL,

I'm not clear on exactly what the problem is. Did your Dad get a STW or RUM case stuck in the die? It sounds like the case holder pulled away from the rim, taking a portion of the brass rim with it.

I think the best thing to do would be to contact RCBS and see if they would be willing to remove the case fro the die. It might cost you a few bucks, but they would have the know how and tools necessary to do it without damaging the die.

If it is indeed a 7mm RM case that is stuck in the die, RCBS sells a Stuck Case Remover kit. You drill out the primer flash hole and use a tap to thread the hole. Then you put a cap over the case hole and thread in the bolt. Using the Allen wrench, you tighten the bolt and it pulls out the case. The kit has everything you need. A good vice to hold the die and you will pull out the case in a couple minutes time.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

If indeed stuck....


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=504741

 

[Guy Miner]

CL - yeah - I just use my own brass, either from factory ammo I buy and shoot, or far more often from unprimed bulk brass I buy.

That way I know exactly what I've got and I can process it the way I want, from the beginning. No range pick-up brass for me. Nothing with a dubious history. Just straight from the bulk pack bag to my loading bench to my rifle.

RCBS is terrific about working with folks who have problems with their dies. They'll probably remove the stuck case for free.

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

so will I...send her to me

 

[JDMAG]

Pop thats is mighty nice of ya. Dont forget he said it was a Herters die. I assume that a stuck case remover would work the same regardless of die manufacture-er. just makeing sure!

 

[JD338]

Pop thats is mighty nice of ya. Dont forget he said it was a Herters die. I assume that a stuck case remover would work the same regardless of die manufacture-er. just makeing sure!

JDMAG,

I realize that its a Herters die. I think if CL called RCBS, they would help him out. Their service is free but since its not RCBS, they might charge a few dollars.

CL, let us know what you decide what to do.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

no sweat..pm me if you need removal...

 

[cloverleaf]

Here's Dads latest e-mail reply...

Not a problem. My grief was my own dumb doings. When the shell go stuck in the re-sizer I turned down the primer de-capper rod to push the case back out. Or that's the way it usually worked. (As is evident by the chewed up head of the primer de-capper rod). For some reason it did not work this time so out came the hammer and punch. The re-sizing head on the end of the de-capper rod would not come out with the case still in the die. So I unscrewed the rod leaving the re-sizer in the bullet. Just about no way of not getting the re-sizer involved in the process. I think if I can find a RCBS de-capping rod for a 7MM Mag I could use that re-sizer and everything would be good again. Sportsman's Warehouse and Gary's of course did not have 7MM.

What the heck!! It may have been time for new dies anyway. 30 bucks wasn't to bad. It seems and though the new dies work a little smoother the the old ones. I suppose the Herter's are almost a collectors item by this time.

Thanks for the offers and the advise guys I will see what he wants to do. CL

 

[BK]

Heck, if I wasn't so freakin' broke I'd offer to trade a new set of RCBS dies for those Herters dies, just as a cool collectors item. My cousin has an old Herters press that would look good with the dies.

 

[cloverleaf]

Gonna try and get Dad to send it to RCBS if for no other reason than the nostalgia. I dont think the stuck case remover will work. If I understand all, The base of the case snapped off- nothing to thread into. CL

 

[FOTIS]

ok let us know how it fairs.

 

[OldMan]

I had a stuck case puller made many years ago and have used it many times. You just take out the decapper pin and tap down through the primer pocket. Then the puller screw threads into the section you tapped and you pull the case into a hollow cavity with the threaded stud or bolt. I would get the kit just for future screw-ups. The prevention is usually to allways use enough lube on the cases! Every time I have stuck a case it's been because I took a chnce that there was enough lube for just one more case, when there was not, then one pulls off the rim trying to get it back out!

 

[Buffalohead]

Having experienced this fun subject several times, my dad and I added one more step to our stuck case removal process- The deep freeze. Put those stuck dies in the freezer overnight and they seem to slide out, Might be worth a try!