I am fairly new to loading for this caliber and seem to be having a few issues with re sizing my cases. I am using lee dies, winchester brass and a lee breach lock challenger press. As an example, if I size 10 cases, sometimes I will get one that won't chamber, it requires another run through the die before it will chamber. What could be causing this? You would think if the die was not adjusted properly none of the cases would be sized properly, not just one. The rifle is an x bolt, new this year.
FL sizing a 270 wsm
- Thread starter nshunter
- Start date
Have you checked case length? They might be too long and hitting the end of the chamber. If that isn't it then you might measure the cases that don't fit at the base and shoulder and compare them to the ones that do. If the cases are too long sometimes they will bottom out in the die and flare the shoulders as well.
- Thread starter
- #3
I have the same thing occasionally. Once fired WSM brass will not always expand all the way. So when setting my die you need to look for the longest shoulder to case head measurement and set your die off that case. IdahoCTD brings up the length, which could be the problem as well. My 7 and 270WSM both require realy measuring and making sure the die is being adjusted to properly size all of the cases. Scotty.
- Thread starter
- #5
wildgene
Handloader
- Jul 4, 2011
- 1,597
- 0
...seems pretty common w/ the short mags, I took the advice of the guys on the WSSM Forum, & set my dies where I have a slight "cam-over", a little "pop" @ the top of the stroke on my press. I'd rather just neck size, but the "cam-over" seems to insure proper functioning of the rifle action...
- Thread starter
- #8
Yeah I have a wssm and went through issues with my bolt being hard to close. This seemed to be a different issue though than what I was having with my wssm. This was the round going in but then my bolt would not close at all, so I thought something else was going on. I think it's the same issue but in a different rifle, which reacts differently. Hopefully I have it solved now, I have turned my die in a bit more, all of the brass since seems to be functioning fine now.wildgene":j1r2jxs0 said:
This tool right here is about the best I have found thus far for getting an exact die setting in order to make sure I am working the brass to where it needs to be, everytime. Once a die is set up for my rifle, they function excellent and brass life is great as well. Money well spent.
http://www.larrywillis.com/
http://www.larrywillis.com/
tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,019
- 2
Don't be afraid to experiment with case length, either. My 300WSM needs to be trimmed to 2.055" to ensure smooth function, even though book max trim length is 2.090".
- Thread starter
- #11
- Thread starter
- #12
tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,019
- 2
nshunter":roq07f2g said:
I use a Lyman trimmer.
nshunter":32crizpw said:
Friends of mine that have owned WSMs nearly always found that the FL die needed to be set to bump the shoulder if reliable feeding and ease of chambering was being sought. The combination of heavy brass with thick necks, short case, minimal taper, sharp shoulder all combine to make chambering with ease not as easy to achieve as with say a 270Winchester.
What also may be happening (and hence why its dissappeared by screwing the die in further) is that you were actually partially neck sizing using the FL die and the die itself was not making contact with the case's shoulder. What then happens in the FL die contacts and squeezes the case's sides and the shoulder is pushed forward ever so slightly as the brass needs to move somewhere and the shoulder being unsupported is what moves ... making chambering hard or impossible.
By the way, Lee presses wont 'cam-over' with that same feel that an RCBS press gives. Adjust the die to make contact with the shellholder, run a case all the way in and then have a look at whether the die is making contact with the shellholder. Odds are if its like my Lee press/die combinations, you'll notice that with a case in the die, the die is actually no longer in contact with the shellholder. That's why its necessary to back the shellholder off and then screw the die in further. Trial and error usually finds what the best setting is for your combination of brass, dies and rifle chamber.
Cheers...
Con
