Hornady New Dimension Sizing die issues 300 Win Mag

[excaliber]

I'm finally starting to load for my 300 Win Mag. I have the Hornady New dimension die set(546352)
I'm was having a heck of a time getting the expander out of the neck after resizing. I am using unique on the case body and a brush with unique inside the necks.

I could not figure out the correct amount of lube to use because the amount didn't seem to matter at all. It got worse not better and I stuck the expander in the neck and ruined the zip spindle and spindle lock getting it unstuck.
I read that you should never force anything but it was not that smooth regardless of how much lube I used.

I thought it would be smooth like the Lee Universal de capping die but it wasn't even close. Is there a special trick I'm missing here?

any ideas?

 

[jimbires]

I only have one set of hornady dies , and I never really warmed up to them . my only thoughts are maybe a rough expander , you could try to polish it a very little . or maybe carbon in the case neck , try brushing the necks of the brass to clean them up some . it usually doesn't take much lube inside the neck for the expander to work well . usually if it just looks wet it has enough lube .

the Lee universal decapping die does not have any type of neck expander . it only pushes out the primer . so it will have no resistance in the case neck .

 

[muleman]

Dip the necks into graphite or mica. Make sure the expander button is tight on the spindle. Hornady should send you a new zip spindle FOC. I had one set of dies from RCBS that would do the same thing - graphite really helped. I eventually switched out the button for a carbide one - problem solved. Polishing the button can help too.
Scott

 

[Darkhorse]

I have 2 sets of the New Dimension dies and the only thing I like is the seater die. If your case prep. and setup is good the seater can shrink groups.
The sizers will never be as good as a run of the mill RCBS IMHO.
I use RCBS spray lube for FL and my method is to use a small nylon brush and spray a little lube on it, not much it doesn't take much, you don't want it running inside your case, then just poke the brush into the case neck and remove. Actually what I do is spray the pad and wipe the brush on the pad. Next lay the cases on a pad and spray with the lube per directions.
This gives me acceptable use with the Hornady's.
I use Mica to lube both the case ID and OD when neck sizing.

 

[kraky]

They might replace it for you...give them a call or email. Try running a piece if brass through the die w/o the expander....how much under. 308 is the inside of the neck....anything much less than. 299" would tell me its overworking the neck alot.

 

[excaliber]

It seems I have plenty to learn still. Getting a case stuck right off the bat. Kraky I'll give that a try and see what I get.

I'll also look into some other dies in the meantime.
Thanks

 

[efw]

I'd say that based upon my limited experience that you may well have an under-spec die that is over working the brass as Kraky suggested.

I had this issue with a 338-06 die of theirs, sent it to them with an explanation of the problem (there was no disputing the issue) and they sent it back unaltered saying it was in spec.

My necks were extraordinarily tight causing runout issues and the mandrel for Lee length gauges wouldn't fit until I ran cases through a Redding neck sizer. This was from 270 brass so it couldn't have been a neck thickness issue!

Anyway don't feel badly. Their seaters are indeed wonderful as others have said, but I always stick w/ RCBS/Redding/Forster FLS dies.

 

[super-7]

Pull the expander rod / button out of the die and run in a piece of once fired brass, then chek the inside diameter of the neck with a good caliper. Let us know what it measures.

 

[truck driver]

It seems I have plenty to learn still. Getting a case stuck right off the bat. Kraky I'll give that a try and see what I get.

I'll also look into some other dies in the meantime.
Thanks

Don't feel bad everyone sticks a case now and then. Heck I've been loading for over 40yrs and I stuck one in my 35 Whelen Redding dies right after I got the rifle and dies. Redding sent me a new stem assembly and 2 buttons one tapered and one standard.
I use fine molybdenum to dust the inside of the case necks to make it easier and keep the neck stretch down.

 

[DrMike]

If you haven't stuck a die, you aren't loading enough. It is going to happen. That is why a small investment in a stuck case remover is a good investment.

 

[jimbires]

reloading without a stuck case remover , is like using a pencil with no eraser .


I wouldn't give up on the hornady die set just yet , they are probably just as good as any regular run of the mill die set . try to figure out the problem you are having , and get busy reloading .give them a fair chance . my big problem is , I guess I'm set in my ways . I let the decapping rod a little loose so it can self center on all my other dies , but you can't do that with the hornady zip spindle . because of this, I don't care form them .

 

[Darkhorse]

reloading without a stuck case remover , is like using a pencil with no eraser .


I wouldn't give up on the hornady die set just yet , they are probably just as good as any regular run of the mill die set . try to figure out the problem you are having , and get busy reloading .give them a fair chance . my big problem is , I guess I'm set in my ways . I let the decapping rod a little loose so it can self center on all my other dies , but you can't do that with the hornady zip spindle . because of this, I don't care form them .

I decap first without using a die. Then I size using RCBS with the spindle removed. I use the Hornady die with the spindle run down almost as far as it will go and leaving the entire die loose in the press I expand the case necks.
Most will think I'm just adding useless steps to the process. But this is just part of my process for getting my entire cartridge as concentric to my rifle as possible.

 

[excaliber]

This weekend I'll get a chance to get some info a few asked for here. Hornady was super nice and sent me the guts to the sizing die. In their reply they recommended lubing inside the necks which I was doing or some powdered graphite.
I'm going to give them a call before I try again as they said they would help me out and try to determine where I went wrong. I'm sure it was user error. I'll be looking for a stuck case remover too.

 

[excaliber]

Latest update.

I have not been able to contact Hornady since I received my die parts due to work and their hours. Today I started up again after more research.
This time I used the RCBS mica inside the necks and the Hornady unique on the outside of the cases. All was going well until case #35 got stuck.

This is getting old fast. I've watched everything I can and read all I could while waiting for die parts to show up.

I'm doing everything I see others do on the Youtube videos as far as lubrication but it's not working for me.
The expander keeps getting stuck.

One thing on the videos I can't tell how much pressure people are using on the down stroke to remove the case from the die.
I have to use some force on it. It's nothing like the lack of pressure I use on the universal de capping dies.
I've read not to force it but what is considered forcing it? The case just doesn't fall out of the case it requires some force should it not?
I'm not getting this at all.

 

[excaliber]

I measured my once fired cases and the neck diameter comes in at .309 or lightly larger on a consistant basis and my brand my Winchester brass that I have resized measures .305 consistently.

It appears this new Hornady dimension die is over working the brass which is causing my issues not being able to get the expander out of the die.
Does this seem correct?