Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Largest diameter 25-06 FL die?

I've got a 25-06 rifle with a large diameter chamber. The fired cases bulge in the web enough that they won't fit into my Wilson seating die (which are my favorite seating dies) and the Hornady FL die really works the brass hard in that area when I run them through it. Any suggestions for FL dies that aren't as small diameter in the body as the Hornady's are?

FWIW, I have a neck sizer and have used it. Long story short, I'm happier FL sizing with this gun.

"Any suggestions for FL dies that aren't as small diameter in the body as the Hornady's are?"

Dies are reamed with SAAMI standard reamers, same as rifles. Both chamber and die reamers have a tolerance range, no manufactor picks reamers by size so there is a much variation between dies of the same maker and between makers; you easily could get another Honady FL die and obtain what you seek ... or not.

Over time I've acquired multiple die sets for several cartridges. In every case the Hornady FL sizer is the tightest. So while I agree there's a tolerance range, it sure seems like Hornady is operating on the tight end of it.

Fair enough. All I can say is that I use 28 sets of dies. The two sets of Hornady's I use are noticeably tighter than the other 26. Maybe that's just an anomaly but it appears that they tend to run tighter than other brands. I realize there's always tolerances involved but if someone knows of a brand that tends to run a little larger that would be helpful.

Don't run the die all the way down to the shell holder. Try to partially size and see if it works. That is the way I set up my dies initially for a new rifle. That way, I can fit the brass to the chamber. As long as you are getting enough neck tension, it doesn't matter what you do to the body, as long as it fits. I have acouple of Colt Light rifles. They have very tight chambers, and I have to go all the way with them to fit, but the other factory rifles I have need a lot less sizing.

Unfortunately I'm already partially sizing. I measured the dies that I have on hand and relative to SAAMI RCBS runs the largest so I'll find a used one and see if that works out a little better.

And I've found that my RCBS FL dies are as a rule, not as tight as my Reddings.

Route your dies to the maker and ask if they would ream them out to your desired diameter.