Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Reloading 303SAV issues

After reloading about 40 cartridges of 303SAV I checked the concentricity and found that 39 out of the 40 cases were way out, just rolling it I could easily see that they were out with the naked eye. I've always had issues with both my 303 savage rifles and until I got a concentricity gauge a few years ago I didn't realize what the problem was. If I started out with new brass things were great but then it when down hill after a 2nd reloading. I went ahead and shot some rounds at the range and they were all over the place. After coming home I slid a bullet into several of the spent cases and checked the concentricity, all were right on. I believe this rules out the rifle as a problem. I have always used the same 2 die Redding set, I've tried leaving the lock nuts floating, rotating the die 180 degrees and resizing again, and other tricks all to no avail. I also induction anneal cases now. I like Redding products but something just seems to be wrong with this die and I'm ready to try something else.

First question, does anyone just do neck sizing only on the 303SAV? Generally with lever actions it's not recommended but maybe it's a none issues for the 99. I have a Remington BR bushing neck die that looks like it will work if I stack up two bushings with the second bushing basically being an oversize spacer. If this works I might even consider reaming out the Redding die to FL size just the case and do the neck with the bushing die.

Other option is to get a LEE or Hornady die. I've always hated the Hornady neck expanding locking mechanism but love the bullet setting dies, looks like they finally changed their design to a threaded neck expander. Even though LEE is cheap but sometimes its really good (like my auto prime II, which they no longer make). Anyone have a preference or experience they would like to share?

It is okay to just neck size on 99’s. I tend not to do it any more due to having multiple guns chambered the same, but I did it quite a bit early on. No problems.

I like Lee dies, never had a problem with any.

I’d get another set of dies. Obviously Lee still makes them. I know RCBS put them on their custom list sometime back.

Did you try de-capping in a separate operation and then setting the expander ball up high enough in the die so that the neck is still engaging the neck area of the die when the expander starts into the neck? If that trick doesn't sort out your problem (and your seater die isn't screwy), then it would be time to switch to different dies.

The oddest thing I ever had with 303 dies were with RCBS about 20-years ago. I bought a set and after full length resizing the bullet fell straight down the neck. I drove over to Oroville and changed them out but same thing happened back at the bench. I took those back and we came to the conclusion that they had accidentally used the expander ball for 303 British. Bloody hell I said and we got the problem fixed.

I tried the 30 B.R. Remington neck only bushing die. I had to stack two bushings. First one in was a .329 and the seconds was a .333 which just acts as a spacer for the long neck of the 303SAV. The .329 was the smallest I had, probably need to go smaller as I can almost push the bullets in by hand, should work for a trial anyway. I also had to make an extra long de-capping pin out of a nail. I had about 10 cases to size, after sizing about 50% were within 3/1000 while the others went over but not as bad as before. Of course with a bullet in them the length will extend and amplify the value. Might have to switch to newer brass to fix the problem.

I'll have to see how far on the original die I can take the expander ball up, I'm sure I took it up enough to still be able to decap but not beyond that, have nothing to lose by trying (except maybe a few pieces of brass).

According to the hornady concentricity tool I'm using, I'm getting about 0.0015" run out. I've got 2 sets of RCBS vintage 70's dies, a set of Lee, and a vintage set of Lyman with a PA seater die. The RCBS sets work the brass the least and then the Lyman. I use imperial neck lube applied with their media on each resizing. Case lube is RCBS # 2 on a pad. I decap in a dedicated die. When the case has entered the sizing die as far as desired and with the handle fully down, I adjust the sizing ball as far up as it will go and then back down 1 turn with the RCBS and Lyman. Don't lock down the lock nut-leave it loose so it will float and self center. That PA die is kinda like the new dimension dies from Hornady--it has a slider to align the case mouth with the bullet. Some say these dies are not precise enough to make a difference but my con gauge says other wise. When I got the PA die, the slider was marked 311. I found a set of Lyman for a 30-06 at a bargain and swapped out the slider to a 30 cal. I did keep the 311 in case I ever want to load oversized cast. Using RCBS sizer and the PA seater along with PPU brass, WLR primer, a charge of Varget a little less than the starting charge for a 170 gr, and a 190 gr barnes projectile seated to 2.522"-2.525, I'm regularly getting 4 shot groups touching at 50 YDS. The Lee set came with a shell holder that is listed for the 30-40 Krag and the 303 British. The only part of that set I use is the crimp die. With the bottom of it BARELY touching the holder, add 0.5 turn. When seating, again don't lock down the lock nut on the seating stem--let it float to self center like the expander stem. These groups are from an F model, 1929 manu, equipped with a WONDERFUL Light foot mount holding a vintage Redfield 2x7 widefield in 1" tall leupold rings. I'm shhoting it cross stock. This level of accuracy is not indicative of my skill but of the wonder of the right equipment. Case trimming is done with a Lee zip trim utilizing a case holder from a 30-30 and the actual trim shaft from a 308 Win set

Sounds like you got it licked! .0015" runout is about as good as it gets. Your description of setting up the sing die is better than what I tried to get across earlier.

Even a half blind hog can occasionally find an acorn or 2!

Thanks for all the input. Everyone here always has good info and willing to share. Glade you mentioned the 190 Barnes bullets are out, I didn't know, I now have two boxes coming my way. I have a Hornady 30-06 die always liked how it guides in the bullet. I just adjusted it down all the way and I believe it will work for the 303 also, I didn't ram the bullet home but it looks like it will make it. Once I get around to loading I'll find out.