Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles belted magnum resizing collet die

Everyone said that there was a problem with the belted mags. I bought one just in case. IDIOT! I shot Rem 700's and Browning A bolts. Later on, I found out that there was a problem with match chambers where the reamer was small or worn, where the chamber was cut small only .002 over web dia. Then the collet die would not go down that small.

European brass, RWS, Norma, and PMC(Korean) can be much larger in the web than American brass. The collet sizer may work on this larger dia brass as reported by one friend that is using a custom barrel and RWS brass.

Larry's die works will all the belted cases, well except .240 and the mega mags, like 378, .460, etc.

DF

best tool on the market

Ya don’t need it till ya need it. Then you really need it.

With brass hard to find and expensive, this die makes a lot of sense.

Otherwise you may have to chunk what you can salvage.

DF

Interesting thread. I guess if you need it you need it. I've been loading for belted magnums for about 25 years now. Started out with the 300WBY and still have that old die set and have used that particular die set for 3 different 300WBY rifles. 2 were sporterized m1917's and my most current one a pre 64 model 70. Nothing with "match" chambers or anything. That may have some influence on what you need as well. I've seen some real tight Rem 700 chambers. Maybe a person would need that special die if you have a tight chamber. Again, I ask what kind of rifle is the OP going to be loading for???

I think I need it. One year old custom 300 WM. New, 0x used reamer. Started with new Peterson "long" brass. That means my headspace is not stretching upon first firing. Actually, .003" crush fit when chambering brass for first firing. After that, set shoulder for .002" headspace. I have a few unfired pieces (.510" in front of belt) in the box, a bunch of 2x fired (.511") and the remainder of my original 100 pc are 4x fired (.513"). All brass/loaded ammo chambers. It's the extraction which is problematic. After round fires, bolt lifts easy enough. It's the case extraction which is difficult. To the point I have to use a short brass rod to tap back on the bolt handle to break the grip of the expanded case on the inside portion of the chamber, right in front of the belt.

I ordered and received the Belted Magnum Collet die. I don't have your typical single stage, ie Rock Chucker, press. I have a Forster Co-Ax and a Dillon 650. First I tried the Co-Ax. Didn't seem as if though I could fully get the press to cam over. Lots of felt pressure as I was trying to size the case. Ended up ripping the rim off a Peterson case. Knocked the case out of the die. Same, .513" in front of the belt. Moved the operation over to the Dillon 650. Was able to fully am over press, hopefully sizing case. Again, ripped off the case rim from a R-P case (Learning not to ruin Peterson cases until I figure this thing out). Case is currently still stuck in the die. Emailed Jay Mueller, Reloading Technologies. He informed me for the Co-Ax press I need a "Shellholder Adapter Plate" made by Forster and a regular shellholder. Both will arrive on Monday. Until then, I will work on other projects.

Alan

First, thanks everyone for your input.

Little background on me and the rifle I will be loading for, then my plan going forward.

I, have been handloading rifle and pistol for 25+ years, dabbled a little years ago in High Power Rifle competition, did not have the time to devote to it. Never the less, I am devoted to getting all the accuracy I can out of my rifles. So not a neophyte when it comes to Handloading. Just never loaded for Belted magnums.

The rifle is Remington 700 CDL 7mm Remington Magnum mid to late 90’s vintage.
I traded into this rifle years ago from a close friend, the rifle has been a safe queen since he purchased, less, than 2 boxes of factory ammo fired. I fired ten or so getting it zeroed and confirming zero way back when. I got what was left of the ammo and a box and half of empty brass fired in this rifle. Did not really want the rifle but it is beautiful and buddy wanted something I did not use anymore, so I figured, I would sell it or trade it.

Did not want to gear up loading for it so, I sold the rifle. New owner fires one round of factory ammo (Federal Fusion) and the bolt locked up, could not extract the fired case. So, I refunded his money and got the rifle back and the fired case.

I, checked the chamber and bore with borescope everything looks fine. I fired 3 rounds of factory Federal Premium 165grn (20 years old), the original owner gave me when we traded. Not a hiccup. Loaded and extracted the fired cases fine. So, what do I do? I have a rifle I really did not want, plan was to use as trade fodder or sell? I am hesitant to sell or trade it, now, it sits in my safe.

Fast forward to last week, find a deal in classifieds, Dillion dies, assorted brass, and few hundred bullets (have not received yet) so I think what the hay, I’ll load for it and use it as hay field rifle. But in the back of my head, I remember there is somethings peculiar about loading for belted magnums, research comes up with the bulge ahead of the belt after repeated FLS, and the above die is the answer.

After some thought and reading all the post above, I’ve measured all the fired brass and ammo, good 70% of the fired brass, measured .514-.516 just above the belt, and would not chamber in the rifle. .5135 seems to be the maximum go with a slight crush.

So, my plan when I get the dies is to FLS some of the brass and PFLS bumping the shoulder a little at a time, measure ahead of the belt, trim to uniform length, and see how they chamber.

If I have to, I’ll purchase the Willis die

Again, thanks to everyone for sharing your experience and knowledge.

You don’t use it that often.

I was looking for my die, couldn’t find it. Assumed I’d loaned it to someone, forgot who. So, needing one, I ordered another. They weren’t as expensive back then. Later found the original in my .300 Win Mag die box.

I sold the extra one. I keep up with it better using the original case.

DF

Measure the BELT..It will expand, and cause hard to no chambering, issues. If you section a belted case, you will notice the belt reaches a few thous, inch above the head of the case. That portion of the belt is prone to expand, and will not be fully resized by the FL sizing die.

I've had the area ahead of the belt needing sizing to chamber.

I've never had a belt to swell. Guess you'd have to be pushing it pretty hard to stretch the belt.

DF

Had one of my 270 wbys rebarrelled. Gunsmith asked if I wanted a tight chamber. I said yes. Wound up with a lot of brass that would not fit. Bought this die and solved my problem. Hasbeen

Any you gained what by having a "tight" chamber?

I've loaded a lot of belted cases and never had a problem. I adjust my sizing die like any other bottle neck case and forget about the belt. But on the rare occasion that you have a problem this die will help.

You may not need it, but if you do, then you do.

Had a .257 Wby. It’s cases would swell just enough ahead of the belt to where I couldn’t size them enough to chamber easily unless I was pushing the shoulder back waaayyy too much. I found two solutions. The first, and the one I thought worked best was I took a standard .257 Wby full length sizing die and had the top of it cut off where all it could size was the body. This allowed me to screw the die down far enough to size the area just ahead of the belt sufficiently for good chambering. I then used an unmolested die to bump the shoulder .002” or so.

After that, I discovered and tried the Willis collet die. It worked too, but didn’t squeeze the area ahead of the belt down as much as my modified FL. die.

John

Maybe, but I`ve found that problem in once fired stuff picked up at the range. I also bought some "once fired" 7 Wby brass. Ejector marks on the case head showed it was fired at least three times. The belts on some, not all, of those cases were expanded. So were the primer pockets. I got took on that deal.
I couldn`t chamber, after sizing, some of the range pick up stuff in 7 Rem mag. Smoked the head and belt area, and saw the problem.

Have a friend with two M70's chambered in 300WM. One of the rifles has a rather oval shaped chamber, and resized brass won't fit in the other rifle. After 4-5 firings resized brass wouldn't fit in the oval chambered rifle either. This is the die he bought to address the problem and now the brass will fit either rifle.

As others have said it doesn't seem to be common but when it happens that die appears to be the answer.

Don’t know if I gained anything. But the Barrel I put on it was a match select. Trying for the best accuracy possible.
And I’ve been loading for belted mags since 1969. Hasbeen

Arky, get the die. I think that’ll fix your issues pretty quick. Sounds like a nice rifle and a good shooting 7 Rem is a blessing in my opinion.

Update

Traded 500 small pistol primers for LRM primers. New scope bases, rings, and mounted an old VariXIII 3.5-10X 40 on the rifle.

Zeroed at 100 yards, sub minute with Hornady 139 SST and Hornady 139 Interlocks on top of H4831 in RP brass. This is the first time resizing, the brass so time will tell if I need the Collet Die.

Shot a nice fat doe the next day at about 130 yards with the Interlock.

Not a bang flop, but only ran 20 yards.

I shot and hand loaded for a 7mm Remington magnum for years all I ever did was size with an RCBS neck sizing die I was loading full tilt...1960s 3 lug Sako action with a 24"Shilen air gauge barrel. I used new Winchester cases stuffed with Reloader 22 pushing a 140 gr. Nosler BT 3325 fps (5 shot average).

I never reloaded any cases past 4 times and I never experienced any problems.