24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
I’ve been a reloader for over 40 years. I have never run into this before and have reloaded thousands of rifle cases over the years. Maybe some can tell me if this is normal.

The new 260 Remington Starline brass length was correct straight out of the box and the first loads fired were mild. After firing, I set my sizer die to bump the shoulder back .002”-.003” so it would chamber easily. After sizing, I checked the case length and it had got .003- .004” longer. ( I know cases will get longer over time and need trimming. )

After each firing and sizing, the cases continue to get .003-.004” longer and I have to trim after only 2-3 firings. All loads are well below max according to all the manuals I have read and no signs of high pressure. Load is, 123 gr Scenar, 43.1 grs H4350, CCI 200, 2.280” OAL, 2890 fps avg.

I tried bumping the shoulder only .001” and neck size only but the cases still get longer. 2-3 firings on a case seems odd. Is this normal with the 260;or is it just with Starline brass?

My rifle is a stock Savage Model 11.

HR IC

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,699
M
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
M
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,699
Is this with a sizing die that's new to you? Some dies size more taper onto the brass than others and this will cause lengthening.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
The die is the regular Hornady 2 die set and it’s the only dies I’ve used for the 260.

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,699
M
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
M
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,699
My 308 Die set from Hornady tapers the cases more than the several other dies I have.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
Thanks for the info. I’m going to give a RCBS sizer die a try. I can always use the seater die to seat another style of bullet even if the sizer doesn’t solve my problem.

Anybody else have any ideas of what’s going on?

IC B2

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,302
P
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
P
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,302
I think it is in the die. When you size, that brass has to go somewhere and if the die is "oversizing" your brass, that could be your issue.
I have a buddy that has the same issue with his 308. He trims his brass .004 more than needed and after sizing, it is on the money for the length he wants.


I may not be smart but I can lift heavy objects

I have a shotgun so I have no need for a 30-06.....
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
Originally Posted by pullit
I have a buddy that has the same issue with his 308. He trims his brass .004 more than needed and after sizing, it is on the money for the length he wants.


Funny that you said that because that is also what I’ve been doing, trimming a few thousandths more than needed before sizing which puts it where it should be.

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,579
S
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
S
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,579
I'd suggest considering a Lee Collet die set in 260 Rem... I load a lot of 260 as it has become my main deer hunting caliber...

I have both RCBS and Lee Die Sets on hand.. and use the Lee the most. I have a Hornady die set for the 260 also... then is still unused.. and I bet I've had it 20 years.. I've always looked at a die set to be the cheapest part of reloading.... a die set usually costs the same or less than a box of 20 rounds of what is considered "Premium Ammo"...

I did try out about 4 or 5 Redding Body dies also for what calibers I shoot.. until the light went on, that for a body die, I can just take the spindle out of a die in the same based caliber for a body die... which I already have... Example.. spindle out of a 7/08 die and I have a 260 Body die... or a 260 without the spindle becomes a 243 body die...you get the picture...

Most of my ammo reloading... I take extra steps but it pays dividends in the field...Lee collet die for the neck... a " body die" for the shoulder..
I hardly ever use a die for a complete one pass Full Length resized anymore...

Last 4 or 5 years I have been annealing my hunting loads every reload..... it stretches out the brass life substantially...

I started out as an experiment on 223 brass... loaded it to around 44000 CUP, with 12.5 grains of Blue Dot with a 55 grain FMJ bullet.. ( had a 1000 of them I bought back when you could get that for $35.) Used one rifle, and ADL Remington.... neck sized each reload... annealed every 4th shot..
had to bump the shoulder back finally about every 8th or 9th sizing...

it was range pick up Remington brass.... I reloaded it 101 times... since then the same batch of brass has been reloaded 20 more times...

my inspiration was reading on Lapua's web site, that in house they reload their brass 300 times plus, doing load testing...

that batch of Remington Brass, kinda looks like Schitt now.. but it is still reloadable... hence the reloaded 20 more times after the experiment..

in the testing, I did lose 3 pieces of brass... but that was no fault of the product.. it was operator error at the bench.. so you can blame me on that one...or three...

but back to the 260 brass... most of my brass I use in the 260s I have, are stamped 308 on the bottom of them... pretty much range pick up brass.

being anal retentive, I keep brass in lots of 10 or 20.. and in zip lock bags, with each reload history on 3 x 5 cards...

I have lot numbers that have seen 50 plus reloads on them....Remington, Winchester and Federal mainly... as that is what I pick up at the range.

occasionally have a neck split here or there...but not really very often... usually annealing every couple of reloads...


and most of it has been where it never needed trimming....I have 5 rifles chambered in 260 Rem...

This pattern holds true in other calibers I shoot a lot of....


"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC

“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
Seafire- thanks for the info. The Lee Collet die has my interest and I have read a lot about it since reading your post. I may have to try one.

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 772
F
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
F
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 772
I bought a new Ruger ftw 260 a few years back, a Lee collet die and new Starline brass. All are working just fine.

IC B3

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,390
T
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
T
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,390
Originally Posted by mathman
My 308 Die set from Hornady tapers the cases more than the several other dies I have.

^^ I would guess this first. Pretty sure I have at least one die from every major brand that way overworks the body of the case compared to the same caliber die from other brands. Sometimes sh** happens.

LCD and Redding body die might be your huckleberry.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
I ordered a LCD and I already have a 7mm-08 FL size die that I can use as the 260 body die. The LCD is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

I’ve already read everything I could find on the LCD and how to set it up and I’ve already used the 7-08 FL to bump the shoulders .0015” - .002” on my fired brass. Now I’m just waiting on the new die.

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,524
W
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
W
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,524
I don't know if this is an issue you for you or not . But I have a 7x57 that has an enormous chamber , If I full length size in my RCBS die ,Squeezing it back down to shape lengthens the brass a lot. If I neck size it with my Redding die it does not grow. If I full length size with my Redding full length die adjusted to bareley touch the shoulder it may grow .001 if at all. Savage like yours may not have the tightest chamber and over resizing is just gonna ruin your brass in 3-4 firings.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
H
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 568
Update-

I received the LCD in this morning’s mail. Taking the die apart to clean was a little aggravating. It took me a few minutes to realize that the collet’s “fingers” were spread a little too wide and the collet wouldn’t come out of the die body. I had to take a short piece of PVC pipe to push it out and it took some pressure to get it out. It was stuck pretty good. I then polished the collet with 1000 grit sand paper, wiped everything down good and added a little Tetra grease to the collet. Reassembly was just as hard as disassembly.

Then the light went off in my head… I’ll just use the press to tighten the “fingers” a little. I just screwed the die in a wee bit at a time, without a case in the shell holder, while operating the press. Slowly the innards began to free up and I stopped when everything inside moved easily.

Adjusting the tension on the case was pretty straight forward after following the excellent instructions found here on the fire.

I was hoping to shoot some rounds but that’ll have to wait until the rain stops.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions and info.


Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
198 members (257 mag, 300jimmy, 10Glocks, 300_savage, 2UP, 01Foreman400, 17 invisible), 1,562 guests, and 863 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,592
Posts18,397,911
Members73,815
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.130s Queries: 14 (0.003s) Memory: 0.8548 MB (Peak: 0.9638 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 10:06:25 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS