Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 300 Weatherby Case-Crushing trouble

Gents...(I already posted this on AR, but I'd like to hear the Campfire's opinions)

I am having some trouble with some 300 Weatherby loads I cooked up. I don't believe the load data is pertinent here, but for the heck of it, I used 168gr Barnes TSX, 180gr Barnes TSX, and 200gr Nosler Partitions.

Approximately 2/3 of about 60 rounds had crushed cases. I did not notice until I got out to the range. The case looked as if the top had been compressed downward, resulting in a circular bulge right below the shoulder. All of these rounds chambered, some of them took a little bit of muscle. I fired most of them, to get the cases back to normal.

How did this happen? I don't believe it could have happened during the sizing operation, as the sizing die, well, sizes, the case correctly.
My theory would be that I seated the bullets with too swift a stroke, hence compressing downward on the case.
To preclude this from happening in the future, I have, just yesterday, started to polish the insides of the necks. I guess I'll be a bit softer on bullet seating, too.

What's your educated guesstimate on this situation?

Too much lube?? .... I am also very new to this reloading gig, I have crushed a couple of cases when I get lube up around the shoulder area, you would think it would squirt out somewhere ... but doesn't, caused a couple of crushed shoulders.

Yup. Too much lube. You need very little.

Neck sizing or FL? Avagadro has it pegged if you are FL sizing and using too much lube. With the radiused shoulder on the WBY cases, they can be a lube catcher.Rick.

I think I got it pegged down to having the seating die down too much...the crimp is crushing the case. Didn't remember it had a crimp function. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Anyhow, definetely not too much lube....this deal LITERALLY shortened the case by crushing it.

Yup, the seater die is screwed down too far.

Back off the die a bunch, run a case in the ram to the top, then screw the seater back down until it touches the case. Once you feel the die make contact, unscrew it 1/2 to 1 full turn.

Turok

Thanks Turok...

No problem Matthias. I've been down that road myself, except I thought it was the bullet. Turns out I had the die turned down too far. Never a problem since.

Turok

I loaded some up yesterday. I checked how I had set the die previously, and it was indeed turned down just a wee bit too far.
Fixed it, and the rounds come out like they should.

Matthias,

FWIW, a trick I learned years ago: When setting up a new seating die. (Assuming you don't want to crimp..) Lay a nickle on the shell holder and raise it to the top of the stroke. Screw the seating die down until it just contacts the nickle and set the lock ring. This scenario works on most brands of dies. ...the9.3Guy

Matthias,

I have to ask, why are you crimping the .300 Weatherby? Lawdog
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I am not...it was by mistake.