Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles HELP!! FL resized brass issue

Ok,
I'm new to reloading and need some input. I have a factory remington 700 KS chambered in 7mm STW. I have factory double tap and HSM ammo on hand. Last week I received my new dream 7mm STW build (benchmark barrel, 700 action, wyatt box for 4" COAL, gamescout, ect ). In my NEW stw I can chamber factory rounds with zero problem. I purchased a redding T7 press, redding FL sizing dies and redding shell plates. When I attempt to chamber my once fired brass that has been ran through the FL die in my NEW stw its so tight that it takes all I have to close the bolt. When I take that same piece of brass and chamber it in my factory stw it closes with zero problems.

First I thought my brass needed trimming so I trimmed it down A LOT and still it won't fit. I checked my press and I set the die so low that it was pushing against the shell holder and still nothing and I did the opposite and still nothing. So i got the calipers out and started doing measurements on the brass. All of the factory brass is within .001 of each other. All the different brands come out of the die about .005 wider than before it was fired. When I say wider I'm talking about above the belt ( 1/2 inch up from the belt is where I took my measurements). Factory brass is coming in at .5055 +/-and after they have been fired and ran through the redding FL die they are coming in at .5122 +/-. All of the brass is once fired out of my factory remington or factory weatherby (sold it) stw.

If I set the caliber loose and run it up the brass from neck to belt the widest point on the factory ammo comes in at .5061 +/-, on the once fired ran through the FL redding die its .5128 +/-.

To add to the confusion, my hunting partner had the same smith build him a STW two years ago and he reloads using RCBS dies and has never had a problem with chambering anything. So my question is, where do I go from here. Tomorrow I'm going to contact my smith and redding and see what they say. any input would be great.



Thank you


p.s.
I also posted this on Lens long range forum.

What do they measure before you resize them? Is it possible you have a neck die that was marked fl?

I'd also color a sized case up with a sharpie and chamber it so you can tell where its dragging.

And another trick to try is taking the slop out of the shell holder be sliding a feeler gauge between the base of the case and the shell holder. Its probly just a .001" or so too long at the shoulder.

Mitch,

Many custom rifles have tighter chambers than factory rifles.

I understand how everybody expects instant answers on the Internet, for any problem, but I would listen to what Redding has to say before running to the Campfire and expecting a real answer.

I colored a once fired with the sharpie and the only faint dragging seems to be on the shoulder. surprisingly the wider part of the brass doesn't have any marking.

I see you set the FL size die against the shell holder. You can go a bit farther.

Raise the ram all the way and screw the die in to contact with the shell holder. Lower the ram and turn the die into the press a little bit more. Size a piece of brass and see how it chambers.

If you're repeating this process turning the die into the press in small increments, you can remove the expander ball to keep from sizing/expanding the same case neck over and over.

If you have a feeler gauge to use as a shim I'd try it between the case and shell holder and see if that sizes it down far enough to easily chamber.

Tried the shim and it didn't fix it and I tried setting the die farther down and it didn't fix the issue either.

How thick of a blade were you able to get under it?

Well I went back and putt the thickest shim I could under the shell while in the shell holder and tightened the die down to the point that it was PUSHING up against the shell holder and the problem was solved. The once fired case slid into the chamber smooth as silk. Looks like tomorrow I will be grinding the shell plate down a hair and the problem will be solved. Thanks for all the info/help.

Get some Redding competition shellholders. Get the +0.004 and/or 0.006 and you should be able to bump the shoulder back enuff to chamber easily.

Now I just need to talk to redding and find a happy median, after inspecting the latest formed brass that chambered like a dream, I noticed some slight denting in the shoulder, going to have to play with this one to find the sweet spot.

Mathman has your answer, BUT.. .

He neglected to tell you how to set your die up so that the press "cams over"

After you raise the ram and screw the die all of the way down to make contact with the shellholder, lower the ram and screw the die down more. May be able to get another 1/4 turn down. Raise the ram and when the shell holder makes contact with the bottom of the die, keep forcing it down until you feel the ram "cam over".

If your brass still won't fit without resistence, you may need to take the die to your gunsmith to have him remove a little from the bottom of the die

You've got it backward. Those shell holders are taller to allow for increments of less sizing while still setting the die up flush against the shell holder.

Depending on the press and the amount of sizing needing done, it may or may not result in cam over.

Run a couple of pieces of your brass through your friends die.

exactly what I was thinking. We live a on different sides of the state but he is going to mail his dies to me tomorrow.

If you take a case fired in your custom chamber, eject it and then put it back in the chamber, how does it feel upon bolt closing? Could be a combination of a tight chamber and loose sizing die. If that is the case, you might see if one of the die makers will make you a small base STW die. I see that RCBS makes a small base .300 Win bag die, so it is possible to have one in a belted mag.

Another possibility is your cases may be expanding above the belt making the cases difficult to chamber. I've had that happen with a .257 Wby I owned. If that is indeed the case, screwing down the die more is not likely to correct the problem and even if it does, will push the shoulder back so much that the case will eventually separate. I would suggest you get a bump gage and make sure you're not bumping your shoulder too much.

The Willis collet die will squeeze the case back down to size above the belt and allow you to bump the shoulder no more than necessary. Another option would be to take a spare STW die and have the top ground off so that it only sizes the body without bumping the shoulder. I did this too with my .257 Wby and actually liked the results even better than the Wills die, although the Will is die DOES work.

John