Problems with new Hornady 243 dies purchased here

[Caveman Jim]

Or lower your chair.. if you're sitting. I sit.. but I have monkey triceps.. ooh ooh!

I could lower my stool but then I know I'd be banging my elbows on the edge of the bench reaching for something.... I just know it...

 

[Member 5605]

One thing I do know about being at the bench behind a press is getting comfortable. I do know that I am going to have a 8 inch Riser Mount made to mount my press higher. because just bending over that last two or three inches for the down stroke hurts my back... I'm thinking of hydraulics here.... lol not really but yeah if I continue aggravating my lower back anymore I'm gonna have to take up sofa sitting as my new hobby...

Raise your bench. My bench top is 42" tall... I think.

 

[Member 5605]

Converting .308 to .243 would take a lot of force, no?

Can't you chamber .243 in a .308?

Then trying to resize the fire formed brass would be a ...

The only thing you do is expand the mouth of the case, everything else is identical for the most part. If you try and expand work hardened .243 mouths they will split and even the newest annealed .243 mouths will split after one or two firings because the brass sure is thin at the mouth.

@Caveman Jim I should stand on a scale while pushing down on my lever to size .308 and see what the scale says for amount of force I'm relieving from the scale when sizing.

I'm betting the scale would groan in excitement.

 

[DizzyJ]

Well I was beginning to wonder if that was the case as I don't know why the brass would be too big or the diesame being too small.
I used a little more CLP (ok a bunch more) and then Powder Blast to rinse it out thoroughly. So far so good but much more force is needed than 223 cases.

It's going to be a fair amount more force to size the .308 than a .223

 

[Caveman Jim]

Raise your bench. My bench top is 42" tall... I think.

Not an option, it is the out feed table for my tablesaw. Once I build a dedicated reloading room I'll take the bench height seriously.

 

[Caveman Jim]

The only thing you do is expand the mouth of the case, everything else is identical for the most part. If you try and expand work hardened .243 mouths they will split and even the newest annealed .243 mouths will split after one or two firings because the brass sure is thin at the mouth.

@Caveman Jim I should stand on a scale while pushing down on my lever to size .308 and see what the scale says for amount of force I'm relieving from the scale when sizing.

I'm betting the scale would groan in excitement.

Lol. I'm going to get a 3' cheater bar for mine!!!!!

 

[DizzyJ]

Lol. I'm going to get a 3' cheater bar for mine!!!!!

That will get it all the way in.
Might not be able to get it out, but that's another issue. Lol

 

[Caveman Jim]

That will get it all the way in.
Might not be able to get it out, but that's another issue. Lol

Then I'll get a 6' cheater for the up stroke...
When there's a will there's a way....

 

[Member 5605]

Oh wow. You better just get the neighbor to come in and work the lever for you at that point.

 

[erslll]

One thing I do know about being at the bench behind a press is getting comfortable. I do know that I am going to have a 8 inch Riser Mount made to mount my press higher. because just bending over that last two or three inches for the down stroke hurts my back... I'm thinking of hydraulics here.... lol not really but yeah if I continue aggravating my lower back anymore I'm gonna have to take up sofa sitting as my new hobby...

Inline Fabrication

Welcome to InLine Fabrication. – Inline Fabrication

 

[DizzyJ]

Inline Fabrication

Welcome to InLine Fabrication. – Inline Fabrication

Agreed. I've got several of his mounts. Very solid, very well made.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Inline Fabrication

Welcome to InLine Fabrication. – Inline Fabrication

Thanks, I saw them and like the design.

My FSIL wants to show me he can weld so I'll give him a chance first.....

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Dig a hole for your stool!

That didn't sound right! Dig a hole to lower your shop stool to the right height!

 

[bbbass]

I stand for reloading 308 rifle cases on my RCBS press. Can't do it otherwise as there is not enough mechanical advantage. I weigh 240lbs so that works pretty good... just lean on it!!

 

[Goosebrown]

Completely remove the decapping stem. No expander, nothing. Then try again.

Good call. Sometimes it's the expander ball that is too snug. Your ruger probably has a tight throat so the neck isn't expanding much and tge expander is just really snug.

Remove the expander and maybe lube it a little when you reinstall it

 

[Caveman Jim]

Good call. Sometimes it's the expander ball that is too snug. Your ruger probably has a tight throat so the neck isn't expanding much and tge expander is just really snug.

Remove the expander and maybe lube it a little when you reinstall it

In this case the expander ball was not an issue, the die was not properly cleaned but did work after with a great deal of pressure on the handle. Cases were sufficiently lubed (not to much to dent the case).

 

[RVTECH]

In my 'early' days of reloading I was creating .243 brass from .308 but was having problems with case neckwall thickness varying from the brass I was using. I learned later most of the time when .243 is made from .308 the necks need to be turned to get the proper thickness. Make sure all your brass is 'real' .243 and does not say .308 on the headstamp. Stick with actual .243 brass and that will eliminate a lot of problems but it is still tough brass to resize regardless. Also make sure the die is clean and dry with no remnants of cleaner or anything else before using it.

 

[bbbass]

In this case the expander ball was not an issue, the die was not properly cleaned but did work after with a great deal of pressure on the handle. Cases were sufficiently lubed (not to much to dent the case).

It's been so long since I had to deal with new dies.

 

[Caveman Jim]

In my 'early' days of reloading I was creating .243 brass from .308 but was having problems with case neckwall thickness varying from the brass I was using. I learned later most of the time when .243 is made from .308 the necks need to be turned to get the proper thickness. Make sure all your brass is 'real' .243 and does not say .308 on the headstamp. Stick with actual .243 brass and that will eliminate a lot of problems but it is still tough brass to resize regardless. Also make sure the die is clean and dry with no remnants of cleaner or anything else before using it.

I learned that cleanliness (pertaining to dies) is next to perfection...
I just didn't expect to have to "put the wood" to it, so to speak. I just knew I was gonna get that case stuck in there. That to me would be embarrasing and would have to wait a month or two to get it back from Hornady....

 

[Caveman Jim]

It's been so long since I had to deal with new dies.

I have just begun a new journey with my newfound hobby, why I didn't get bit long ago is unfounded. Oh, I know why, I was an addicted steelhead and salmon fisher, addicted to hunting big game, small game & waterfowl and working 50-60+ hours a week with two kids and a wife...... lol