Problems with new Hornady 243 dies purchased here

[Caveman Jim]

Caveman
Is that a "straight pull" press with no compound toggle linkage ?
If so, then you are going to get more resistance with that type of press, especially when doing larger cases.

A friend of mine has an old RCBS "Junior" that is built that way.
It's not great for large cases.

This press is an RS model if I recall correctly. It will be used for decapping all my brass & for large rifle reloading.
I have a new Lee turret for pistol, 223 & 300 BO.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I used a rock chucker just like that to load 6.5x55 and 30-06 when I was 12 - didn't seem too bad for my scrawny arms then. I even resized 30-05 to other calibers. Jim - try a can a spinach next time? Just kidding, with lube it should be just fine. Wish I was closer so I could run up there and take a look.

Honestly it's not the lack of strength it's the not wanting to break it syndrome... The old adage "IF IT DON'T FIT DON'T FORCE IT" comes to mind.... lol

 

[Caveman Jim]

Well do you think this might do any better than the wet Case Lubes?

 

[Lilhigbee]

Jim that is intended for INSIDE neck lubing only. It is a dry powder, probably mica, to prevent primer and powder contamination. It is NOT intended for full-case lubrication. Any of the standard wet lubes, properly applied, are okay. Hornady One Shot is my personal favorite. Wish you were closer so one of us could actually put hands on your press. Simple resizing shouldn't be that difficult. Any chance you know someone with some .243 brass that has been shot in a different gun??

 

[Caveman Jim]

Jim that is intended for INSIDE neck lubing only. It is a dry powder, probably mica, to prevent primer and powder contamination. It is NOT intended for full-case lubrication. Any of the standard wet lubes, properly applied, are okay. Hornady One Shot is my personal favorite. Wish you were closer so one of us could actually put hands on your press. Simple resizing shouldn't be that difficult. Any chance you know someone with some .243 brass that has been shot in a different gun??

I just looked through my box of brass and I have some 243 that I picked up years ago while sighting in for deer. I'll give that a go and report back.
Knock on wood.....

 

[whiskeybill]

Most sizing dies should have a tiny "vent" drilled in the body. How you applied the lube is essential to how the brass sizes. Using "tube lube" like the Lee, you should have a soft pad (like an ink stamp pad) that you put the lube on and then spread it evenly over the pad. It doesn't take much. Roll the cases over the lubed pad, then size them. If you put that stuff on with your fingers, it could be excessive and you may end up with a "hydraulic lock". If these dies are used and dirty, the vent may be plugged. That combined with excess lube will make for a sticky wicket. I used the old RCBS tube lube and ink pad for years until Hornady came out with the "One Shot" lube. Now I don't get that goo all over my hands.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Well I just tried to resize with different chambered brass and the same problem persists to pizz me off. I do not know if these were in fact "NEW" as I was told the "WERE NEW". Screw it, I'm tired of fighting it.
I'm going to buy a brand spankin NEW 3 die set along with the one shot or the Lanolin & isopropyl alcohol concoction.
Thank you all for the comments and expert advice, I really appreciate it.

 

[DirectDrive]

I used a rock chucker just like that to load 6.5x55 and 30-06 when I was 12 - didn't seem too bad for my scrawny arms then. I even resized 30-05 to other calibers. Jim - try a can a spinach next time? Just kidding, with lube it should be just fine. Wish I was closer so I could run up there and take a look.

I thought Rockchucker had the compound toggle linkage ?

 

[whiskeybill]

Well I just tried to resize with different chambered brass and the same problem persists to pizz me off. I do not know if these were in fact "NEW" as I was told the "WERE NEW". Screw it, I'm tired of fighting it.
I'm going to buy a brand spankin NEW 3 die set along with the one shot or the Lanolin & isopropyl alcohol concoction.
Thank you all for the comments and expert advice, I really appreciate it.

Jim, I would at least give Hornady a call and send the dies off to have them look it over. It's less expensive than a new set of dies and maybe they may step up to the plate and give you a new set. My dealings with RCBS in the past has been pretty darn good on the customer service end of things. It would be interesting to see what Hornady has to say and what they would do in the name of customer service. I hope these dies aren't some strange concoction like a 243 WSSM and they were stamped incorrectly. When I had a 243 years ago I reloaded on an old RCBS Jr and that wasn't a heavy duty press. I never had problems like what you're experiencing!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Thanks for the advice WBill, I will e-mail them tomorrow. I am going to buy a 3 die set tonight and if they send me a new set back then I'll put them up for sale. No biggie. I've got more than a few irons in the fire right now so I'll get back to the .243 case prep later.

Thanks.

 

[3MTA3]

I thought Rockchucker had the compound toggle linkage ?

I used it as a general term for RCBS, RCBS = Rock Chuck Bullet Swage. Mine is just like @Caveman Jim 's except my primer tray is metal. One of my Brothers bought it back in the 60's I have no idea how old it is.

 

[DirectDrive]

I used it as a general term for RCBS, RCBS = Rock Chuck Bullet Swage. Mine is just like @Caveman Jim 's except my primer tray is metal. One of my Brothers bought it back in the 60's I have no idea how old it is.

Founded by Fred Huntington in 1943 in Oroville, California when bullet swaging was the way to get high quality varmint bullets back in the day.
I had to look up Fred for a refresher, but I knew what RCBS stood for.
Sounds like you had a "Junior"... RCBS Junior.
I've resized 30-06 on a 3-station C-H pistol press which has less leverage than the Junior.
Rockchucker was the compound model.

I'd like to see how Caveman's dies work with some One Shot or Imperial.

For reference, Junior on the left, with Rockchuckers on the right...

 

[3MTA3]

Founded by Fred Huntington in 1943 in Oroville, California when bullet swaging was the way to get high quality varmint bullets back in the day.
I had to look up Fred for a refresher, but I knew what RCBS stood for.
Sounds like you had a "Junior"... RCBS Junior.
I've resized 30-06 on a 3-station C-H pistol press which has less leverage than the Junior.
Rockchucker was the compound model.

I'd like to see how Caveman's dies work with some One Shot or Imperial.

For reference, Junior on the left, with Rockchuckers on the right...
View attachment 349904

Yup, a junior - mine is exactly like the one on the left.

 

[Otter]

Late to the party, but it sounds like a combination of a chamber a little bigger than spec and a die a little smaller. The small press doesn't help either. I reload 06 and 270 brass and the effort to full length resize is only slightly more than 223 brass. (I use RCBS lube when I'm lazy and Imperial Die Wax when I'm not.) I measure everything and only bump back shoulders back about .002, but that doesn't appear to be the problem in this case.

Jim - I highly suggest you avoid using a neck sizing die. If you have not ordered the 3 dies set yet, just go with a two die set. I like Redding dies (bushing style) but had great luck with all my RCBS dies. Neck sizing makes sense on paper but doesn't add up on the target, at least with what I have found. I have necked sized only on several rifles with good results, but in two rifles ended up getting stuck cases in the chamber of the rifle because the body was not getting reduced in size adequately. Think it sucks to have one stuck in a die!

Also, there are two classes of reloaders out there. Those that have got a case stuck in the die and those that will get a case stuck in the die. It actually seems like NooB's don't get them stuck because they pay closer attention. Takes a veteran to really get one stuck. Get a stuck case remover tool when you don't need it because when you get one stuck it will be at the worst possible time.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Late to the party, but it sounds like a combination of a chamber a little bigger than spec and a die a little smaller. The small press doesn't help either. I reload 06 and 270 brass and the effort to full length resize is only slightly more than 223 brass. (I use RCBS lube when I'm lazy and Imperial Die Wax when I'm not.) I measure everything and only bump back shoulders back about .002, but that doesn't appear to be the problem in this case.

Jim - I highly suggest you avoid using a neck sizing die. If you have not ordered the 3 dies set yet, just go with a two die set. I like Redding dies (bushing style) but had great luck with all my RCBS dies. Neck sizing makes sense on paper but doesn't add up on the target, at least with what I have found. I have necked sized only on several rifles with good results, but in two rifles ended up getting stuck cases in the chamber of the rifle because the body was not getting reduced in size adequately. Think it sucks to have one stuck in a die!

Also, there are two classes of reloaders out there. Those that have got a case stuck in the die and those that will get a case stuck in the die. It actually seems like NooB's don't get them stuck because they pay closer attention. Takes a veteran to really get one stuck. Get a stuck case remover tool when you don't need it because when you get one stuck it will be at the worst possible time.

Ya see why I didn't want to force anything. Lol
I'm trying so hard to not screw up.

 

[DizzyJ]

Get some imperial sizing wax. The stuff just works.

 

[osprey]

Jim I have been reloading for 35 + years and have stuck a case or 2 or 10 in my time. Certain combinations of rifles and dies and or die settings can cause undue force to size for sure but lube issues also can be the culprit. I have tried every lube available and as others have stated, try the hornady one shot. It is about the best in my opinion as it puts lube in the case neck without risk of contaminating the charge or excess buildup and solves/helps many hard resizing issues. Give it a go and see if it helps before condemning the die. Also don't size immediately after spraying the cases. It seems to work better after letting them sit for a few minutes after spraying. GL and let us know the outcome. Btw the only suspect and unworkable dies I have come across in my years of reloading were hornady branded.

 

[Member 5605]

Caveman, I think you have a force issue.

I'm going to go try and resize a .308 brass in my Lee hand press and I'll let you know how that goes in a little while.

in the mean time why don't you...
Put the .243 die in the turret head and see if it's easier to size. Leverage is your friend here and doing that in the turret press won't hurt anything. The short handle and non-compounding linkage in that little single stage probably isn't doing you any favors.

Regarding lube...
You are fine. The Lee cream in the tube works really well. Don't chase the unicorn thinking lube is the problem. Not enough lube and the case is stuck, with no stuck case reports from you, I'm thinking that's just fine.

Homebrew case lube.
Spray, leave cases out to flash off the alcohol then size. it's cheap and a little lasts a long time. It's not so important to keep it out of the case because it's not petroleum based so it's not going to react and kill the powder if any gets on it. It also leaves your hands soft if you get enough on them.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Caveman, I think you have a force issue.

I'm going to go try and resize a .308 brass in my Lee hand press and I'll let you know how that goes in a little while.

in the mean time why don't you...
Put the .243 die in the turret head and see if it's easier to size. Leverage is your friend here and doing that in the turret press won't hurt anything. The short handle and non-compounding linkage in that little single stage probably isn't doing you any favors.

Regarding lube...
You are fine. The Lee cream in the tube works really well. Don't chase the unicorn thinking lube is the problem. Not enough lube and the case is stuck, with no stuck case reports from you, I'm thinking that's just fine.

Homebrew case lube.
Spray, leave cases out to flash off the alcohol then size. it's cheap and a little lasts a long time. It's not so important to keep it out of the case because it's not petroleum based so it's not going to react and kill the powder if any gets on it. It also leaves your hands soft if you get enough on them.

I'll try the Lee press later. I have used the RCBS lube & pad that came with the used kit & the brand new tube of Lee lube so far and am going on a search for some lanolin today. I like that it is not a petroleum based product.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Successfully resized 26 pieces of range brass that 8 dug out from the dungeon.... I am getting the SIL's brass done as I type.
The Lee turret is doing the job but there are some cases that take a bit more umph than others.....
I also got some lanolin and am warming it up to mix....
Should I spray some on me nips before using on the brass? Lol