Take me to School!!

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

Gents----been reloading several years now. I use Hornaday lube for all pistol brass in a zip lock bag for both progressive and single. No issues. Rifle on both presses I use the lanolin mixture and again no issues with any large rifle until today. I purchased 400 pieces of LC 308 brass from a guy in Georgia. Good transaction. Brass was de-primed and walnut tumbled. Have to assume sized unless he used a hand de-primer. Anyway----as usual with 308 I used the lanolin mixture and promptly stuck 3 pieces of brass. I use a RCBS small base die set. So---I hit them with the lanolin, then used RCBS lube as well in order to size them. Can't understand why these were so hard to size? Any suggestions?

[ironhorse1]

Just a thought that maybe these were fired in a machine gun or oversize chamber.

With an overall larger size there will be more friction. Suggest that you check your die and clean/polish the interior. Lube generously with RCBS lube and inside the neck use motor mica.

Good luck!

irh

[highpower790]

Lube the inside of the neck,I bet sizing will be better then.

[baih777]

If the above does not work.
Try removing the expander assembly and size the brass.
Then reinstall the expander assembly and size the brass again.

I have had to this with LC brass that I bought on Gunbroker. Machine gun brass.

[Distinct_Editz]

I have had this problem with LakeCity (granted it was gunbroker BMG brass), but nonetheless my standard Hornady OneShot was no better than a dry case. Had to use imperial wax. I'd try this if the above don't work.

[waveslayer]

Remove the expander. Unnecessary wear.

Most likely over expanded brass. You will want to anneal them it sounds like

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[smoothy8500]

Just a thought that maybe these were fired in a machine gun or oversize chamber.

Unfortunately, it's fairly common for LC 7.62 to be bloated and hard to re-size with a SB die. One trick that I've had good success with is to use a 30.06 die to initially size the lower half of the case's body. This reduces the effort needed to do a full-length SB sizing.

[TimRB]

Have to assume sized unless he used a hand de-primer.

I think that's a bad assumption. I used to buy once-fired military brass from Brass Bombers all the time before they had to stop operations. It would come deprimed, crimped, and cleaned, but NOT sized.

Personally, I would have run it through the sizer anyway (or checked with a drop-in gauge), even if the seller said that it had been sized. You never know if his definition of "sized" matches yours.

Tim

[tabascoz28]

Yep, LC 308 or x51 is very hard to work with. I have to use my single stage to get a good resize with some good lubing. My mistake was not letting the lube dry, especially the lanolin. Now I use One Shot and I let them dry 5 minutes on each side. Works better.

I noticed you said promptly. That was my issue, let it dry.

[hermosabeach]

What year is the brass? I have some 30-06 LC from ww2.

As others have said, probably fired in a sloppy chamber...

[hambam105]

Use a lube pad properly. It is 70 year old technology and it still works.

[pacrat]

[1]... Unfortunately, it's fairly common for LC 7.62 to be bloated and hard to re-size with a SB die. [2]... One trick that I've had good success with is to use a 30.06 die to initially size the lower half of the case's body. [3]... This reduces the effort needed to do a full-length SB sizing.

[1]... This is a well known fact.

[2]... This is BULLPUCKY.

[3]... Sure it would be easier to size. Because [2] would have squeezed the crap out of a 7,62 case ran into an 06 die. And made the entire case GROSSLY UNDERSIZED.

The only thing the two cartridges share dimensionally. Is Bullet Dia. and Rim Dia. EVERYTHING between the top and bottom end is DIFFERENT. 7.62 ISN"T just shorter, it is also FATTER and has LESS TAPER.

Same reason you cannot SIMPLY run an 06 reamer into a 7.62 chamber. To make it an 06 rifle.

Unless of course. You don't have a problem with that useless fugly EXTRA case shoulder.

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

Great information guys----thanks!!! Next time I score LC brass I will be smarter prepared. I got through this batch but I stuck 3-4 pieces and it was messy as I used bit lanolin and RCBS. Takes a good long time to wash them clean of all that gook. Now I know it was the brass and not something I was doing. Better prepared for the next batch.