shoulder set .006" to deep

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

so my dad decided to try his hand at reloading. he took about 200 rds of mine and resized them and i just checked them and they are all set about .006" deep on my wilson gauge. How screwed am i. luckily he did not add powder or anything just de prime and resize. Is this going to be an issue im all ready pissed that he did this even though i told him it was not set up fully and to not touch any of my rounds.

he did this all on his own with out my knowledge.

[gunboat]

Given the limited info in your post - more rancor than info -
Expand the case with a slightly over size button, and then re-necksize the case to fit -- Not a big deal
my tuppence

[G-forceJunkie]

My shot in the dark is the shoulder is just pushed back .006" from the spec. No problems, load and shoot them. Most commercial ammo is undersized several thou for reliable feeding.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

the wilson gauge has a high and a low for testing OAL and shoulders. it sits .006" below the surface. SO the shoulder would be .006" towards the rim, im jsut worried about excessive headspace and splitting the cases.

[ireload]

I would say your not screwed. .006" is not a significant amount. If you want to you can test one of the brass by inserting a live primer and chambering it to see of the primer would go bang. But only live primer with no powder and bullet...lol. Of course proper precations applies.

If you have a "deep" firing pin strike on your gun then no issue at all. Way too much shoulder set back can possibly cause a light strike by firing pin. I've experienced that before and was informed by a gunsmith.

[BSlacker]

Load them with a moderate load and shoot them. After the first sizing you want to fireform them in your rifle chamber anyway, a little under size is ok. After that neck size and bump the shoulder a couple of thousand. Rinse and repeat often.

[5.56Geo]

I don't think you will have any problems, as stated. A human hair is approximately 0.003". I think that would still within factory specifications. Good luck, I wish my dad was interested in reloading.

[fguffey]

Sizing. bumping? It is not possible to size a case in a press with the die adjusted down to the shell holder to a length that is shorter than minimum length/full length size. It is possible someone had a weak moment and ground the bottom of the die .006 thousands, or they ground the top of the shell holder .006 thousands,, The fact the die can not be crushed or forced to bulge the maximum ability of the die is fixed, unless they load and size cases using the same methods and techniques I use, and that is not likely. There is a correlation between the die, chamber and gage, or a reloader should be able to make a correlation between the die, chamber and gage, as in what is the difference in length between the chamber and and die, both are chambers, both have case head protrusion when a case is shoved into one of them, it should not matter shoving a case into a chamber is easier than shoving a case into a sizing die (with a press). The question is: As a reloader can you determine if a case was sized when the ram was raised BEFORE the ram is lowered (remember) the deck height of the shell holder is .125 thousands.

The Wilson, in my opinion, is a very fine gage, in my opinion it is not an open ended gage, in my opinion it is not a drop-in gage.

I have a few Wilson gages, they came to me open-ended, to save money I furnished the ends with a straight edge and a feeler gage, and that turned the Wilson case gage into a precision instrument/gage. Again, there is a correlation between the die, chamber and gage, a reloader should have the ability and skill to determine the difference in length between all three.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

[pisarski]

don't be mad at your dad he was just trying to help . and getting even for all the times that he told you not to touch stuff and you did so it is just payback.

[xrMike]

Hahaha, pisarski, I was thinking the same thing.

[xibunkrlilkidsx]

don't be mad at your dad he was just trying to help . and getting even for all the times that he told you not to touch stuff and you did so it is just payback.

true. but it usually only took me once with him to elarn.

Sizing. bumping? It is not possible to size a case in a press with the die adjusted down to the shell holder to a length that is shorter than minimum length/full length size. It is possible someone had a weak moment and ground the bottom of the die .006 thousands, or they ground the top of the shell holder .006 thousands,, ................n, there is a correlation between the die, chamber and gage, a reloader should have the ability and skill to determine the difference in length between all three.

F. Guffey

he has somehow gotten 3 cases stuck in the full length die..and procedded to destroy all 3 trying to get the round out....

i haven't had any problems so its something about him..

[Tythagoras]

How old is the brass? If it's had quite a few firings, I might be inclined to chuck it as it may be work-hardened and may not take the stretching in a loose chamber.

If it's new or once-fired brass, loading and firing it will be unlikely to cause any issues.

If there was a huge problem with fairly new brass being a few thousandths too short, wildcatters wouldn't be able to fireform for their "improved" chamberings with shorter necks and steeper shoulders. Some use light charges for fireforming, others use full power charges, neither seems to generate safety-related incidents.

Now, I wouldn't set the shoulder back .006" on every firing, as it does put some stress on the case, but one time doesn't seem likely (to me) to be any kind of a safety issue.

Also, have him show you what he was doing. I wonder if too little lube or none at all could affect it. It may explain the stuck cases.

[ireload]

I agree with Tythagoras on "little luber or none at all". That's one sure fire way of getting a case stuck in the sizing die. In fact that happened to me just recently. Since I roll lube my cases, I believe the middle case on the pad I did not put enough downward pressure and viola. It's the only case that got stuck.

[bruceflinch]

I never got a case stuck that I got out w/o destroying it. If you lived closer I'd give your Dad a couple hundred cases to learn with.