308 reloading... #$^&@#&* (sizing and depriming)

[robsutt]

I've done about 2000 rounds of 223 and had the process down quite smooth. Then I started reloading 308s for my AR10 (DPMS 308). Mother F^@#%@&#^@! Everything just seems harder to prep the brass. I bent one Lee sizing die depriming rod and bought another one. Haven't bent this one yet but have a question...

Many times the case is pulling the depriming rod out of the die completely on the down stroke. This causes me to have to put the brass into a vice and get pliers out to pull it out (its REALLY fricken in there too). I thought perhaps not enough lube so I used a lot... still happens. I finally got pissed and after I got the rod back in the die for 6th time I used pliers on the top of it to distort its shape do it can't go down into the die anymore. Eventually that will destroy the die is my guess but for now it seems to be working.

Why is this happening? I've never seen this on 223.

[J-cat]

.308 brass is less uniform than .223

Neck thickness varies by something like .010" between different manufacturers. So resizing dies have to take this into account and size for the thinnest neck. This, in turn, oversizes thick necks making these cases hard to pull out.

If you lube the inside of the case neck with imperial sizing wax this process is made easier. Or you can go with a Redding bushing die and not worry about the expander plug so long you sort your brass.

[jdmacl]

I've reloaded tons of .223 too without any problem, then just started with .30-06 and have run into the same issues...but I bent four decapping pins!!! I know my issue has been military crimped and Berdan primers.

Don't have a good solution yet.

[Clever]

Are you using Lake City Brass? If so there are some that are very hard to de prime. Take those out of circulation as it's not worth your time to fight with such an easy process.

[chknlyps2]

So your saying the expander ball is sticking in the neck on the way out? Is it rough? May need to polish it with some fine sandpaper (400-600 grit)

[waxer]

So your saying the expander ball is sticking in the neck on the way out? Is it rough? May need to polish it with some fine sandpaper (400-600 grit)

From what I gathered it sounds like he's having problems when it comes to depriming the spent shells.

[J-cat]

And the expander sticking on the way out. He's having both problems.

[74c5]

I am not the most experienced reloader but, I'd recommend:
1. Mic the expander ball and compare to saami case ID specs or,
1a. Confirm boxer priming?
1b. Lee Decapping Die (only removes the primer).
2. Ultrasonic clean decapped brass.
3. Then size with lube.

You, per the above, might also check the surface finish on the expander. A bit of 1400 grit wet or dry paper should not hurt anything if needed.

[robsutt]

.308 brass is less uniform than .223

Neck thickness varies by something like .010" between different manufacturers. So resizing dies have to take this into account and size for the thinnest neck. This, in turn, oversizes thick necks making these cases hard to pull out.

If you lube the inside of the case neck with imperial sizing wax this process is made easier. Or you can go with a Redding bushing die and not worry about the expander plug so long you sort your brass.

Depriming isn't the problem and it's a brand new expander. I think J-cat hit the nail on the head in that they are all not uniform. It's obvious to me that once the expander gets inside the case the neck is sized and it can no longer get back out, so the press just yanks it out of the die.

J-cat... with my 'fix' (pliers to the top of the expander misshaping it so it can't get pulled through) I've now done 100 rounds and it's worked. This should make the neck thickness the same for all going forward right?

[robsutt]

Are you using Lake City Brass? If so there are some that are very hard to de prime. Take those out of circulation as it's not worth your time to fight with such an easy process.

Are you saying to NOT use lake city?

I am pulling those out that have burden primer as I don't have time to mess with those.

[Divernhunter]

I have done many, many 1,000's of 308. Both commercial and mil surplus with 2 sets of RCBS dies. Never had a problem unless an odd berdan case slipped by. I use a graphite neck brush mounted next to the press and brush the cases when they start to squeek. I also use the hammer punch primer remover from lee for the crimped primers. Then a Dillon super swager for the pockets.

[J-cat]

Depriming isn't the problem and it's a brand new expander. I think J-cat hit the nail on the head in that they are all not uniform. It's obvious to me that once the expander gets inside the case the neck is sized and it can no longer get back out, so the press just yanks it out of the die.

J-cat... with my 'fix' (pliers to the top of the expander misshaping it so it can't get pulled through) I've now done 100 rounds and it's worked. This should make the neck thickness the same for all going forward right?

Not really.

You fixed the loose decapping rod issue by making it harder to pull out, true.

But the neck thickness issue remains. Military cases have thicker case walls and thicker necks. Can't get away from that. Winchester commercial cases have the thinnest case walls and the thinnest necks. They are the easiest to resize.

The only way to make resizing easier is to sort the brass and use a bushing die with bushings specific to that particular brass manufacturer. That way the expander can be removed from the equation entirely.

[J-cat]

Understand that a standard sizer oversizes the neck by about .010" anyway. The expander then opens it back up to minus .003" or so. A military case, being .010" thicker, is oversized twice as much, approximately .020" in many cases. So it is a pain to expand back out.

[ar15barrels]

I bent one Lee sizing die depriming rod and bought another one.

Many times the case is pulling the depriming rod out of the die completely on the down stroke.

Threaded decapping stems like used by RCBS, Redding and most other quality dies won't have this problem.
We only see this problem with cheap dies like Lee or Hornady.
You got what you paid for.
Enjoy...

[J-cat]

Are you saying to NOT use lake city?

I am pulling those out that have burden primer as I don't have time to mess with those.

Lake City is great. But do get a universal dedicated decapping die. It will make depriming crimped in primers easier.