Redding body dies and 308 cases

[Motard]

I have been using the Redding body dies in bundle with lee collet die on my 7mm RM 700 Rem bdl with good luck since now. So I thought to give a try at the same combo (redding+lee collet) on the caliber I shoot most at the range .308. While whaiting for the Redding die to come I read about over the web finding some complaining about difficoulties in propper lubing the redding body dies with folks experiencing some stuck in cases. So I ordered also some Imperial wax wich seems to be considered the best cure. Wrong!
The first cases I passed throu the Redding didn't stuck, but where close. My CC Lee press lever was terribly stiff and, to my surprise, the cases resulted longher at the shoulder datum than before resizing. I had set the die to lighly bump the shoulder and reform the all body. I swapped to the RCBS case liquid lube and the stiffness almost desappeared but some cases where still elongated from base to shoulder datum.
My takes is that this may happens cause of two factors.
N1: cases I had previously shot plenty of times had been squized in the whole body in the very tight redding die, so are growing in lenght.
N2: the major effort required in pushing up the press lever after resizing did stretched the cases. This seems to mehappening more wiith brass threated with the imperial wax that tend to stick in the die and needto be strongly popped out .
Am I wrong somhere?

[ole 5 hole group]

All I can tell you is that I've never had that experience but cases do need trimming sometimes after full length resizing.

1st off, I cleaned my dies of the "preservative oils" Redding uses and then I take a Q-tip with Imperial Wax and very lightly coat the inside of the body die or any other sizing die - then my first 2 lubed cases are eased into the die, by that I mean when the ram meets resistance I lower it and turn the case 180* and lube bottom half of cartridge case lightly with lube - again. After that, everything is like a hot knife going through soft butter. Normally after lightly lubing the inside of the die - that 1st case goes smooth - it's when I clean the die and forget to lightly lube the inside of the die I have to ease the first couple of cases.

I doubt Imperial Wax was part of your problem. Body dies are great, I have several, but a Redding type "S" match bushing full die set might be what you want, as that die does all you want with one pass when properly adjusted and gives you the option of fine tuning neck tension, if that is a concern.

[Motard]

Hallo Ole,thankyoy for helping., I did condition the die before using just as you did, bracke cleaner and Q-tip re-waxing. Didn't polished the inside of the die cause it appeared to me a mirror surface. Nevertheless I experienced some very rought sliding partially cured by appling some wax on the edge of the collet, to avoid it scraping the indide of the die. This hrelped but not solved. My takes are that the brass having being reloaded plentifull times in large rifle chamber (rem 700 mil spec r5) and resized either with a lee CD or a floppy Lee FC did grow possibly out of Sami specs. So the redding SOLO body die can't manage it. I appreciate your's input on redding bushing die, this stuff is expensive over the pond and not on hands, so if I can gave the Redding BD and the Lee CD working as well As they do with my 7mmRM I'll ve very happy. Reloading is mostly for hunting not for competition anyway. ��

[country gent]

When body sizing and sizing just the body down, the material your pushing back into place has to go somewhere. since the case is supported by the ram and die it can only grow longer in the shoulder area. Due to the spring in the presses mechanics and frame, the springiness of the brass. You may need a little more than to just kiss the shoulder.

[Pressman]

The real question is will the sized cases chamber in your rifle?
Ken

[ole 5 hole group]

I don't run a Lee press but my SIL did for awhile and when I loaded a few rounds for him on that dinky press, it sure didn't feel "robust" like my RCBS Rock Chucker bolted to my desk - and the Rock Chucker isn't all that heavy duty compared to some on the market such as the Redding Ultramag Press.

When resizing large cases fired in a "large" chamber, it takes some power to work the ram - that Lee is a little lite in the **** for heavy lifting, whereas the Rock Chucker is easier and the Ultramag makes child's play of it.

If you feel the brass is way out of spec on the large volume side - I would just body size the cartridge case in steps with the Lee press and then adjust for the shoulder bump. If you take out your firing pin, the bolt handle will tell you when you've bumped the shoulder 0.001" or 0.002".

[r1kk1]

I don't run a Lee press but my SIL did for awhile and when I loaded a few rounds for him on that dinky press, it sure didn't feel "robust" like my RCBS Rock Chucker bolted to my desk - and the Rock Chucker isn't all that heavy duty compared to some on the market such as the Redding Ultramag Press.

When resizing large cases fired in a "large" chamber, it takes some power to work the ram - that Lee is a little lite in the **** for heavy lifting, whereas the Rock Chucker is easier and the Ultramag makes child's play of it.

If you feel the brass is way out of spec on the large volume side - I would just body size the cartridge case in steps with the Lee press and then adjust for the shoulder bump. If you take out your firing pin, the bolt handle will tell you when you've bumped the shoulder 0.001" or 0.002".

+1

I worked with an anesthesiologist a few years back who bought quite a bit of match military brass in 308. He broke the linkage on his Lee press trying to full length size the brass. He brought rifle, brass, dies, etc. over to my house. I lubed and took small bites sizing the first cartridge while rotating it in the shellholder. I loaded that round for his matched chambered rifle and he stepped outside and fired it. We were able to size that case far easier. We repeated the exercise a dozen more times and each was the same result. At this time he was eyeballing my Champion, an Ultramag as well as the COAX in my room. I cant remember exactly what Press he bought, but it was either the RCBS or Hornady 50 BMG press.

He also agreed with me to send the brass back. Doing what you said about removing the firing pin, I had his die set just about perfect.

Take care

r1kk1

[jmort]

"He broke the linkage on his Lee press"

Which Lee Press???
Classic Cast ???

[country gent]

I have gotten "machine Gun" fired brass that was a real chore to size the first time. Those chambers are on the large size and getting them to fit the chambers of my NM M1As was tough. As headspace had to be bumped back and the bodies sized down. A lot of once fired brass may size hard due to the weapons its been fired thru.

[r1kk1]

"He broke the linkage on his Lee press"

Which Lee Press???
Classic Cast ???

Challenger with the steel linkage, jmort. Breechlock to be exact.

Take care


r1kk1

[r1kk1]

I have gotten "machine Gun" fired brass that was a real chore to size the first time. Those chambers are on the large size and getting them to fit the chambers of my NM M1As was tough. As headspace had to be bumped back and the bodies sized down. A lot of once fired brass may size hard due to the weapons its been fired thru.

I didn't see any 'clip marks' on the brass as I've seen with some belt fed ammo. Wherever that brass came from was certainly fired from a large chamber. I've used a small cheater pipe on the handle of the Champion for tasks like this. Now I take smaller bites and rethink the brass purchase.

take care

r1kk1

[Motard]

I run two Classic cast iron presses, those may not be the fanciest on reloading tools, but are hsrd enaught to swage bulletts and other tasks. The resistence at the lever way harder than normal. I have some xperience in reloading and I reload various calibers steadly. Most bottlneck. As I tried explaining lever was hard way before the brass was full in the die, and was also vey rought. But case had a good wax film all over, except he shoulder. Not willing to have a stuck case in my new die I didn't forced animore. Cause this was not happening with all cases I then passed the discarded ones throu the Lee FL, with barely no roughness (and normal effort), and then retried on the Redding that axceped and reworked them all. Difference in final dimensions was under a thou of cm, but there was per my mic. This gave me the idea the redding is on the tight side, the lee on the wide. This can also explain how, with 7mmRM the redding that I use every resizing cicle with this rifle, can bring back the diameter just above the belt to the Sami specs. At least that is what I am considering