hard to close bolt

[country gent]

When you full length size a case and squeeze it back down to size on the body the material has to go somewhere. Since the die body wont let it expand and the ram is blocking it going down the shoulder flows up. maybe only .001-.002 but enough to cause problems if not held down.
You appear to be very close to where you need to be on the shoulder now. If the die isn't in hard contact with the shell holder you might try turning it in another 1/8 -1/4 turn. If it is in hard contact then you may have to remove some from shell holder or bottom of die.

An easy way to do this is lay a piece of 220-240 grit emery paper on a flat surface and start working in a figure 8 pattern. a little light oil helps it to cut. Measure shell holder before starting and make note of this. Work on paper for 4-5 mins then clean and check progress. Either die or shell holder works but doing shell holder makes a dedicated shell holder, doing the bottom of the die allows most shell holders to work with it.

If you have another 308 size shell holder ( 243, 22-250, 308, 30-06, 45 acp) try it there are differences in them

[snowwolfe]

the expander plug is .241. I took the plug out of the die it does the same thing. im going to try taking some off the shell holder and report back

Removing a layer from the shell holder will only help if you screw the die down further. Do you have the die screwed down to the point it makes the press bind up when the stroke is complete?

[Outback32]

So I took the die to a friend who has a rcbs single stage. his is a cam over we adjusted the die in his press to a medium cam over. brass works perfectly. I have a lee breach lock it doesn't cam over. for the life of me I cant get the die to work in my press. im doing everything you guys reccomend. nothing works with my press. im so frustrated im about to say to heck with it.

[snowwolfe]

Sounds like your press is "sprung".
Two choices, send it back to Lee and ask them to fix it or buy a quality press and be done with it.
Forster Co-Ax, RCBS, or Hornady.

[Outback32]

how does a press get sprung. and im trying to get ahold of lee now. thank you

[Baltimoreed]

Reloading dies and chambers are cut by tools that wear. They have a max and min spec, when they wear enough and are no longer in spec they get replaced. I bought a new .25-06 Remington Sendero that would not work with my handloads, factory ammo was fine. And my first .25-06 was a Ruger 1V that worked fine with ammo made with those same rcbs dies. Contacted rcbs and sent them 3 factory cases fired in my rifle and my bogus sizer die. They sent me a sizer that sized brass that worked in my rifle. Undersized chamber and oversized dies but both were within specs. Just a thought.

[toallmy]

It's strange that when you try a fired piece of brass from your rifle it will chamber , but then after you full length resize it - it doesn't want to chamber . Am I missing something ?

[toallmy]

I took magic marker too a case. it is rubbing off the shoulder.Attachment 233464 heres a pic

That is some pretty serous grinding on the shoulder .

[country gent]

I cant really see a press "sprung" so bad a die cant be adjusted to touch the shell holder. In most presses the sizing die has the lock ring thickness and a couple threads showing when set. Some lee dies ( pistol) were closer but I moved the lock ring to the under side of the tool head and was fine.

Is the insert tight and in place in the press frame? Are you getting the "Bayonet" lugs adjusted correctly to lock in and tighten on the shoulder? If you have another set of the adaptors I would try them or switch them around and see what the results are.

Over loading a press will spring it. A to heavy reforming operation or swaging bullets from harder lead and jackets, bottoming it out to hard. It takes a pretty heavy force to deform a frame in this way.

[skeettx]

OK, back to basics :
Sizing die, take off the locking ring
Lower the handle of the press
Screw in the die till it bottoms out on the ram
Raise the handle a small amount and screw the die in
1/8 turn more.
Size a case and see how it does
Please report findings
Mike

[jsizemore]

What lube are using on the brass?

[44magLeo]

There is nothing wrong with your press. Is the shell holder the same brand as the dies? Die makers make their dies and shell holders to work together. Other brands may not work well.
I have a Lee Challenger press. I use Lee dies and shell holders. The only problems I have had with them is on my 250 Savage. I built this on a Savage model 11 and a Adams & Bennett barrel. When I installed the barrel I got the head space a bit snug. Factory loads were ok but reloads a bit tight with some brass.
As some recommend I took the shell holder and ground down the shell holder till the tight cases chambered ok. I took it a bit farther just in case.
I keep this shell holder with those dies.
Your chamber maybe a bit snug on the headspace and your combo of dies and shell holder won't set the shoulder back enough.
I would recommend you grind the shell holder before I try anything else.
Leo

[jonp]

Try a set of RCBS Small Base Dies. I was having a problem with a rifle and Larry suggested that as a step. Problem solved.

Also, make sure to measure the neck with the bullet seated. Some brass is thicker than others. Resize, check OAL and trim if it needs it then seat a bullet a bit and slowly close the bolt. Pull the case and measure as the bullet should be pushed in. Measure, subtract .003 or so and try one.