30-06 not going all the way in...

[jonp]

I have to call shenanigans on this. I am no Lee fan boy, but I have a score or more of Lee die sets and they have all served me well. I have lee dies for 32 acp up through 45/70, and have had no problems with any of them. Fairness compels me to state that I have never used any Lee magnum dies, but I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds with no die related problems.

I'm going to have to throw the flag on this one, too. I've not had those problems with the Lee Dies I have. They seem to perform just as well as the RCBS, Lyman and Hornady.

[notenoughguns]

I've been reloading 50+ years and never had a problem that wasn't my fault ! Majority of my dies are Lee that have been exemplary ( probably 30 + sets )

[John Boy]

Originally Posted by truckjohn View Post

Originally Posted by truckjohn
Honestly guys,

I quit buying Lee reloading dies after having too many problems with stuck shells due to internal die problems. It seems like I ran through a several in a row which appear to he completely lacking their final internal reaming/grinding to final size.

I have 59 die sets in inventory of which 31 are Lee Precision. Adjust the die sets properly and have no issues after reloading I don't know how many thousands of reloads that have been made with them
I'll guess the majority of having issues with Lee or any brand of dies is due to the person pulling the press arm

[jonp]

Originally Posted by truckjohn View Post

I have 59 die sets in inventory of which 31 are Lee Precision. Adjust the die sets properly and have no issues after reloading I don't know how many thousands of reloads that have been made with them
I'll guess the majority of having issues with Lee or any brand of dies is due to the person pulling the press arm

^^^+1

[BrassMagnet]

I forgot to lube a 308 case and when I worked the Rock Chucker handle I splintered an oak 2x12. My press actually went flying through the air.

[BrassMagnet]

I have to call shenanigans on this. I am no Lee fan boy, but I have a score or more of Lee die sets and they have all served me well. I have lee dies for 32 acp up through 45/70, and have had no problems with any of them. Fairness compels me to state that I have never used any Lee magnum dies, but I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds with no die related problems.

I got a new set of 300 Win Mag dies so I could teach my nephew to reload. They were not polished inside and destroyed every piece of brass that entered them. Luckily, I had RCBS dies for the lessons. Lee replaced the sizing die.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez - always keep a bottle of STP Oil Treatment or TRIFLOW SYNTHETIC GREASE on hand for "case lube" studies / checkouts.
If case WON'T size with these lubes, you gotta BIG PROBLEM!

[1hole]

Ref. difficulty FL sizing machine gun fired cases, I've made hundreds of .22-250 and .243 from military surplus .30-06 with my own shop made forming die sets. It's not hard and normal FL sizing .30-06, .308 & .223 is a pieced of cake compared to that. The key is a properly mounted press and any one of several normal case sizing lubes properly applied.

Using a conventional press as a hand press for FL sizing isn't a good idea.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

A lot of lubes work MOST of the time. But, when things get tough, Imperial Sizing Wax is the best.

[trails4u]

A lot of lubes work MOST of the time. But, when things get tough, Imperial Sizing Wax is the best.

Agreed.... Haven't stuck a case since I started using it.... Long time ago, and still using the same tin. A little goes a long way, and it works.

[1hole]

I've found that ALL commercial case lubes work quite well in ALL brands of sizer dies IF it's used correctly and IF it's applied as it needs to be. And a swinging pile of substitutes work good too, that stinking castor oil for one. And Kiwi's "Mink Oil" boot polish and tubes of "Chap-Stick" too.

Nothing works very well when it's done wrong. It seems most case sticking problems rise from failing to sufficently lube the lower end of the cases (that's where they stick) OR using one of the spray spray lubes but not allowing it to fully dry before starting to size.

With any lube, if it's more than normally difficult to push a case fully into a sizer for goodness sake don't power it home in one stroke, draw it out and lube it some more. Even if you're sizing "machine gun" cases they will go home easily IF they're rightly lubed.

Sizing in a die with a matt surface is easier than one with a mirror surface. A soft matt surface will hold case lube where a mirror smooth surface won't.

[Cole440]

Solid bench is a must! Hell I have a solid bench and sometimes I still lean on the press enough to cause some flex sizing large rifle brass for semi auto rifles... Also a good lube is invaluble...

[triggerhappy243]

I got a new set of 300 Win Mag dies so I could teach my nephew to reload. They were not polished inside and destroyed every piece of brass that entered them. Luckily, I had RCBS dies for the lessons. Lee replaced the sizing die.

Lee replaced the sizer die, but did they replace the now trashed brass?

[fguffey]

Sounds to me like you need to bolt your press to a sturdy bench, and then size your brass.

I have found isolated situations that you describe, the one problem I have never found is the one with machine gun fired cases. I have one chamber that is larger than any 30/06 machine gun chamber. If for some reason you believe you have a small base die turn the case around and then stuff (by hand) the case head into the die. If the case head can not be shoved into the die the die opening is too small in diameter or the case head is too large in diameter.

Case head too large in diameter: I have tested a few rifles that were advertised as being suspect; after firing the case head expanded .011". When fired the case head got shorter from the cup above the web to the case head, the primer pocket expanded and the to the point it would not hold a primer and the flash hole increased in diameter. The case would not fit a shell holder.

I would suggest you learn to measure the diameter of the case head and the length of the case from the datum/shoulder to the case head. And then there is case lube, I have had a difficult time making (highly recommended) some case lubes look good; when it comes to sizing difficult cases I use a no name lube, if seems to be as slick as okra.

If I can be of any help I will request you furnish the manufacturer and year/date stamped on the die.

F. Guffey