I tried to load up 180 grain hot cores in some brand new RP 35 whelen brass today. I FL sized the brass like always with a brand new set of RCBS dies. I then went through the process of trimming, chamfering, deburring, primed, fillEd with powder, And tried to seat my Speer .358” hot cores. Here’s what happened...
I wrecked two cases and then sent all the rest of cases back through My FL sizer again figuring I didn’t adjust my die properly. I seated the first two bullets smoothly...then the next one crunched the case again. After I wrecked to two more cases. I stopped with any resistance and started grabbing bullets one after another auto try and found out that some would seat smoothly. I measured the ones that wouldn’t. Most that wrecked my case necks and wouldn’t seat were .3595” to .360.5”. I was blaming it on my die set at first but I’m guessing it’s my to big of diameter bullets? I called speer and they are having UPS pick them up for inspection and replacement IF they measure out to large on diameter. I might cover all my bases and all RCBS or see if they can send a replacement neck sizer insert? Any other ideas what might have caused this? I swear I went through this same issue with the same bullet years ago loading in my 35 Remington as well. I thought I sent the bullets into speer and they replaced them as well. So I believe it’s the second time around with the.358 hot core. I wonder if the lead is expanding from sitting around for 15 years or they just were not sized correctly right off the bat. The Speer rep said he hadn’t seen issues like this in years. I told him they were Probably 12/15 year old boxes I bought new and I just opened the first one and the other one I still sealed he didn’t seem to surprised. I wish I would have quit after I wrecked the first new case as the RP 35 Whelen cases are as common as unicorns.