best way of sizing machine gun fired 7.62 brass

[wmitty]

I purchased 1000 pcs of once fired military brass which is considerably expanded from being fired in the chamber of an M-60 or other automatic weapon. They are clean, and I'm using Imperial sizing die wax as case lube to size 'em in the small base die in a Rock Chunker and I'm still having to stand up and place a large amount of force on the press handle to size them to fit the chamber of a M-700 in .308. Is there a better case lube than the Imperial that will make the sizing operation easier?

[warf73]

Check the case length, you are streching that case alot to get it back into spec after being run threw a large chamber (M60 chamber). I'll bet your cases are +.010 if not longer than max case call out.

[Bayou52]

Is there a better case lube than the Imperial that will make the sizing operation easier?

Simple answer: Imperial is top of the line when it comes to case lubes. You may need to apply a generous amount.

Do you also have a regular sizing die? Sometimes I run into this issue. I will run the case through the regular die first, then the SB sizing die. This reduces the amount of pressure it takes to run the brass through the SB die.

[13Echo]

Like Bayou52 says try sizing in a regular die without the expander button first then in the small base die. Be aware that case head separation is common in MG fired brass due to the oversized chamber causing excessive stretching and expansion of the brass as you can tell by the excessive force needed to resize. Probably be OK in a bolt gun if you neck size or minimally resize but be real careful if you use them in a semiauto like the M14. In the semiauto I will not use MG fired brass. If I had to I'd likely limit to one more firing only.

Jerry Liles

[13Echo]

One other item, since you are using a bolt gun try the regular die first. If a resized case will chamber you don't need the small base die.

Jerry Liles

[btroj]

Try a mix of 50/50 anhydrous lanolin and castor oil. It is what many of the bullet swagers use and it is a great high pressure lubricant.

[Hickok]

Try sizing first in your bullet seating die. I do this when reforming one cases from one caliber to another. Then run cases through your standard sizing die.

Also I load for 4 rifles in .308, a DSA STG 58, a Springfield Armory M1a NM, and two Rem. 700 Bolt actions and I have never needed small base dies.

[slim1836]

This may do the job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0117UuXiSS4

I have not tried this yet, but plan to.

Slim

[jmorris]

I use Dillon lube to resize brass from my beltfed .308. Also use their carbide size die.

[winelover]

Just finished sizing 500 military (308W) cases on RCBS Jr. Press without any issues or extra steps. This press is not what I would call a behemoth with excessive leverage. I'm left handed but I have it mounted to my right (weak) hand. After trimming, I sized all cases with a RCBS full length X-sizer die. (Not the small base version). This brass will be fired in my AR-10A4 carbine or Model 70 Winchester. I decapped separately using a RCBS HD Decap Die. I lubed with Hornady Unique case lube. Hope this helps.

Winelover

[Screwbolts]

All good advice above, not wanting to hi jack thread but I have a 223 SB dies set by RCBS that I do not use because it sizes less than my much used Lee set of Dies, and seems to require a lot more effort to use.

I actually thought I had sold the SB dies years ago.

My point being if you have a second set of dies try them, the resistance you are experiencing could be a out of spec die. This could be any thing from angle polished on entrance.

My case lube is simply, bottle of Red HEET and 1 oz of liquid Lanolin, I use a spitzer bottle sprayer to apply. I dumped the Hornady "One Shot" **** to re use the bottle.

Ken

[375RUGER]

I've resized a fair amount of mixed MG brass with Imperial. If you have that much resistance with Imperial then you need a bit more as you are on the verge of sticking a case.

[mikeym1a]

Viewing the above responses, I see 2 that stand out. the type of lube, for one; and the carbide sizer the other. Carbide sizers work so much easier, or so it seems to me. Also, a friend rigged a pneumatic cylinder to his press, for just such use. Don't know how often you buy brass like this, but, if you do it frequently, it might be the answer to your question. Good Luck.

[country gent]

Carbide rifle dies still require rifle cases to be lubed. Imperial sizing die wax works best for me. I have sized alotof 308 brass fired in machine guns with few issues. Make sure brass is clean ( an hour or so inthe polisher can make a diffrence). Check for burrs and dings on case mouths. If its sizing to hard try annealing a few to see if that helps. Lube with a good lube. I use a towel and do several thousand at a time. Put cases on towel with lube. Pick up towel 2 corners in each hand and rock cases bu raising and lowering hands. A new towel will take some lube to "treat" at first. Also since this brass is expanded find the shoulder measurement for your rifle and size to .002-.003 under that. No need to take past what you need. Military brass gets handled pretty rough at times and can be dinged bent or twisted slightly also.

[Love Life]

Lanolin and alcohol. Maybe a little castor oil as well. What year is the brass HS? The m60 hasn't been around for awhile, and the current m240 fired brass is much easier to size and work with.

[wmitty]

Love Life: This is the brass I ordered from you; I stand corrected on it being fired in an M-60. I will get a regular sizer die and try the lanolin/ Heet recipe. I took the expander button out of the s.b. die. as I open the necks with a tapered pin set in the collet of a bullet puller to reduce the neck tension on the boolits. I think I had the s.b. dies because I have a 99 Savage and 3 Winchester 100's in .308 I bought before the M-700. Never really thought about the dimensional difference being that significant between s.b. and regular dies. Thanks again for the great deal on the brass!

[Love Life]

Enjoy the brass. SB sizing will require a good bit more pressure. As has been advised, I would use the regular sizing die 1st and see if it chambers in your rifle. If you don't have any lanolin then shoot me a PM and I'll get a small packet of it in the mail to you.

[lesharris]

I had the same issue awhile back. I ran the brass thru the regular dies then ran them thru the small base die set.
I also lubed before both sizing operations.

[Quiettime]

Try sizing first in your bullet seating die. I do this when reforming one cases from one caliber to another. Then run cases through your standard sizing die.
...

Genius

[GRUMPA]

All I've ever done is use my swage lube which is a 50/50 mix of lanolin and vaseline melted and mixed. Takes a very slight smear on the body of the case and I've never had a stuck case, neither have the folks I sent the lube to that have had problems in the past with commercially available lubes.....

[Sgtonory]

I also purchased M60 fired brass and i had to use a RCBS small base sizer or it would not chamber in anything. I tryed a Lee and Dillion sizeing die.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have ran into this situation before and the easiest way to get around it is to first use some Dillon Case Lube or something similar.

When you shove the case into the die only go in half way. Then pull it out and reinsert it and finish the stroke,,, you will find it is MUCH easier to do.

The reason why is that you are not sizing the whole case at once. You are breaking the work down into two separate events.

Also no need for small based dies in a bolt gun. Use a regular .308 die.

The fact that you are trying to stuff these cases into a die in one stroke is one problem. The fact that you are trying to stuff them into a tighter than normal die in one stroke is what is hurting you.

Regular die, good lube, two strokes.

Try it you'll like it.

Randy

[WallyM3]

I realize this is an aside, but it might help someone someday.

A new die is far more likely to stick a case that a well used die.

[nicholst55]

A lot of guys size the brass twice - either first in a standard FL die then in an SB die, or twice in an SB die. And just to pick a nit, I seriously doubt that there's any brass floating around that was fired in an M60 machine gun - not in 2014. In some variety of M240 MG, yes, but not in an M60.

[M-Tecs]

I still have 2 five gallon buckets of brass from an M-60. I fired one bucket myself. It's not for sale

[451whitworth]

Genius
Not really. It's an old trick used as a half step before FL resizing. Case reforming used to be much more popular than now with handloaders but with the availability of cheap factory brass in the '70's, '80's, & '90's not many people formed cases anymore. One of those we have to relearn what we once knew things. With the component scarcity of the last few years now having overtaken brass, case forming from military brass is coming back.

[Hickok]

Not really. It's an old trick used as a half step before FL resizing. Case reforming used to be much more popular than now with handloaders but with the availability of cheap factory brass in the '70's, '80's, & '90's not many people formed cases anymore. One of those we have to relearn what we once knew things. With the component scarcity of the last few years now having overtaken brass, case forming from military brass is coming back.It's an old trick, because I am an old "Shootist!";-)

[popper]

I use RCBS SB die & lube. Sizing the base and pushing the shoulder back takes a lot of force. Use a case gauge! Haven't trimmed any yet so no stretch & sizing is much easier after you fired them.

[detox]

Too much spray lube will cause dented shoulders. Too little spray lube will make sizing more difficult.

I like low volume Imperial method best for easy sizing. Keep it off the shoulder to prevent dents.

I also use my NECO gauge to check case wall runout. I look for case necks that have a runout of less than .001. All brass from same lot to prevent wide weight varience.