Birthing problems

[Alleycat]

I know this sounds crazy, but are you using the same brand shell holder? Some Lee shell holders will not interchange with other brands. I have had issues with brass out of spec. I finally realized that I had mismatch after much head scratching.

[mstarling]

Alleycat,

It is a mis-matched shell holder. Is a #10 RCBS. I have no idea what the "deck height" should be for a #10 Redding. This is the reason I didn't feel too bad putting the shell holder on a lathe. If 0.050" of hook on the shell holder is sufficient, I don't think there will be any difficulty with chambering brass made with that and the Redding die.

Can someone measure the thickness of the hook or claw on a stock Redding shell holder for me?

Thanks Guys!

Mike

[pug]

On a #10 stock shellholder I believe to be a redding the claw is ~.065". I am pretty sure it is because the total height of the deck is .125". My known redding +0.010" competition shellholder is 0.135" total height. This is perhaps the total measurement you want to go by since the case pushes downward when sized and the die taps the top of the holder. Bottom of deck to top of shell holder is 0.125".

[mstarling]

Oh boy!

I cut the RCBS shell holder until the resulting brass fit the gauge and chambered in the rifle. Height from the deck of the shell holder to the top of the shell holder is 0.104"

Makes me nervous. I hate it when I don't understand something!

(Shell holders are cheap ... so cutting one up doesn't bother me nearly as much as where the additional 0.020" went!)

I checked with the fella that sold me the dies. They are not NOS but were used to reload for two rifles using 300 Whisper headstamped brass but were obviously well taken care of). He says they worked fine feeding a bolt and a semiauto rifle. Makes me wonder if the chamber is short.

Anyone have a few new 300 Whisper headstamped cases they can sell me to check this against?

[tp555]

Your head spacing is dead on allowing for the .001" wearing in from the bolt.If you had a plain 221 fb case drop it in and see if it works.It will.So brass thickness and the curve at shoulder and neck come into play.Once fired the shoulder is a small sharp angle.I got about 5 firings out of 223 brass then it separated.I anneal my mil brass since then or use 221 FB.Shell plates are hardened as you probably know by now.

[pug]

Most likely it is not a short chamber but then you would know this if the barrel/bolt combo had been headspaced. I have heard it said on here before that bolts are kept within .001" spec of each other but that is just not so. Also it is as tp555 said that new formed brass from 223 can have a different shoulder than 221 fb and need further sizing. Mine does but new brass will still chamber if I fl size to the shellholder but then again that is my 300/221 reamer and gauge, redding 300/221 v5 dies and shellholder. If you don't get it worked out I can tell you who has headspace gauges in stock ($25) or I can send you new formed brass that chambers in mine.

You could call Redding and ask if your die markings are for a special run or something. Really nice people (607) 753-3331

[Fastshooter03]

Is the brass hard to extract after not closing the bolt?
If not I don't think the die would be at fault for not sizing the body down far enough.
If you have a lathe you can make your own headspace guage.
Trim it down until it fits and compare headspace measure to what is coming off the sizing die.
Mistakes can happen to anybody.


Nick

[mstarling]

Brass was hard to extract after not chambering completely.

I think the explanation offered by tp555 is probably a most likely contributor. He opined that the process of forming the new shoulder on .223 brass was leaving a curve that does not allow the brass to go in as deeply as it might.

As I said, I have been able to make a small number of pieces that do fit into the chamber gauge and do chamber in the rifle.

Will load and fireform some of those tomorrow. Will be very interesting to see how the shoulders looks after firing and how they then work in the sizing die.

Have to admit I would be quite disappointed if I am not able to make cases from .223 LC brass. It would very definitely change the economics of the Whisper. At nearly $2 a round for loaded ammo, I'd rather handload a big bore!

If anyone can sell me a couple of 300 Whisper headstamped cases I'd sure appreciate it!

(May also call my buds at Douglas and see if they have gauges for .221 Fireball. Would confirm the chamber gauge and chamber.)