frustrated with reloading...

[Rustywreck]

This reloading stuff is really frustrating.
I tried to set the dies in my press. The first die is a neck resizing and depriming die.
The directions for this contraptioin said to screw the big part of the die into the press in quarter turn incriments until the entire neck of the case is resized. From what i can tell this makes the neck smaller.
Next, it said to put this long piece with a bell and pin on the bottom into the big part already installed. It said to adjust this until the pin (which knocks the old primer out) is about 1/32 of an inch into the plate that holds the case.
I had no problem making these adjustments, just as directed. However, the long piece with the bell and the pin enter the case first, which makes sense because it has to reach the bottom of the case.
Here comes the problem. As I pulled the handle and raised the case into the die, the belled piece with the pin went into the case. The case continued up to the main piece of the die which makes the neck smaller. Well, now the bell on the long piece is thoroughtly stuck in the neck of the case and not wanting to come out.
I could hear the plywood on my bench start to crack as I tried to pull the handle down. It remain stuck.
If I ever figure out how to work this one die, I hate to think about the next stage which is supposed to "bell" the case neck and dump the powder. Even more I don't want to mess with the third die that seats the bullet and makes the crimp. Seating the bullet won't be too bad, but making the right crimp is going to be a challenge.

[Dom]

Feathermax, hang in there.

Need more info to help you, but sounds like there was no lube inside case mouth.

What caliber, pistol or rifle. With pistol, straight wall, and carbide dies, this should not have happened, so I'm guessing rifle.

What type press and dies, progressive? You don't need to bell the mouths for rifle, so maybe it was pistol you are reloading?

You need a stuck case remover, if you give us some more info we'll get you thru this. One thing I'll recommend is you read again the reloading process, which you can find at the beginning of most reloading books. There are a few tricks to the trade and different ways to reload, everybody gets a system down and sticks with what works for them.

There are some who shoot so they can reload. I don't belong to this crew. I belong to the crew who only reload so they can shoot and hunt. It can be time consuming but is a good hobby, I don't rush thru it but take my time, hope this helps, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[PaulS]

A little lube on the expander plug and in the case mouth will work wonders. If you get a carbide expansion plug you won't need lube. Another adjustment that I would make is leave the last 1/16" of neck unsized. That will help to center the neck in your chamber and help with accuracy.
________
Halfbaked

[Catfish]

1. Get a brush and run it the case mouth acouple times. You can also use alittle mica on it to make it pull out easier.
2. With rifle cases you do not bell the case mouth, and since it sound like your useing bottle necked cases don`t bell.
3. Do not crimp in you bullets unless you are loading for a gun with very heavy recoil.
Mid-Way, and I`m sure others sell a kit with brushes screwed into a board with a place for mica below the brush if you want to spend the money on something like that.

[Ol` Joe]

If I ever figure out how to work this one die, I hate to think about the next stage which is supposed to "bell" the case neck and dump the powder. Even more I don't want to mess with the third die that seats the bullet and makes the crimp.

Before we go any farther, what cartridge and type of dies are you useing? It sounds like you`ve a 3 die set, correct? Is the case a straighwall or bottleneck? 3 die sets are normally for straight walled brass not bottle neck. There should be a sizer/decapper and seater/crimper if they are bottleneck dies. Belling isn`t done on bottle neck cases.

[Rustywreck]

sorry for the lack of information - it was late and I was about ready to toss this thing out the window.
I am setting up a dillon press with a combination of rcbs and hornady dies to reload 243 cartridges.
The dies are not carbide. Everything I read and was told was that carbide were only necessary if you're reloading something like 10,000 rounds per year.
The hornady die is the one that does the neck resizing and depriming. The instructions that came with the die are poor. They really need to stop calling them "intstructions" and start calling them "word puzzles." I've read two different books, as well as the instructions for the equipment.
For example, the instructions for the resizing die say to remove the whatchamacallit before setting the other gizmo; but they don't tell you which piece is the whatchamacallit. There is a diagram indeniftying the various pieces, except for the whatchamacallit. I guess they have to leave something out since they have to limit the instructions to a 2" X 2" piece of paper and still have room for a diagram and a big hornady logo.
If the instructions aren't bad enough I get further confused by the advice of the person at the local shop who sold me the stuff and helped me set it up. He reloads a lot and seems very knowledgeable.

Enough whining. I was told to lube the outside of the case, but also told I don't need to lube the inside. I have a can of one shot spray case lube. Do I need to spray this inside the case as well? Or is there yet another product I need to buy?
I have figured out that a bell on the case for a rifle cartridge isn't necessary, again the books don't come right out and say that. How do I lube the bell shaped thing that resizes the inside of the case neck? Do I give it a spray of One Shot Case lube, or some graphite powder, or something else?

Thanks to all for your patience and help.

[gumpokc]

If you are _not_ using carbide, or titanium nitride dies, you will have to lube inside and out to prevent stuck cases.

Yes the carbide and tit/nitride dies last longer, and are harder, but the reason most people use them, is just because you don't need an interior lube when your using them, still need exterior though.

For myself, i got those dies when i started, so I really cant tell you anything about how you would need to lube the interiors since I have never done it.

Once you get setup, I think you'll find reloading to be worth it, but it does have abit of a learning curve at first.

[Rocky Raab]

Feathermax, you've gotten a lot of conflicting advice here, some of it incorrect (likely based on assumptions about details you didn't originally specify).

Forget all you've read so far.

What you really need is an experienced reloader who can teach as well as reload. Have him over to watch/help you set the press and dies up. Even if you have to pay him, it will be cheaper than the frustration and probable loss of components you'll suffer if it's done wrong.

Or, get a good reloading video and study it.

[Adam Helmer]

Feathermax,


I agree with Rocky; get an experienced reloader to come by and help you get into reloading.

It sounds like your learning curve is verticle like we all had at one time. Get a sensible and knowledgeable reloader to come to your bench and get you started right.

Adam

[Jack]

"I was told to lube the outside of the case, but also told I don't need to lube the inside. I have a can of one shot spray case lube. Do I need to spray this inside the case as well?"
Feathermax, read the instructions on the can of Hornady One Shot, and follow them.
The instructions tell you to spray your cases from the mouth end at an angle so that some lube gets inside the case neck. AND, before beginning your loading session, spray some lube up into the sizer die. If you follow those instructions, you should be OK.
( I use the stuff all the time with great results)

[skb2706]

Hornady dies use the most rediculous method for securing the primer punch and you will find that in order for it to stay in place you will have to tighten it beyond what you consider tight. I won't buy them just because of that.

[Ol` Joe]

Originally posted by skb2706
Hornady dies use the most rediculous method for securing the primer punch and you will find that in order for it to stay in place you will have to tighten it beyond what you consider tight. I won't buy them just because of that.

The new ones are threaded and offer good purchase for the collet. I`ve a couple sets of the old and they do need excessive tightening, the new style is a welcome change.
The tapered expander is a good design and the ones I have make some of the straightest ammo of any of my dies- RCBS, Redding, Forster, Lyman. They seem to be a brand people either love or hate, there is no middle ground...

[Rocky Raab]

I have four or five sets of the old style, none of the new. The decap/expand rod is (or was) the only weak part of the system, in my opinion. I really like the elliptical expander, and the seating die is good, also.

I eventually took the expander rod and gave it a couple of good squeezes in my bench vise, enough to imprint dimples in the rod. It held MUCH better after that.

[Jack]

"I eventually took the expander rod and gave it a couple of good squeezes in my bench vise, enough to imprint dimples in the rod. It held MUCH better after that."
That's a great idea, Rocky! I shall steal it and do that on my dies that have the collet type decapping rod holder.
I much prefer the threaded rod, as they don't slip- and I never had much problem breaking decapping pins, anyway. Seems to me the collet set up was more of a cost saving for the die maker than anything else.

[Rev]

I'm just curious. Do the Hornady collet dies work the same way that the Lee collet dies do? I probably won't replace anything but would still like to know.

Rev