As this will be my first attempt at any resizing other than normal caliber/caliber, I have some questions.

Should the entire case be lubricated? Should sizing die be set all the way down to shell holder? Are there other things to consider?

Thanks for the help.

What I did on my .375 Taylor was set the die up per the instruction and made up a couple of rounds to fireform. Once that was done I used my normal method of setting up my sizing die so that the cartridges headspaced on the shoulder rather than the belt. If the .416 made from .458 does the same thing as the ones I do for my .375T, then you'll probably have to slightly trim the necks to square them off.

This is how I set up my sizing die for bottleneck cartridges.

1. Take a once fired factory round and blacken the neck and shoulders with a Magic Marker or Sharpee pen. Some people like to smoke the neck and shoulder, but I find the Magic Marker/Sharpee pen a bit better.

2. Carefully lubricate the case.

3. Loosen the lock ring on the sizing die and back off about two turns from when the die is set to touch the shell holder.

4. Size the case. Note where the marks are on the case and turn the die down about a half a turn and size again. Turn down some more, and resize again. What you are looking for is the marks on the blackening just touching the shoulder.

5. Clean the lube from the case and try it in the rifle. It may chamber just a bit on the snug side. If so, turn the die down ever so slightly, lube and size again. Wipe off the lube and try in the rifle. If it slides in as easily as a factory round, you should be good to go. If not, usually one more very slight adjustment should fix the problem.

6. Tighten the locking ring for the die and you're done. You have just set your sizing die up for a custom fit to your specific rifle, rather than a generic one size fits all guns.

Paul B.

quote:

As this will be my first attempt at any resizing other than normal caliber/caliber, I have some questions.

Should the entire case be lubricated? Should sizing die be set all the way down to shell holder? Are there other things to consider?

I agree with Paul B's method I use it to set up all my belted cases. You can simply lube the 458 case set the die to contact the shell holder and size. The case would then headspace on the belt. His method sets your brass up to headspace on the shoulder. It will normally give you longer case life.

Since you don't have fired 416 cases take the new 458 lube the entire case to be safe. Then use his method to set your 416 die up to headspace on the shoulder.

Paul and Paul. Thanks so much for the help. Probably saved me caving in several of the 458's before I got it figured out.

Hope to return the favor one day.

if you start loosing cases, anneal them.

Anneal, another step in my education. Have not attempted yet but sounds like it is in my future.

Did run a box of new 458 WM through the process last night and followed directions per above and did not mess up a single case. All cycled properly and now ready to fire a few.

I managed to somehow wind up with two sets of 416T dies, one Lee and the other Hornady New Dimension and have set up the Dillon to use the Hornady. Mostly I use Redding and this Hornady seating die has a lot of "internals", guess they are useful for something. Oh, what purpose does the 0-ring serve on these Hornady dies?

If its the same as my ones its just a tensioning washer under the lock ring for the seater depth adjustment screw, stops the screw backing off as it were.
Steve

quote:

Oh, what purpose does the 0-ring serve on these Hornady dies?

Tension, so the seater stem/sleve will stay where you put it

A follow up question on the "fireforming" of these new brass necked down cases.

I formed these 416's from new WW 458 brass. Is it now necessary to "fireform" in my rifle with low pressure loads before loading higher pressure hunting rounds?

OK, again, I'm relating to my .375 Taylor, but I just load up full power loads and go shooting or hunting as the case may be. About the only change I see in the brass is the slightly rounded edges of the shoulders on the brass now have nice crisp edges. I found no change in POI after fireforming and reloading the cases.
Paul B.

Thanks to everyone for their help. With everyone's help I am ready to load and go to the range.

Have no idea what I will do with this rifle once it is ironed out but it may make it into the running for the Dark Continent in June.