My hornady seating die has a problem. Looking for input. I can't even get one thread into the press before it bottoms out on the case mouth. My hornady 8mm rem mag die is simaliar, but I do get enough threads to do the job. I know hornady puts a write up in their directions claiming 3 threads are enough. I can't even get one. I'm using a rock chucker press and the brass are trimmed to the proper length. I'm sure a larger press would solve the problem, but the rock chucker has always been a good press for me, and I think with the large numbers of them out there hornady would make a better die. I can only quess they use the seating die body for a large variety of cartridges and the rigby is on the outer edge of being useable. Do I have a bad die? Should I get a better seating die, and if so any recomendations? Or am I missing some thing so obvious I'll soon be made a fool Thanks Rob
I use a 'chucker and RCBS dies but I do have to tip the round in (while holding the bullet on top of the case, insert bullet into die and slide the head into the shellholder. I can't imagine that there is that much difference between your die and mine. Or am I missing somthing here also ?
Posts: 2124 | Location: Whittemore, MI, USA | Registered: 07 March 2002
I use a rock chucker for loading my Rigby rounds and I have to poke the projectile up the seating die first as well. It is no big drama. One day I may get a redding ultra mag or RCBS ammo master press for convenience of a little more room however.
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Posts: 7505 | Location: Australia | Registered: 22 May 2002
Dempsey, Yes, I do understand. I have a similar problem with my Hornaday dies. I get one thread engaged before the die hits the case mouth and begins to crimp. One thing that you might check closely is your case length. These big cases will grow especially if you are firing for the first time. I never size the shoulder in my gun and this seems to pretty much stop the growth. I see maybe two other options. One, is to send the dies back to Hornaday explaining the problem. The other is, if you have a RCBS press with a blued sleeve that the dies screw into, (this is the sleeve that is removed when using very large dies, large dies are screwed directly into the casting) and back this sleeve out a couple of turns. You need a large wrench to do this, but it might give you some extra threads on your dies. I hope I interpreted what you said Ok and that I have offered something that will help. Great Shooting! The Bearman
bearmanmt You understood my question as I intened it to be understood. I do have a sleeve that can be screwed giving me a a another thread or two. I'll make up a shim and give it a try. I checked and double checked the length of the brass. This is the first loading on new brass, I always full length size new brass and then neck size there after. It's kind of senseless for hornady not to make the die body a little deeper, moving the crimping shoulder further up in the die. Thanks for you help. It's a new rifle I just purchased and I'm getting some loads for it and a couple others ready. Not a lot of places to shoot where I am, I will be moving and can't wait to take out the .416 out when I get home. I really miss the range on McDonald Pass, can't wait. dempsey
I would definitely return that die. It sounds to me like they are attempting to perform somekinda one size fits all for the 416 bore and using a seating die for a 416 Taylor bored out to clear the Rigby case.
My RCBS dies will allow for near complete threading of the seating die into my Lyman Crusher prior to crimp taper engagement. By the way, it should not matter which press you have. The seating plug should, by design, allow depth adjustment so that it nearly abutts the shell holder on the ram when the ram is fully up prior to crimp taper engagement. Remember the stack up is from the shell holder face. It has nothing to do with the press! If your dies doesn't allow for this there is something wrong with your die!
I have had problems like this with C4HD dies in the past. That is why I don't use them anymore.
I received my RCBS dies today and the problem is solved . I've purchased my last set of dies from hornady. I really liked their seater adjustment better than RCBS which is why I went that route to begin with. But their universal die body is a poor attempt at what I can only quess to be cost cutting, especially for long cartridges.
If you are trying to load 416 Rigbys on a standard size reloading press then you do have a problem and seating some bullets is darn near impossible..
The proper way is to get a RCBS A-2 single station press if you intend to load big bore rounds...It will load 50 cal. MG rounds. I adhere to the right tool for the job.
FWIW. The socket size for thr RCBS insert is one and a half inches. (1 1/2") I had to hit five diferent places to get one. Your local Checker Auto or Pep Boys ain't gonna have one. Paul B.
Posts: 2814 | Location: Tucson AZ USA | Registered: 11 May 2001
Ray if I started loading the fifty I'll get the big press. My rockchucker suits my needs pretty well. The hornady seater die with only one thread engaged still would not take the length of the cartridge without engaging the crimping shoulder in the die. I sent it back to Hornady to do with as they please since I have no use for it. I like many of their other products, but their die is the problem in this case. If they choose to make things right I suggested they can send me a box of bullets, if not lesson learned.
. I've purchased my last set of dies from hornady. I really liked their seater adjustment better than RCBS which is why I went that route to begin with. But their universal die body is a poor attempt at what I can only quess to be cost cutting, especially for long cartridges.
