Making 35 Wade Magnum brass from 338 win mag brass. Had trouble with once fired brass sticking in my reforming die. Turns out my once fired had a base diameter of .517, a 338 win should have a base diameter of .513. I found some new brass, the bases measured .509 and slid in my dies with ease. Crazy. Optik1

quote:

Originally posted by optik1:
Making 35 Wade Magnum brass from 338 win mag brass. Had trouble with once fired brass sticking in my reforming die. Turns out my once fired had a base diameter of .517, a 338 win should have a base diameter of .513. I found some new brass, the bases measured .509 and slid in my dies with ease. Crazy. Optik1

.004 shouldn't be a problem.....imperial die wax should make that pretty easy. What lube did you use?

You would expect all once fired brass from any source would resize in a FL sizing die, some may require a little more effort than others depending on the chamber dimensions they were fired in. I don't know why you should have had problems with sizing in your reforming die but I'm another that uses and recommends Imperial die wax lube. Stuck cases are a thing of the past when using Imperial Wax.

Whatever lube you use, and I cocur with the excellence of Imperial Case Lube, ensure that lube goes onto the base area of the case wall as well as elsewhere. Insufficient or lack of lube application to the base area particularly is frequently the cause of a stuck case. Stuck cases are a total PIA but easily avoided with good lubing technique.

I will second (or is that fourth) that, Imperial. Get a cheap cotton glove for your left hand and a little dab will do ya.

Wow! It appears that I'm much smarter than I thought I was

JTEX?.... Is that you? The same JTEX that turned me on to Imperial Sizing Wax back in the early 1970s?

I love you man!

I use hornady lube in the tub. You should not have a problem with that scenario. Check your lube, and how much you used. Or come over and we can size them.

I use it in the shower, but never in the tub - it leaves a ring.

Yes, I was using Imperial die wax. The dies I was using were custom RCBS in 35 Wade. Maybe they are a bit tight? Optik1

Lube......


That's it

IMPERIAL DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH..

quote:

Originally posted by optik1:
Making 35 Wade Magnum brass from 338 win mag brass. Had trouble with once fired brass sticking in my reforming die. Turns out my once fired had a base diameter of .517, a 338 win should have a base diameter of .513. I found some new brass, the bases measured .509 and slid in my dies with ease. Crazy. Optik1

Do you by chance have a 338 Win Mag FL resizing die? If so run a lubed case into that and see how easy or hard it is to resize. Possible your once fired brass has come from an oversized chamber or was maybe a high pressure reload if it was not first fired factory.
Can't imagine any fired brass being hard to the point of sticking when resized in a FL die and then in your forming die.

Id take another look at my reamer and a chamber cast would answer all your problems..your chamber is large or your reamer is worn out.