Maybe someone can help
I have been cleaning and sizing some 7mm Remington cases for a friend and I have found the Norma cases won't go in the shell holder that excepts Win. Super X and Remington cases. The extractor groove on the Norma cases measures several thousands larger than on the other cases. Is this normal and do I need a new shell holder? They are about thirty years old and there are only about thirty of them but he would like to use them.
Thank you mcshreeve

You may since RCBS makes a seperate shell holder for Norma cases (I don't know if this is necessary for the newer ones though). From memory it seems like winchester and remington cases took shell holder #4 and the norma took #25 or #26. It seems like on the package of #25 or #26 that the instructions stated the shell holder MAY be necessary for norma cases. Memory has been known to fail me, but I know without a doubt different shell holders were made by RCBS for the american and foriegn cases.

The other guy is correct on this one. European cases have often taken a different shell holder. Just call RCBS customer service for the correct numbers. This same situation applies to 7x61 S&H, 6mm/.244 Rem and the 7x57 case family in general, and a couple of others when using cerain european brass.

I just went out and checked some 30+ year old 7 mm Mag Norma brass and slid the case in a RCBS #4, just like I have for 30+ years. The note

Quote:

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*Some Browning, DWM Lapua, Norma, RWS and Sako cases require an RCBS #26 Shellholder

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appears on the Midway site for the #4, but it certainly doesn't seem to apply to old brass and old shell holder.

A quantity of Norma 7x61 S&H cases from the 1950's requires RCBS #26. Ditto some 308 Norma Mag. cases of uncertain vintage ('70s?). Neither will fit in a RCBS #4. However, a standard Redding #6 will accomodate both without difficulty, as will their #6 'competition' shellholder set.

Go figure.

Jim