Can any of you that are more knowledgeable about reloading tell me why it is so difficult to bring the lever on my Turret Press up when full length resizing my new .30-06 AI. I am using the correct amount of lube, as well as graphite on the case neck. On the downstroke it goes well, but I have had to hammer on the upstroke with my palm. These incidentally are just fire-formed, could that have a bearing? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks-Karl

Karl. Sounds like you're setting the shoulder back. This unusual resistance is common when dealing with the 40 degree shoulders on AI cartridges.

Try backing your die off a turn or so, size, and see if the cartridge will chamber. If not keep turning the die down in 1/16 increments until you just feel the slightest resistance when closing the bolt on the cartridge. Then lock your dies at that setting. Setting the shoulder back creates excessive headspace, a potentially dangerous situation.

Rick-Thanks for the prompt reply, but chambering the cartridge is not a factor. That was the first thing I did was to construct a dummy round without powder to see, and it chambers perfectly. I measured all the lengths and widths and they check out. My big problem is that it is so difficult to bring the ram up as the ball is passing through the neck. Karl

Hoe, WHAT are you using for lube? This would be my first question. Next I would point out that turret presses aren't known for their strength.
And finally, what brand of reloading dies do you have? Some dies are just poorly polished. And it isn't a problem restricted to just the cheaper dies. For example, I've got a set of RCBS 243 dies right now that I'm going to trash because they aren't very smooth. But I bought them second hand and now I know why they were cheap.

Yeah, I know I could probably polish them out but I'm not in the mood to jack with them. I'd rather have redding dies anyhow.

Karl: If you set the shoulder back with your sizing die, the cartridge will chamber very easily indeed! You want it to chamber with just a touch of resistance when you close the bolt.

Getting the proper headspace on an improved cartridge is critical. In fireforming you have (in all probability) already thinned the case walls a bit. A headspace problem caused by oversizing will get you case separations or worse.

I load for 4 AI cartridge and generally find them to be a pain in the ass. .257 AI, 7x57 AI, 30-06 AI, and 338-06 AI. Instead of the four former cartridges I could have gone with a 25-06, 280 Remington, 300 Winchester Magnum, and a 338 Winchester Magnum and had better performance and a hell of alot less hassel.

I still think the unusual resistance you are encountering in sizing is caused by your setting the shoulder back. Don't turn the die down so far that it touches the shell holder.

The length was set to clear the die by about the thickness of a nickle on the upstrike of the ram. I am using RCBS case lube with brand new Redding dikes. Any more suggestions? Thanks-Karl