I have a new 7x57 that I have been loading for, and recently discovered I have a runout problem causing me some accuracy issues. The runout is being caused by an older Lee resizing die. To see if I could cure the problem I bought one of the collet dies everyone is raving about.

The collet die seems to work from the limited testing I have done so far on a second rifle, but here is my issue. Before I ordered the collet die, I had just got done resizing and priming 100 cases with the old die. The old die also sizes very tight, much tighter than the new collet die. I need to resize all these cases but I don't want to dump all that primer residue down my brand new Shilen barrel. Not crazy about the idea of decapping live primers either. And then the necks are too tight as well.

I have heard something before about using Blue Dot and some cream of wheat, shooting it straight up in the air to fireform. I don't really need to fireform per se, but would this be a good method to get rid of the primers and open the necks back up so I could resize them properly with the new die? How much Blue Dot and how much cream of wheat in a 7x57 case?

Hey JD, just cut the depriming pin off your Lee Collet mandrel. I deprime with a Universal Deprimer die anyway because I like to feel the sizing operation and the action of popping the spent primer out masks the feel. If you don't already have a Universal Deprimer you might think about picking one up. They are cheap and work on all cases.

You will essentially be expanding the necks with the Lee Collet if your old die has sized them smaller.

Well, I did think about that. It would work this time but I don't know if I want to introduce another step into the process from here on out or not. Of course, I could make a decapper out of the old Lee die, just drill the neck part out.

I'm not familiar with Lee dies but are you saying you cannot remove the decapping pin and resize without decapping??? No wonder I use RCBS.

I have never had any problems punching out live primers?????

Yeah, the decapping pin on the collet die mandrel is not removeable.

I did cut my pin off, but it doesnt matter. The cases are sized down so far I dont like how hard it is to jam them on the collet die mandrel, and I am not sure of the results I would get that way. One of those things that just doesnt "feel" right.

Who can give me a recipe to expand the cases with Blue Dot and Cream of Wheat?

Simply getting rid of the primers won't bring you one step further.

You said you have a runout problem caused by the seizing in the old Lee die. If the new collet die is to show any kind of effect, your case necks need to be expanded first.

I would build a plinkung load from the seized and primed cases.
Hey, you mentioned it's 100 cases only. So go do some plinking.

It is my understanding that light charges of pistol powder with a Cream of Wheat filler have been used to fireform cases for wildcats. If it can fireform a wildcat surely it can expand the case mouths on my current brass. At least that is my theory. It beats wasting bullets and heavy charges of good powder if it will work. I don't have any cheap bullets on hand, but I have tons of Blue Dot. Just thought it might be a viable alternative.

Maybe I should post this over in the wildcat forum instead.

Blue Dot Loads have the potential to destroy your firearm and perhaps Kill you. If you need links, I can provide them.

There are posts on this Board about Fire Forming with Cream of Wheat which can be found with the "Find" button at the top of the page.

Or, you can use Starting Loads and Seat the Bullet to Jam-the Lands. Then you get some extra Trigger Time that is useful, the Cases typically expand properly, and there will be no Insipient Case Head Separation issues.

As a great Side Benefit, you may just discover the Run-Out you were initially concerned about doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

Best of luck to you.

I don't really want to get into a pissing match about Blue Dot. I have followed all the threads on it, and looked at all the links. I am convinced that Blue Dot is no more dangerous than any other powder as long as it is used within reasonable limits, just as with all reloading practices.

The old die is causing me problems, with runout on a fair number of rounds running up into the .006 to .012 range. Loading with runout .004 and less has shrunk my groups noticeably, mainly helping to reduce the number of fliers I was getting before.

Cases are already fireformed to the chamber, so no case head seperation problems, I just need to expand the necks. I CAN do it as Woods suggested, but it does force the new die pretty hard, and while it does straighten the neck out to a degree, not as much as if they have been fired and expanded properly.

quote:

Originally posted by JTPinTX:
I don't really want to get into a pissing match about Blue Dot. ...

Me neither.

Best of luck to you.

Okay, simple solution is 12.5 grains blue dot, fill rest of case with corn meal, point straight up in air and shoot. Case neck blown back out, live primer gone, no bullet expense, everything good to go and ready to resize with the new die. I'll be out $2.50 on the primers, and another $3.00 on powder but thats it.