I recently switched over to some Hornady rifle dies for my 30.06, .308, & .270. I previously used some Lees. My problem is that even with lubing the case neck, when I attempt to decap and size the case, the case goes up into the die until about the last half inch and then either jams or becomes very hard to move. I'm using a Rock Chucker press.

This happens with old brass, new brass, once-fired...so where am I suffering cranial rectal inversion

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Heaven is that moment just before dawn when you're on your tree stand or your boat fishing

Hmmmmm... Several possibilities come to mind.

1. Are you putting a bit of lubricant on the inside of the neck to help the sizer button slide a bit easier thru the inside of the neck? If not, you should be.

2.Try removing the sizing and decapping rod completely and then sizing just the outside of the case into the resizing body. See if it still sticks to determine if the problem is with the die body or with the decapping rod. That will at least narrow down the problem.

3. Is the problem with one particular die or with all the calibers you mentioned?

You said you were lubing the neck....you should be lubing the body of the case not the neck or shoulder. With respect to the neck, the only place you need a "little" lube is the inside of the neck to reduce the friction of the expander ball. You can ease this by polishing the expander ball with some 660 grit emery cloth. Chuck the expander ball into a low speed drill or electric screw driver and lightly polish it. If you have a good micrometer and can use it, you are looking at taking off maybe 1/10,000 or maybe 2/10,000...not much. If you don't have a good micrometer try about 1 minute of light pressure as the tool turns the expander ball.

Sounds like you need to try a better a lub! I have found that the Hornady Unique lub to be excellent.

Chipola Creek,
You said you were using new dies. Did you clean the packing grease out of the dies before you used them? If not this can stick the cases as the packing grease is not designed for high pressure lubrication. Give the dies a thorough cleaning with shooters choice if you already haven't. Hornady expanders usually work pretty good. Before you polish it, clean your case necks. Do this using a bronze bore brush chucked in a drill. 5 to 10 seconds should do it. I do this and never get noise or neck stretch, without lube! Also try some Imperial sizing die wax lube... the stuff is great.

Providing you can get the "stuck case out". Polish the inside of the die with Flitz.

Run it on a patch wrapped around a brush for 20 seconds or so. You can also "repolish" any dies periodically to improve performance.

Bruce, I've used a little lub inside the neck and I have taken the sizer/decapping rod out. Still with the case jamming that last half inch.

But, I'll try all your recommendations - I figure I've got to be screwing up somewhere.

quote:

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Originally posted by Bruce Gordon:
Hmmmmm... Several possibilities come to mind.

1. Are you putting a bit of lubricant on the inside of the neck to help the sizer button slide a bit easier thru the inside of the neck? If not, you should be.

2.Try removing the sizing and decapping rod completely and then sizing just the outside of the case into the resizing body. See if it still sticks to determine if the problem is with the die body or with the decapping rod. That will at least narrow down the problem.

3. Is the problem with one particular die or with all the calibers you mentioned?

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Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I stopped by on the way home and got some RCBS case lub. Tried the different lub on both brass & nickel 30.06 with great results.

Sometimes I just need a kick in the head to get all the parts working properly.

thanks again

Manufacturing processes sometimes yield lemons. I recently ordered a 416 Rigby sizing die from Hornady. The case would begin to stick at about the 2/3 point. The die was actually cutting into the case body and the neck. I called Hornady and they sent me a new die that works just fine.

BTW, I don't recall if you said this was
happening with all your dies. If only one, it may be the die. If they are all tight, I would change my lubrication proceedure.

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RC

Is it doing it with all of your Hornady dies or just one caliber? Otherwise, the other suggestions here seem to have it covered.

According to your statement you were lubing the necks, You do not need to lube necks on a rifle cartridge..You lube the body of the case or you will have stuck cases...read Bills lips..

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com