I got my Redding Dies yesterday with the tapered sizing button as suggested. I had some .30-06 brass laying around, so I gave it a try. I could barely get half the neck sized up to 35 cal on 4 cases before I gave up. I must really either be a weakling or this is much more difficult than I thought it would be. Am I missing something or is it really so hard it takes a Mac Truck power to neck up from 30 cal to 35 cal?? I want to learn to do this because 30-06 brass is more plentiful to say the least AND ALOT less expensive!

Lubricate the inside of the case necks before running them through the die! That will help a lot.

Helps to have a press with substantial leverage like a Rock Chucker.

Annealing the case necks will also make things just a little easier if the brass is getting old or has been fired and reloaded a few times (work hardened).

If you happen to have a .338 die set of any sort or can acquire a tapered button of .338 caliber you can make a .308 to .338 step first and that will be somewhat easier.

In making .458 AR I have done 7mm and 30 RUM brass to .366 in one step, though it is easier to go to .338 first then .366. I usually then go to .416 and then to .458.

quote:

Originally posted by RenegadeRN:
I got my Redding Dies yesterday with the tapered sizing button as suggested. I had some .30-06 brass laying around, so I gave it a try. I could barely get half the neck sized up to 35 cal on 4 cases before I gave up. I must really either be a weakling or this is much more difficult than I thought it would be. Am I missing something or is it really so hard it takes a Mac Truck power to neck up from 30 cal to 35 cal?? I want to learn to do this because 30-06 brass is more plentiful to say the least AND ALOT less expensive!

I am assuming that you lubed the inside of the case necks before trying to expand them...If it is still so difficult when the case necks are lubricated, try going from .30 to .338 first, as an intermediate step. I am using 7X65R cases to make 8X60RS brass. I size up to .30 before going all the way up to .323". It may not be essential, but it makes things easier.........

Actually intermediate sizing sometimes causes other problems....

I was going to suggest "backing off" the die so that the neck expansion is happening at a different point in the press handle's motion, so you have more leverage.

I have a Hornady neck expander die for expanding necks when I was "wildcatting" 358Norma cases from 300Winchester Mag brass, it has one of their bullet shaped expander plugs in it.

AD

Allan is right, move the die up. When I expand 30-06 cases I set the die so that it just completes the neck expansion at the top of the lever stroke. Lots of lube on the inside of the case next and you should be OK. I made my own expander so it may be longer than a commercial one. Have actually expanded 270 Win. to 35 caliber in one pass just to see if I could do it.

Kind of funny when someone asks what caliber I am shooting, they look at the head stamp and it says 270 Winchester but has that big fat bullet seated in the case.

Well??!!! Guess that means I will be getting a thicker top for my reloading bench! LOL! Will need that to get the leverage I need. But in the end it will save me bucks on brass....It's just insane to believe that the cases are the same from .270 win on up to the 35 Whelen, but the prices are so much different...enuff so that it only makes sense to neck up. I've seen anywhere from $.42 a piece to $.51 cent a piece for the Whelen brass.