FL sizing once fired factory ammo (.300 WSM). Hornady dies & Dillon press.

Adjusted die to just meet bottom of shell plate, cartridge wouldn't chamber.

Turned die about another 135 degrees and now can get cartridges to chamber but a few still require an effort to close the bolt and it's obvious the die to shell plate distance is too close at the top of the compression cycle.

It seem to me that a few thousandths taken off the bottom of the sizing die might resolve this.

I miked the cases that worked and didn't work and couldn't detect a difference. I suspect its the shoulder.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff,
It would be cheaper to hone the top of the shellholder. Be VERY sure to mark it to prevent later production of short-shouldered loads.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

Whoops!
Just reread and noticed the press.
Shellplates are not as cheap as conventional shellholders. Sorry.
Ross

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Yes, facing off a few thousandths from the die will likely solve your problem. The die is hard, so your project won't be easy.

I cut off the bottom 1/2 inch of some dies one time (made some dies that would load 6.5 Rem out of .264 Win dies) by heating the bottom portion of the dies to a cherry red. This softened them enough to allow cutting with a simple hacksaw. I wouldn't recommend going to this extreme, however, since you only need to remove a tiny bit of material. Perhaps some of our machinist friends on this site can recommend a method.

hi JHC10,
surely it would be simple enough to face off the shell holder. there obviously cheaper than dies.there was an article in a previous thread on this site that was concerned with the different thickness of varying makes of shell holder,if you could get a thinner shell holder then this would solve your problem of getting the correct headspace.

griff

Before you get carried away you may want to check your expander button. Sometimes these will actually stretch a neck enough to cause hard chambering. Check a fired case to see if it will rechamber. If it does try sizing one without the expander. Polishing the button or a little dry lube will usually take care of the problem.
C.G.B.

The dillon shell plate.On my old dillon, if your is the same?? The center screw that holds the shell plate must be turned in as far as possable so it will turn, but be at min clearance.This will let the die come down more, and size your brass correctly.