RCBS says to use #3 for the 30-06.,......and none of my 9.3 X 62 cases fit that shell holder.....what gives? What do you guys do?

What brand of brass are you using? I've always used the same shellholder I use for 30-06 size cases whether it be Redding or RCBS (#3). I usually use Lapua 9,3x62 brass but I think I've loaded a few with Norma...............DJ

The couple of cases I have fit the #3.

I use a Lee #3.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
RCBS says to use #3 for the 30-06.,......and none of my 9.3 X 62 cases fit that shell holder.....what gives? What do you guys do?

How old is your #3? I have an old #3 (20 years or so) that won't take 9.3x62 brass. I bought a new RCBS #3 and it works fine. Ken Waters mentioned in an article about the 9.3x62 some years ago that the RCBS #3 wouldn't accept 9.3x62 brass so he used the shellholder for the 6.5x55 Swedish. I think RCBS made some slight changes in the #3 shellholder since then. As I said, my new #3 works fine at least with Graf brand brass which is the only brass I've used.

-Bob F.

You are probably uisng that cheap Graf brass. They wouldn't fit in my shellholder either.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
You are probably uisng that cheap Graf brass. They wouldn't fit in my shellholder either.

As a matter of fact I am.....but I also have some S&B stuff and neither fit the shell holder and as a matter of fact, that shell holder just might be over 20 years old as well.

It is not uncommon for European brass (sorry, I don't know where the Graf brass is produced) to be a tad large around the rim. This can show up in rim thickness, groove diamater or you name any which other way. RWS brass often suffers from this, Lapua occasonally does etc etc.

Sometimes, a shellholder for the 6.5x55 (as opposed to the standard .30-06) fixes the problem. Hornady calls theirs #19.

- mike

My LAPUA fits a standard 06 case holder, my RWS needs a 6.5x55 case holder.

I had the same problem with Grafs brass and am now using the Lee #10. Works great.

ah ha - another reason to own a coax

so I got a Lee #10 and am making ammo again!

It's a bit sloppy but functioning well!

Interesting.
I just went out and checked and my 30 year old RCBS #3 shell holder works fine on the Grafs 9.3x62 brass I have on hand. The Grafs brass I have (200 pieces) seems to be as consistent and well made as most standard production brass I've used, I am anxious to shoot it awhile and see how it holds up.
The #2 holder (6.5x55) was too sloppy to use for resizing and looks like I would pull a rim off.

I've been very satisfied with the Graf 9.3x62 brass. Used it on a plains game hunt in South Africa back in 2005. Worked fine; no problems.

I also found the #2 (6.5x55) to be a loose fit. That's when I bought my new #3 and it works fine. I think there must have been some slight dimensional differences in the #3 over the years. As I said above my old #3 wouldn't work but the new one works fine. Snellstrom's old #3 works.... Oh well....

-Bob F.

I use Graf headstamp brass and it was just a hair big for my old RCBS #3. It fits perfectly in a Lyman #2.

Good shooting,
desmobob

ALL my cases / cartridges in 9.3 x 62 ( Lapua, Norma, PMP, Winchester, Sellier & Bellot ) fit ( slightly sloppy ) in a LEE # 2 SH ( ´06 cases ).

H