I got some once fired 416 Rigby brass off the netAfter fl resizing noe of it will chamber in my 416. Can't figure out why. Any ideas? I hoped to load softs in brass, solids in nickel to prevent confusion if things get exciting during a reload.

Sounds like the brass fired in another rifle has changed, and needs to be full length resized. It may need to be sized with a small base die to get it back into spec.. The Rigby I have now was made in 1928 and the chamber was different than the current lot of Norma brass. I sent it to a gunmaker along with the Norma brass and after a chamber cast it was determined that the current chamber reamer specification was different than the original. I had him rechamber the Rigby and now no problems with brass.

Howdy.
what LB said... do you have any imperial sizing wax? these cases are HARDER than the brass cases,

(no cases in the shell holder)
raise the ram on the press
lower (or raise, if it hits already) the die body to where it JUST touchs the shellholder
back off 1/8 of a turn


when you are working the sizing die, on a well lubed case, let the handle stay on the bottom of the sizing stroke for a 2 or 3 count.. (counters "spring" in the cases)

Also check the case length. You did not mention whether or not the cases had been measured and trimmed after being resized. Stating the obvious, but the brass will stretch after being fired and the neck may be too long.

quote:

Originally posted by D Hunter:
I got some once fired 416 Rigby brass off the netAfter fl resizing noe of it will chamber in my 416. Can't figure out why. Any ideas? I hoped to load softs in brass, solids in nickel to prevent confusion if things get exciting during a reload.

ARE you trying to chamber it in the rifle it was fired in, or a different one??

If it's a different chamber, what's happening is "normal"......

quote:

may need to be sized with a small base die to get it back into spec..

A SMALL BASE .416 Rigby die???

Yes you can custom order a small base die for many cartridges. It might be cheaper to just buy some Federal ammo and fire form it in your rifle and then use those cases for your differential loadings. I do the same thing.

A once fired case can not elongate enough to be an issue unless the original chamber is totally screwed up. The 416 Rigby is an improved case design made to prevent this type of stretching.

I had problems with 338 win mag nickle brass.I could never size it to work.I did have good luck with 416 rem mag nickle brass.I couldnt get the primers in the 338 nickle brass either.I tried all different primers.I got Federal 215 mag primers in the nickle 416 rem mag remington brass.I have heard alot of people having trouble with nickle brass also.

If you are haveing a hard time getting primers in your brass, any brass, take a case chamfer tool and lightly bevel the opening.