308 crimping
Quote from Reloader on June 9, 2014, 8:18 pmI've been reloading for about 12 years now, but have only loaded pistol calibers. I've just started reloading 308 Winchester on the XL650 and have several questions. I purchased the Dillon dies for this caliber. Use Lee dies for my pistol calibers. I have had them when I was using a Lee Loadmaster.
The questions I have are. 1) I have my resizing die set to about a 1/4 turn past touching the shell plate. The cases seem fine in my M1A but are tight in my Sig716. They fit in the case gauge without problems. Is it just that my Sig716 has a tight chamber? Factory rounds chamber fine. 2) I can't see any crimp with where my die is currently set. If I turn it any further down I get a ring around the bullet. The bullets are tight in the case. I can't push them any further in by hand. Is this normal?
Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
I've been reloading for about 12 years now, but have only loaded pistol calibers. I've just started reloading 308 Winchester on the XL650 and have several questions. I purchased the Dillon dies for this caliber. Use Lee dies for my pistol calibers. I have had them when I was using a Lee Loadmaster.
The questions I have are. 1) I have my resizing die set to about a 1/4 turn past touching the shell plate. The cases seem fine in my M1A but are tight in my Sig716. They fit in the case gauge without problems. Is it just that my Sig716 has a tight chamber? Factory rounds chamber fine. 2) I can't see any crimp with where my die is currently set. If I turn it any further down I get a ring around the bullet. The bullets are tight in the case. I can't push them any further in by hand. Is this normal?
Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Quote from Reloader on June 10, 2014, 4:27 pmDo the sized, empty cases drop in flush with the lower step on the headspace case gage? If not, then adjust the die down until they do. The SIG is probably tight. Drop a factory round into the gage, see where it drops to. It is unlikely that increased crimp will help at all.
Do the sized, empty cases drop in flush with the lower step on the headspace case gage? If not, then adjust the die down until they do. The SIG is probably tight. Drop a factory round into the gage, see where it drops to. It is unlikely that increased crimp will help at all.
Quote from Reloader on June 11, 2014, 11:19 pmI have adjusted the resizing die down and think that issue is resolved. The crimp is a separate issue. I can't see or measure any crimp on the mouth of the cases. If I move the crimp die down any further I get a small but noticeable ring around the bullet. I would think this would alter the accuracy of the bullet.
I have adjusted the resizing die down and think that issue is resolved. The crimp is a separate issue. I can't see or measure any crimp on the mouth of the cases. If I move the crimp die down any further I get a small but noticeable ring around the bullet. I would think this would alter the accuracy of the bullet.
Quote from Reloader on June 12, 2014, 4:31 pmOn a match bullet, you probably don't want to crimp at all. An easy way to adjust the crimp die is to put a sized, empty case into the crimp station and pull the handle down. With your fingers, thread the die down until you feel the die stop against the case mouth. Then turn the die down an additional 1/4 turn. That will provide sufficient crimp, without marring the projectile.
On a match bullet, you probably don't want to crimp at all. An easy way to adjust the crimp die is to put a sized, empty case into the crimp station and pull the handle down. With your fingers, thread the die down until you feel the die stop against the case mouth. Then turn the die down an additional 1/4 turn. That will provide sufficient crimp, without marring the projectile.