Resizing-what am I doing wrong?

[Agent86]

I’m new to reloading. Been doing it about a month and am exclusively reloading .308. I’ve made about 120 loads. I’m enjoying it and bought an RCBS Summit press over Memorial Day weekend.

I have always found resizing to be difficult. Requiring lots of elbow grease with sticking points along the stroke, especially when the resizing die gets about an 1/8” away from the ram (almost to the rim of the case). Sometimes I just cannot get that last 1/8 inch.

I’m using an old RCBS full length die and Hornady one shot case lube. I also have a new RCBS small base die that I sometimes use on brass of unknown origin. I find I have to drench the cases in lube sometimes. A couple days ago, while resizing with the standard full length die, the handle on the summit press sheared off, leaving the threaded portion of the handle stuck in the press. That’s the level of force I’ve been using to resize.

The shearing of the handle happened at the bottom of the stroke, trying to get that last 1/8”. This put my press out of commission until I got a new handle. As a result I now have a stuck case in my die.

I got some imperial sizing wax and have been using it with my small base die. Not much better if at all with the amount of effort it takes to resize.

What on earth am I missing?

 

[Snake-Eyes]

Maybe using too much lube?
Maybe need to let it sit and evaporate for a couple minutes first, not “drenched”?
Had you wiped out the dies?
Is it new brass?
The loaded rounds all pass a chamber gauge?
Fired any of your reloads and tried to size those?

@oneshot and/or @Daezee are two forum members who probably have quite a few solutions.

 

[Daezee]

I’ve always found .308 hard to full length size. I use a rockchucker press. Lubing the inside of the neck helped me.

 

[Beached]

Scrub the die out really well, I use RCBS dies for .308 no problem sizing brass on single stage press. Military cases are thicker and be hard to resize do you have mil. Brass? Also have Lee .308 die both resize cases fine with imperial wax.

 

[Agent86]

When I get the case unstuck I’ll clean the die, as that’s something I haven’t done. 75%ish of the brass I’ve resized has come from my rifle and I am reloading for that same rifle. I dry tumble the brass in walnut for a couple of hours before resizing. I and friends shoot suppressed so the brass is typically very dirty. None of it is military brass. Federal, Hornady, Remington, Winchester, etc.

 

[Agent86]

…

 

[fisheadgib]

If it's a two die set, the decapping pin may also be part of the expanding plug and could be set too low. I would set the decapper just low enough to remove the primer, clean the die thoroughly, and just use a very light film of Imperial wax. Like dab your fingertip in it, rub your finger and thumb together, and rub a film on the case. I've been loading .308win for close to 40 years and have never had the difficulty that you describe. I load mine on an RCBS Junior that I bought used in 1977 and I can't imagine shearing the handle off on that thing and I have crushed the hell out of a few cases over the years.

 

[Jester896]

I personally do not care for One Shot. Most people don't let it dry long enough...much longer is need than what it says on the can. You will get much better results with Imperial Wax. Like Dazeee said about ever 3rd case I rub my finger across the case mouth with the wax that is on my fingers to lube the expander ball. If this brass came from your rifle and it is a bolt gun I see no need to S/B size the brass F/L will be fine. Like mentioned check the decapping rod to make sure it isn't set to low. I think the instructions say 3/16 below the bottom of the die but I just screw in down several times until it will just push out the primer. Many times if it is too long it will bend the rod...you may want to pull it and check once you get the case out. I got to try the Summit press at the Rifle Expo and they are nice...not sure they are made for that kind of heavy work even with the size of the ram.

You can use a #7 drill bit, drill the primer pocket and tap it 1/4X20. Get a 1/4X20 1 1/4-1 1/2" Grade 8 bolt...a grade 5 will break. Get a thick washer and screw the bolt with the washer through a say 1/2 or 9/16 socket into the case from the ratchet end. The socket needs to be bigger than the case head and rest on the bottom of the die. Run the die in from the bottom of the press and lock it down. Try to screw out the decapping rod before you do as far as you can and if you didn't tighten the expander ball with pliers it may unscrew from the expander ball. You don't want the bolt to hit it or it will surely bend it and you still may bend the decapping pin if it doesn't come out. If it does come out you can cut the case and retrieve expander ball. You will only need .001-.002 of movement for the case to release...it is tapered.

decapping rods are kinda case specific and come one to the pack IIRC...replacement decapping pins come 5 to a pack. I keep spares....good luck!

 

[Metal Storm]

I was unfamiliar with this summit and did a little research and YouTube watching. I am a rock chukker fan. Some people liked it some didn’t and some just used it for one specific stage of reloading. Since you have had issues from day one, maybe press ram and side levers are out of alignment with the thread screws. I have never heard of this but I think you may have multiple issues with the handle breaking. I would be on the phone complaining and wanting a new replacement.

What did customer support say when you ordered a new handle?

 

[BluesBrother]

There is much that could be wrong in your tecnique. Much has been mentioned above. I use a single stage Hornady with Hornady dies and have no issues. I use a home made lanolin mixture lube. First and foremost never, ever force sizing. If it takes more than minimal effort, you're doing something wrong. Read, understand, and follow steps outlined in every reloading manual. Do not proceed until you master the set up. If not done properly, reloading can be a hazard to your health. With out actually seeing what you have done, I can't offer more help. But remember this. Do not force anything. It is absolutely not necessary.

 

[Jester896]

I can't see putting enough leverage on 1/2" bar stock to break it with one or two hands...don't care how big the guns are

 

[War-Buff]

Are you sure the sizing die is screwed down far enough to size that last 1/8inch, and that you are not trying to force the ram past its range of motion?

 

[rossi]

Die dimensions may not be correct. It's happened before.

 

[Agent86]

Thank you all for the feedback.

When I called RCBS Custer support and told them what happened, they didn’t ask any questions. Just asked for pictures and my address so they could send another one.

I was surprised when the handle broke. I hope that was just a lemon. Nothing else about the press gives me red flags.

When I first started reloading I bought a Rock Chucker from a forum member. I had much the same issues on that press. Still enjoyed it enough that I splurged on the Summit.

I shoot an AR-10 type rifle. I bought a full length die set from a forum member, and did a little more research leading me to believed small base dies might be necessary. If it’s brass I have shot, I used the full length. If it’s brass from someone else I use the small base. Typically the full length is easier to resize. I suppose it should be.

Pictured is my small base die at the bottom of the stroke touching the shell holder. There is about a quarter inch more of travel along the shaft if the die was not installed.

 

[Jester896]

run the ram up....screw the die down until contact is made with the shell holder. Then make your adjustments to get the shoulder bump you want if it isn't already there. Do you get cam over?

 

[Agent86]

run the ram up....screw the die down until contact is made with the shell holder. Then make your adjustments to get the shoulder bump you want if it isn't already there. Do you get cam over?

I think this was the problem. No I was not getting cam over. My die was screwed too far down I think. I set it up properly and it is now way easier and I get a cam over. Moving to the summit from the rock chucker, I did not readjust my dies.

 

[Jester896]

not far enough it sounds like to me

 

[ChrisC]

Have you tried a normal FL siding die? You might not need all the force from a small base die. You can screw in the die too much.

 

[Jester896]

a F/L die will not size the area right above the web to SAAMI, it leaves it closer to the chamber size. A S/B die will size that area to a degree put is probably still .001 over SAAMI spec. If the cases were fired in my gun, bolt or SA action, I might just F/L size them unless I ran into an issue with them loading. Most of the time if I size anything that are not going to be run in my gun or pickups they will get a S/B pass of some type.

kinda makes me wonder why the call it a F/L die when it doesn't