1 1,000'th of a mm

[stx kid]

So i've been breaking in my new dies, and i realize that about 15 of the cartridges are a freaking hare too wide and seat the bullet loosely enough for me to pull the bullet with my bare hands.

any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?

 

[Dawico]

What caliber, dies, and bullets are you using?

 

[Younggun]

15 out of how many?

 

[TexasRedneck]

First thing I'd do is mic the bullets themselves....they COULD be undersized (rare). Problem being, the alternative issue is that your resizing die is cut wrong (too large), OR you may not be running the die fully down on the cartridge. That's the ONLY things that could be the problem. Check those two out, because that's all it can be.

 

[Dawico]

The neck expander could be a hair too big also (it it is for s bottleneck cartridge).

 

[TexasRedneck]

The neck expander could be a hair too big also (it it is for s bottleneck cartridge).

Ah - yer right! Sorry, was thinking straight-wall cartridge. If it's a bottleneck, he COULD be runnin' it in too deep, too.....

 

[stx kid]

What caliber, dies, and bullets are you using?

7.7 x 58 Jap full length 2 piece die set, brand spank'en new

15 out of how many?

... it was late and I was tired when I made the OP, It should have read half of the cartridges wound up too big.

 

[OldTex]

I'm not familiar with that cartridge but it sounds like either (1) the die itself is too large or not fully engaged (down far enough in the press), or (2) the expander ball is too large. Do you feel the expander doing any work as you bring the case out of the die? Can you pull the expander stem out and see how the neck size compares with one of your 'too large' cases? If the ball is too large, you can usually chuck it into a drill and hone it down very carefully with something like an Arkansas stone or some emory cloth.

 

[stx kid]

First thing I'd do is mic the bullets themselves....they COULD be undersized (rare). Problem being, the alternative issue is that your resizing die is cut wrong (too large), OR you may not be running the die fully down on the cartridge. That's the ONLY things that could be the problem. Check those two out, because that's all it can be.

I did mic the the bullets, and they are consistent.


Any thoughts on running them about half way through a crimping die to bring them down a little bit?

 

[stx kid]

I'm not familiar with that cartridge but it sounds like either (1) the die itself is too large or not fully engaged (down far enough in the press), or (2) the expander ball is too large. Do you feel the expander doing any work as you bring the case out of the die? Can you pull the expander stem out and see how the neck size compares with one of your 'too large' cases? If the ball is too large, you can usually chuck it into a drill and hone it down very carefully with something like an Arkansas stone or some emory cloth.

Its a smaller version of the 30;06 with a 303 brit bullet.


2. Yes, I had to put some extra effort into the press.

 

[macshooter]

What kind of brass are you using? I had a problem like that when I tried to reload some cheap aguila 10mm brass. The bullets would spin in the cases even after a solid crimp. Chucked that brass, never had that problem before or since. If it's old military brass or something could be poor quality.

 

[stx kid]

the brass I have is hornady 7.7 jap. it's all once fired.

 

[macshooter]

Never used Hornady so I dunno. Looked on Midway, all they got (out of stock) is Norma and it's a buck fifty a case. Ouch.

 

[stx kid]

the head stamp is marked "PPU" if that helps you any

 

[macshooter]

Thats Prvi Partizan. You got shit brass. Time to pony up for some good stuff if you can find it.


Headstamp codes

 

[stx kid]

well.. at least I know...

 

[macshooter]

Buy a few boxes of this stuff, and that should last you for a little while. Expensive but at least they have it in stock.

 

[stx kid]

so I did a little digging and I stumbled on an article that said I can take 8x57 brass and run it through my 7.7 dies to form a proper cartridge. Do yall have any experience with this?

 

[Paul5388]

Try one and see if it's any different than the PPU. My guess is, it won't be any different. You have a problem, but I don't think it's the brass, especially if you have some Hornady.

 

[M. Sage]

IIRC, Prvi brass runs hard. Probably why it won't size right.