I screwed up... advice?

[Xinarin13]

So I know I messed up... I set the seating die to a Hornady casing last night and then tried to load with a federal casing this afternoon... the measurements are slightly different with the shoulder maybe? That or I just screwed up the setup last night and didn't notice until I had loaded 8 bullets.

In my defence I was more focused on oal measurements than what the neck was doing at the time. I stopped and did the die setup over again with the federal casings and voila!

My big question that I need advice on (and think I know the answer to...) is are these safe to fire if they chamber?

If they aren't safe (which I'm assuming they arent), I'll pull the bullet and everything, but then the question becomes are the casings reusable or trash. (I'm assuming they are trash) I have an rcbs small base sizer die, but I don't know if it will be able to fix that lol. (Probably not)

Please let me know what I should and shouldn't do, thanks!

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[tansinator]

Pull them apart and trash the brass.

 

[Rebelirons]

I kinda agree with the other guy. Fixing may be more work or risk then what the brass is worth but I'm sure someone may have a better answer. I've done that before ( wasn't paying attention) and I just pulled the pills and powder & tossed the brass

 

[Blowby]

Not safe and should not even chamber. It's not worth the effort to try and save the cases. BTW It looks like something other than a different case manufacturer.

 

[Xinarin13]

Pull them apart and trash the brass.

I was about to do just that and thought, well maybe I should check first.

I kinda agree with the other guy. Fixing may be more work or risk then what the brass is worth but I'm sure someone may have a better answer. I've done that before ( wasn't paying attention) and I just pulled the pills and powder & tossed the brass

I'll just toss the brass... there is always more

Not safe and should not even chamber. It's not worth the effort to try and save the cases. BTW It looks like something other than a different case manufacturer.

Yeah, I was setting the die up at 3:30 AM... not a bright idea, I probably just screwed it up lol.

At least I had the good sense not to try and actually load that late.





Thanks guys!

 

[Kyskeet]

I'm a little confused, was this fired brass or virgin brass? Was the hornady and federal brass fired in the same gun? What dies were used? Did you notice increased resistance when seating the bullet? What ended up being the difference in the setup to not collapse the shoulder, raise the die? Please understand I'm not being critical, just want to learn. I've only ever used Hornady brass for 6.5 Creedmoor but have just started to work up a load for my new Lapua brass. So far I have not changed the seating die.

 

[Sendit6.5]

I'd throw them directly in the trash. Weirdest thing I've seen. Looks as though the necks were so narrow that the bullet couldn't slip any further. Not sure how that happens even with a change of brass manufacturer, assuming the brass is all the same caliber and has been sized. Do you use very different neck tensions for the two different brass types? Maybe someone will come along with an explanation.

Loading at 3:30am - maybe not a great idea. Lol!


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[wpierce]

I'm brand new to reloading. Is this something I should be worried about when using mixed 308 brass? I have a mix of LC, WCC, and REM range brass that I was getting ready to process and load.

 

[roggom]

I'm brand new to reloading. Is this something I should be worried about when using mixed 308 brass? I have a mix of LC, WCC, and REM range brass that I was getting ready to process and load.

No, This is something that reloaders will do once or twice or more. In short, the seating die was not set correctly. It can happen from the start (not setting it correctly) or sometimes the lock ring gets loose and you change the position of the die while installing or removing the die from the press.

Most die can add a slight crimp to the round as it is seated. If you look at the cutaway the case will go into the die to a point that the die touches the mouth and adds a crimp. The bullet is actually seated by the stem, so if the stem is too high and you start moving the die down, you get to a point where the die is contacting the case and what OP experienced.

BTW: Crimping is not necessary and most times inconsistent.


Lessons learned

Never reload when you are tired
ensure your lock ring is secure

if you can afford, get a competition seating die, it makes life muuuuuch easier. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.jamescalhoon.com\/images\/reload_die.jpg"}[/IMG2]

 

[wpierce]

No, This is something that reloaders will do once or twice or more. In short, the seating die was not set correctly. It can happen from the start (not setting it correctly) or sometimes the lock ring gets loose and you change the position of the die while installing or removing the die from the press.

Most die can add a slight crimp to the round as it is seated. If you look at the cutaway the case will go into the die to a point that the die touches the mouth and adds a crimp. The bullet is actually seated by the stem, so if the stem is too high and you start moving the die down, you get to a point where the die is contacting the case and what OP experienced.

BTW: Crimping is not necessary and most times inconsistent.


Lessons learned

Never reload when you are tired
ensure your lock ring is secure

if you can afford, get a competition seating die, it makes life muuuuuch easier.

This is an excellent, clear explanation. Thank you.

 

[Xinarin13]

I'm a little confused, was this fired brass or virgin brass?

It was fired brass, and I'm pretty sure I just set the crimp too low... in any case, I am new to reloading, so I have much to learn and little to tell so far lol

I'd throw them directly in the trash. Weirdest thing I've seen.

Loading at 3:30am - maybe not a great idea. Lol!


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I did just that... but I saved the powder lol.

Also, I wasn't really loading at 3 am... I got the press that evening and was just setting it up... took longer than it should have lol. It's not that much better lol... I saved the actual loading for the AM.

I'm brand new to reloading. Is this something I should be worried about when using mixed 308 brass? I have a mix of LC, WCC, and REM range brass that I was getting ready to process and load.

No, This is something that reloaders will do once or twice or more. In short, the seating die was not set correctly. It can happen from the start (not setting it correctly) or sometimes the lock ring gets loose and you change the position of the die while installing or removing the die from the press.

Most die can add a slight crimp to the round as it is seated. If you look at the cutaway the case will go into the die to a point that the die touches the mouth and adds a crimp. The bullet is actually seated by the stem, so if the stem is too high and you start moving the die down, you get to a point where the die is contacting the case and what OP experienced.

BTW: Crimping is not necessary and most times inconsistent.


Lessons learned

Never reload when you are tired
ensure your lock ring is secure

if you can afford, get a competition seating die, it makes life muuuuuch easier. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.jamescalhoon.com\/images\/reload_die.jpg"}[/IMG2]

Yup. Lock ring was secure and I have lock and load bushings, so it was definitely me just messing everything up when I set the crimp lol.

Also, I intend on buying a die with a micrometer... I was going to buy the redding micrometer, but found out that it isn't compatible with the RCBS thread size


Thanks again guys!

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[cornhusker]

looks to me like you didn't champher the case mouth..Did you?

 

[digrazir]

The brass is trash....I personally don't crimp, even for a semi-auto. If you do crimp make sure you seat in one operation and crimp after, using the same seating/crimping did. Re-read the instructions on your die and you will see what I mean. Ray

 

[Xinarin13]

looks to me like you didn't champher the case mouth..Did you?

Yup, And deburrrd

The brass is trash....I personally don't crimp, even for a semi-auto. If you do crimp make sure you seat in one operation and crimp after, using the same seating/crimping did. Re-read the instructions on your die and you will see what I mean. Ray

That's what I wound up doing... I'm still not sure exactly HOW I messed it up... but I figured out what was wrong lol.

I had the die body set too low.

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[MtnCreek]

"Also, I wasn't really loading at 3 am... I got the press that evening and was just setting it up... took longer than it should have lol. It's not that much better lol... I saved the actual loading for the AM."

IMHO, it's a good practice to assume gremlins change all your press, scale and measure setting while you sleep. Confirm everything before starting to load.

 

[Tnc]

Did the exact same thing when I first started reloading. I kept one piece of the brass and display it on the top shelf of my bench to remind me to always double check. Haven't done it since.


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[Xinarin13]

"Also, I wasn't really loading at 3 am... I got the press that evening and was just setting it up... took longer than it should have lol. It's not that much better lol... I saved the actual loading for the AM."

IMHO, it's a good practice to assume gremlins change all your press, scale and measure setting while you sleep. Confirm everything before starting to load.

That was probably it!

Did the exact same thing when I first started reloading. I kept one piece of the brass and display it on the top shelf of my bench to remind me to always double check. Haven't done it since.


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Not a bad idea.

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