Author Topic: 308 reloading problem (Read 4504 times)

PHXCobra · « **on:** September 22, 2017, 12:21:54 am »

Have some 308 dies from Lee and went to decal some once fired LEO 308 brass. I've never reloaded 308 before and it's my first time using these dies. Tried decapping so I could clean them and this happened to both cases. Had to hammer it out with vice grips the first time. Got frustrated with the 2nd and left it in the case. Going to call Lee and see what the problem is.

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bignate88 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2017, 07:17:18 am »

Are you lubing your cases?
Do you mean once fired military brass? A lot of the 308 has been fired through a machine gun with a very loose chamber they can be a bit of a bugger to size.
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slugcatcher · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2017, 10:56:25 am »

The diameter of the decapping pin could be oversized. If it is you might be able to fix that with a drill and some 600 grit sandpaper. Is the pin itself removable or is the whole thing one solid piece?

PHXCobra · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2017, 12:01:38 pm »

It is from a friend who is a swat officer and it is once fired out of his bolt gun.

I think the pin is too large as it doesn't want to pull back through the top. I've never heard of lubing the inside of the cases to get the pin out. Have done probably a 1000 or so of other calibers so I am relatively new but not brand new.

bignate88 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2017, 12:51:12 pm »

Mixed brass are all of one type? What brand? Slugcatcher makes good point you could either have an oversized decapping pin or under-sized flash holes.

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PHXCobra · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2017, 01:43:04 pm »

I believe all one type but I will look when I get home. I think the pin is oversized. Am going to possibly buy some dies that aren't Lee dies and give them a try next time. It's gotta be way oversized if the pin doesn't even try to get out.

bignate88 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2017, 03:14:40 pm »

Definitely give Lee's customer service and try they're supposed to be pretty phenomenal

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RMc · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2017, 06:59:01 pm »

Quote from: PHXCobra on September 22, 2017, 12:21:54 am

Have some 308 dies from Lee and went to decal some once fired LEO 308 brass. I've never reloaded 308 before and it's my first time using these dies. Tried decapping so I could clean them and this happened to both cases. Had to hammer it out with vice grips the first time. Got frustrated with the 2nd and left it in the case. Going to call Lee and see what the problem is.

Decapping before cleaning is best performed with a Universal Decapping Die:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/136543/lee-universal-depriming-and-decapping-die

Cookie · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2017, 07:57:14 pm »

What RMc said. I've deprimed thousands of 7.62 Nato once-fired cases with those Lee Universal Decappers before cleaning. Never had an issue, except a few cases with a small rock inside - that'll snap the pin right quickly.

sqlbullet · « **Reply #9 on:** September 22, 2017, 10:46:09 pm »

I really hate the lee decapper stem collet system. I have this problem, though usually on the down stroke where it slips instead of punching out the primer. I use a couple of 16" crescent wrenches (yes, they are HUGE) to tighten the collet on the decapper and the issue goes away.

RMc · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2017, 01:56:24 am »

Quote from: RMc on September 22, 2017, 06:59:01 pm

Decapping before cleaning is best performed with a Universal Decapping Die:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/136543/lee-universal-depriming-and-decapping-die

Indeed, most reloading die manufacturers have a Universal Decapping Die in their product line:

https://www.midwayusa.com/reloading-decapping-dies/br?cid=19923

sparkyv · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2017, 07:27:40 pm »

PHXcobra, what is the headstamp on that brass? I ask because I had a similar issue with 308Win HP stamped (Hirtenberger) brass. Thus brass has small flash holes. I drilled out the flash holes to the same size as Win brass and that fixed my issue.

Ed

RMc · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2017, 01:46:36 am »

Trying to decap Berdan primed brass with dies designed to work with Boxer primed brass would, to borrow a bit of WWII slang, be a truly magnificent FUBAR!

RMc · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2017, 04:05:15 am »

Seriously though, there is still a lot of Berdan primed 7.62 x 51 surplus still out there; so checking brass for the tell-tale double flash hole should be part of the normal brass inspection process.

cpaspr · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2017, 11:38:42 am »

Quote from: RMc on October 04, 2017, 04:05:15 am

Seriously though, there is still a lot of Berdan primed 7.62 x 51 surplus still out there; so checking brass for the tell-tale double flash hole should be part of the normal brass inspection process.

i.e. shine a light into one or two of the ones you haven't done anything to yet, that have the same headstamp as the problem shells. Look for two small offset holes rather than a single centered flash hole.

But, yeah, it's not necessarily that the depriming pin is too big, but that the flash holes might be undersized.

RMc · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2017, 06:16:41 pm »

Quote from: sparkyv on October 03, 2017, 07:27:40 pm

PHXcobra, what is the headstamp on that brass? I ask because I had a similar issue with 308Win HP stamped (Hirtenberger) brass. Thus brass has small flash holes. I drilled out the flash holes to the same size as Win brass and that fixed my issue.

Ed

When you mentioned Hirtenberger brass, a quick search turned up a current source of Berdan primed 7.62x51.

http://www.luckygunner.com/308-146-gr-fmj-hirtenberger-960-rounds

PHXCobra · « **Reply #16 on:** October 06, 2017, 07:51:50 pm »

Sorry I've slacked getting back. The headstand says "f c" on top

sqlbullet · « **Reply #17 on:** October 07, 2017, 09:45:22 pm »

That would be Federal Cartridge. Not berdan primed.

PHXCobra · « **Reply #18 on:** October 09, 2017, 02:49:33 pm »

So went back after cleaning all of the brass and had absolutely zero issues whatsoever. No idea why a little dirt would effect it so much that I had to use a hammer to get then decapper out of the casing

. Loaded 100 rounds perfectly.

cpaspr · « **Reply #19 on:** October 09, 2017, 09:21:02 pm »

I know there are people who deprime first, then tumble, then size. I'm anal, but I'm not that anal. I tumble first, then size and deprime. Then retumble, to get the lube off (I'm lazy in addition to being anal). So, really, I guess I do the same thing, but in a different order.

sqlbullet · « **Reply #20 on:** October 10, 2017, 10:36:54 am »

Depends on the case for me. My precision cartridges, 300 Win Mag, 6.5 Grendel, 260 Remington all get deprimed, then tumbled. That way the primer pockets are clean.

Otherwise, they get tumbled, size-decap, etc to loaded.