Thread: Reloading issues: stuck decaping pin, stiff pull when resizing

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Firstly set up your die height to suit your chamber, not by a wind it down to the shell holder stab in the dark.

Do this by starting well above the case holder and use a case that is tight to chamber on the shoulder and needs the shoulder bumping back.

Use a good lube sparingly.

Imperial sizing wax/ lee sizing wax is a good one.

Size the case and try to chamber, in a large chambered rifle this will actually get worse before it gets better which makes it easy to feel when you are actually bumping the shoulder.
The reason it it gets worse is you start squeezing the body in but the shoulder of the die hasnt contacted the shoulder of the case so the shoulder is pushed forward minutely for a start, wind down the die a 16th of a turn at a time resizing the same case untill you get the case to chamber with light downward pressure on the bolt, you now have zero "headspace" another 16th of a turn should see the bolt handle close without resistance.

Any more sizing than that is risking excessive headspace and while this is not really an issue for one firing of factory brass(unless wildly out of spec) as the brass will stretch just fine but as reloaders we need our brass to last multiple firings and lengthwise stretching must be contained to an absolute minimum or case head separation may be the result.

As for your decapping rod sticking in the flash hole I have not experienced that before....Is it set just low enough to eject the primer?

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