Dud Hornady Die?

wondering if anyone can help with this, i went to use a brand new set of hornady 6.5x55 dies and the full length body die was so tight that i had to use some serious force to size the case and then on removal i had to bang down the handle with a lot more force

that was on a hornady case so then tried a norma case and had the same issue, except this time the removal of the die ended up bending the decapping pin on the way out. in both cases there was some damage to the neck of the case

the force is required at the last stage of the press, which i think is the shoulder/body sizing stage. has anyone seen this before or could they suggest what the issue might be? i haven't tried the seating die that came with it but assuming that is ok.

i doubt it is a case lube issue, my dies for other calibres work like they should with the same lube application

and do i toss it out?

Attachment 77662

Can you take it back to the seller (retailer) under warranty? That would be my first suggestion.

Yes, had same issue with 270wsm full length die, ended up definitely being the die, can't remember if it was an RCBS die or hornady but got a new RCBS one anyhow and works fine

Year it happens just had the same sort of issues with a lee quick trim die:(

Have you followed their instructions and cleaned with a solvent before use to remove the protective internal coating.

Have had the same issues with 3x Hornady FL dies. I'm not sure if the make them to really squeeze the brass back down excessively or what, but I hate them, it feels like I'm gonna rip my press off the bench. Just horrid compared to Lee, Redding and RCBS that I've used.

i will do as i get a fair bit of kit off the retailer, but i've goes and ordered a set of reddings from someone else as hear they are better quality

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Originally Posted by timattalon

Can you take it back to the seller (retailer) under warranty? That would be my first suggestion.

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interesting, the other 3 sets i have are firm and need a bit of leverage but nothing like this one. did yours sustain any damage?

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Originally Posted by Beavis

Have had the same issues with 3x Hornady FL dies. I'm not sure if the make them to really squeeze the brass back down excessively or what, but I hate them, it feels like I'm gonna rip my press off the bench. Just horrid compared to Lee, Redding and RCBS that I've used.

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my hornady does the same. Scared the press is going to come off the bench. I use a heap of lube now.

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Originally Posted by LOC

interesting, the other 3 sets i have are firm and need a bit of leverage but nothing like this one. did yours sustain any damage?

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No damage. But there has been a few times I have been worried I am going to rip the case head off trying to get expander ball back through the neck. I took the expander ball out and found that it excessively resizes the neck. Seating a projectile in such a case was difficult and the projectile bulged the neck out. I think they size way to aggressively and the expander has to do alot of work to open the neck back up. With my redding dies I just screw the expander button off and run the case through without it with great results.

I had a .308 one which sized ok without excessive pressure but projectiles fell out. Finally I micked the expander button .311! Took it back we measured the 5 sets they had in stock and I ended up with a Lee set and some change.

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Originally Posted by LOC

wondering if anyone can help with this, i went to use a brand new set of hornady 6.5x55 dies and the full length body die was so tight that i had to use some serious force to size the case and then on removal i had to bang down the handle with a lot more force

that was on a hornady case so then tried a norma case and had the same issue, except this time the removal of the die ended up bending the decapping pin on the way out. in both cases there was some damage to the neck of the case

the force is required at the last stage of the press, which i think is the shoulder/body sizing stage. has anyone seen this before or could they suggest what the issue might be? i haven't tried the seating die that came with it but assuming that is ok.

i doubt it is a case lube issue, my dies for other calibres work like they should with the same lube application

and do i toss it out?

Attachment 77662

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Silly question but the die is set correctly, the decapping pin base is not hitting the web before the end of the stroke or something?

yeah not that I could tell, i had it backed quite a long way out. same setup as the rest of the dies i use although i'm pretty inexperienced at knowing what goes on in there

Polish the F$%k out of the expander both my Hornady dies had expander balls that were more grippy than slippery

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Originally Posted by mikee

Polish the F$%k out of the expander both my Hornady dies had expander balls that were more grippy than slippery

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ok can try that. is it possible to straighten the pin or replace it?

I bought a hornady set for my 6.5x55 exact same thing .... the set said 6.5x55 scan instead of Swede they assured me they are the same I googled it and there are slight differences in the case bought a lee for a Swede and had no problems

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Originally Posted by LOC

ok can try that. is it possible to straighten the pin or replace it?

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I brought a complete new decapping assembly ............... and a spare just in case!!

So was the decapping pin wound too far out? I can’t figure how it got bent

Sell and get a redding

interesting thread.....the newer .308 set we have can be a bitch with some cases but my old .270 set is way easier by comparison....

I've polished the expander on my .308 die and it definitely runs easier. My Lee .223 die and an old RCBS .270 die are the smoothest FL dies I have used. My Redding FL die is actually terrible as well if I use the expander, but like I said earlier, I just leave it off and run the neck tension the die gives, and it makes real decent ammo. Probably gives less runout on the neck, but I don't have the tools to check.

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Originally Posted by scotty

I bought a hornady set for my 6.5x55 exact same thing .... the set said 6.5x55 scan instead of Swede they assured me they are the same I googled it and there are slight differences in the case bought a lee for a Swede and had no problems

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interesting... thanks Scotty. may make this a straight forward explanation

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2374eb582e.jpg

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Originally Posted by longrange308

Sell and get a redding

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reddings already on order!

cheers

Best thing to do is throw away the expander ball and buy a Lyman M die I have one for each calibre never have problems with expanding cases or bullet seating and there is less case neck stretching
so less trimming.

you have bottomed out the depriming pin, look how far down its set.
when you repair/replace the pin run it up the die about 5 or 6 turns higher so it just pops the primer at the top of the stroke and you will be fine.
greg

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Originally Posted by greghud

you have bottomed out the depriming pin, look how far down its set.
when you repair/replace the pin run it up the die about 5 or 6 turns higher so it just pops the primer at the top of the stroke and you will be fine.
greg

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cheers mate, it might look a bit deeper than it was set up as it pulled the spindle right out of the die and i just put it back in as far as i could and cranked up the bolt tighter to yank it out. you could still be correct however it is not in its original position

unfortunately doesn’t exactly explain the amount of force required to size it

can’t find anything suggesting the 6.5x55 SCAN should be any issue to use for Swede except perhaps a slightly longer neck? even this is vague

Attachment 77766Attachment 77767
If these are right then the Swede is slightly shorter with a fatter neck and less of a taper and slightly different angle at the shoulder. Will this make a difference ? Guess it depends on the tolerances of the die and the actual size of your fired brass? I just found it easier to buy a set that said 6.5x55 se

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Originally Posted by scotty

Attachment 77766Attachment 77767
If these are right then the Swede is slightly shorter with a fatter neck and less of a taper and slightly different angle at the shoulder. Will this make a difference ? Guess it depends on the tolerances of the die and the actual size of your fired brass? I just found it easier to buy a set that said 6.5x55 se

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thanks scotty. i thinks it probably explains my issue fairly well

Hey @LOC I have a few sets of hornady and encountered your problem. Best way to avoid it is to strip the die when you get them and then clean them before reassembling them with a bit of case live on them. I have never had dramas sizing 6.5 Swede in my hdy scan dies.
Best of luck

cheers mate. will do that

if, at the top of the stroke you are trying to drive the expander ball thru the bottom of the case, it will require a lot of force.
i use that exact set on 2 long range target rifles, myself and my daughter have shot in competition out to beyond 1100 yards. with ammo madeusing that dieset, chambered in 6.5x55.
if they were no good, i recon i would have worked it out by now.

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Originally Posted by greghud

if, at the top of the stroke you are trying to drive the expander ball thru the bottom of the case, it will require a lot of force.
i use that exact set on 2 long range target rifles, myself and my daughter have shot in competition out to beyond 1100 yards. with ammo madeusing that dieset, chambered in 6.5x55.
if they were no good, i recon i would have worked it out by now.

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ok. interesting it pulled the spindle out then, not pushed it up and hasn’t been set any deeper than other dies i use. may it is just a dud. out it goes...

when it bent sideways the pin poking thru the flash hole would have acted like a hook and then pulled the spindle out.

Why would the pin bend like that? Only reason I can come up with is thet it was initally not aligned with the flash hole and bore down on the web. I have found that with dies with a double locknut on the spindle unless both are nipped up tight can easily be pushed off center.

if the spindle and depriming pin were misaligned, the pin would have hit the web and broke off, it is hardened steel.
if the spindle were aligned corectly, but protruding to far, the pin would have pushed out the old primer. then, as the brass is rammed further into the die the expander ball would have contacted the web. having nowhere to go, the spindle would have to either bend or push thru the web of the case. it will bend at the weakest point, that being where the spindle tapers down to the thin section where the expander ball is threaded on.
you will find the expander ball and depriming pin will be fine but the spindle will be bent at the top of the tapered section a new spindle will fix the problem. then set the depriming pin to protrude just far enough to push out the primer at the top of the stroke.
greg

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Originally Posted by LOC

ok. interesting it pulled the spindle out then, not pushed it up and hasn’t been set any deeper than other dies i use. may it is just a dud. out it goes...

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if you are going to throw it out, i will have it. happy to pay post. let me know

pm me your address and i’ll send it on down.