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Reloading 303 with crimp
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Mayhem View Drop Down
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Points: 335 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mayhem Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 16 2024 at 8:05pm
I was lazy and didn't go back and read what cases her was using.
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As previously mentioned, it not just hxp cases...
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Points: 108 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowindown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 16 2024 at 8:20pm
I’m pretty sure that either a 308 expander or taking a little material off of the one in it will remedy the problem. 
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I ran a small test and removed everything from inside both my full length and neck sizing dies made by RCBS so that they resemble my Lee Loader "Whack-A-Mole." I ran 20 fired cases through each die. 20 cases per die. I then ran 20 cases through the Whack-A-Mole. I put all 60 cases in a pillowcase and gave it a good shake to jumble everything around and then I reached in and one-by-one, seated those cases with a .310" Lapua 200grn FMJ-BT right to the cannelure. That is only 0.1405" of  case to projectile surface contact. Every projectile stayed in place and did not need to be crimped.


 
Something is not correct with your reloading setup and even though using a 30 caliber expander ball should rectify your current issue, it still doesn't fix the root of the problem. In essence, you are putting a small band-aid on a wound that needs stitches. Double check and make certain the die you are using is not misaligned somehow or, you might consider purchasing a new 2 Die set from RCBS and set it up according to the instructions...
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Originally posted by Mayhem Mayhem wrote:

If they were cordite loaded cases originally the necks will never have been annealed, as the cordite was loaded into the case before the neck was formed. 


I’ve not come across any Boxer primed Mk VII cordite loads. Not that they don’t exist, I’ve just not seen them. 
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Goosic, 

I think that you are exactly right - that there is something wrong with the Lee full length sizing die. I was actually looking at other brands on line last night. 
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britrifles View Drop Down
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Can you feel the neck expander dragging on the case neck as you withdraw the case from the die? 

I would pull out the expander/decapping rod and size a case. Measure the neck ID. It should be about .303 - .305. If it’s larger than .308- .309 it’s not going to give sufficient grip on the bullet and the expander is not doing anything. 

Pin gages are the best way to measure this, but you can get fairly close with calipers. 
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My recollection is that I canfeel it. Because of the way it gets loose on cannelured bullets, it as if only the top of the neck is small enough. I will try what you suggest the next time I full length size some cases. I have a good stock built up that I am only neck sizing now. 

I just reloaded the last 20 that I had full length sized. These are the ones I used the neck sizing die on after full length sizing and they secure the bullet as they should. 
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Points: 8842 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 17 2024 at 8:52am
I recommend purchasing a different brand of Full Length Resizing Die. 

I purposely messed up the neck and mouth on one of my once fired Hornady cases. I have a .310" neck expander and I adjusted it to unnecessarily flare out the mouth of the case. I then full length resized it using my RCBS XL14 resizing die that has a .310" expander ball. I took a .311" 174grn FMJ-BT and seated it just to the bottom of the cannelure. The neck tension is as it should be. The main focus here is the inside diameter of the case neck @ .310". The .311" diameter projectile when seated, has enough neck tension placed on it to firmly hold the projectile in place, even after the case was 
purposely mistreated.








It is of my personal opinion that your Lee full length resizing die was machined out of specification...
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slowindown View Drop Down
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I agree. That makes sense to me.
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Originally posted by britrifles britrifles wrote:

I’ve not come across any Boxer primed Mk VII cordite loads. Not that they don’t exist, I’ve just not seen them. 

Here a number of people break down surplus ammunition, replace the cordite with powder and reload with the projectile of their choosing.  As such, my comment was more about the lack of neck annealing during the manufacturing stage if the case was originally loaded with cordite.  Apologies for any confusion.
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I edited a little to make the images clearer.
I hope no-one minds I didn't change anything significant.
Big smile
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Originally posted by Mayhem Mayhem wrote:

Originally posted by britrifles britrifles wrote:

I’ve not come across any Boxer primed Mk VII cordite loads. Not that they don’t exist, I’ve just not seen them. 

Here a number of people break down surplus ammunition, replace the cordite with powder and reload with the projectile of their choosing.  As such, my comment was more about the lack of neck annealing during the manufacturing stage if the case was originally loaded with cordite.  Apologies for any confusion.

My experience has been that cordite has a long shelf life and remains reliable, but some of the old Berdan primers don’t, especially if exposed to hot weather.  Ammo that is pre-WWII have primers that just fizzle, creating a hang fire. Cordite loaded .303 is getting on in years…

Perhaps some are worried about the throat erosion effects  of cordite, so they are replacing it with NC powder. Unless you’re shooting a few hundreds of rounds of Cordite loaded ammo, I wouldn’t worry about it. Cordite loads probably cut barrel life in half, perhaps a bit more.  Somewhere there is a British MOD report of .303 barrel life when using cordite and NC powder exclusively, and what happens when mixing these. It also compares flat base to boattail bullets. Shamu may know what I’m referring to. Would like to find this document again…
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I made a small batch of 50 rounds using the 200grn  D166 (7.87mm/.310) FMJ-Rebated BT projectiles also using my Lee Loader "Whack-A-Mole."
 To those who may not be aware, there are no, "internal" parts to the neck forming area of the tool, just an open hole.

I did not anneal any of the brass. 

The inside diameter of the case neck measure right at .310" after resizing. Ironically, the chosen projectiles have an outside diameter of,  .310".
After priming the cases and charging each case with my chosen smokeless propellant, I seated each bullet accordingly. Every bullet has sufficient "projectile-to-case" tension without the use of a crimp.

Based off of my tests using different reloading dies from other manufacturers and one antiquated hand held reloading tool as well as testimonials from two individuals, I can only surmise that there is something inherently wrong with the Lee Full Length Resizing Die...
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Points: 20510 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 19 2024 at 3:02pm
Are you thinking of the "long range" Mk8Z ammo?
"Only for Machine Guns"!
There's was a prohibition of using it in rifles because it was causing "more wear"?
It was rumored to be "Overly Hot NC loads" to get the longer range, but that wasn't the problem. The odd rebated base boat tail MkVIII bullets was.
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I might be mixing up two different stories.  Might have been the Armourer that posted the text from a MOD report on the subject. It was the results of a trial using Mk 7 and 7z ammo regarding barrel life. 

The other story I’m remembering was in the Mil Surp forum I think, that was about reloads for barrels that had a lot of cordite shot thru it. The experience was the throat erosion was so severe that these barrels quickly deteriorate such that they could not stabilize a boat tail bullet even though they continued to shoot flat based bullets well…

Sorry if this is confusing….
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