I’m having trouble with a Redding die set for my Hornet 22k, the pin collect for pushing the old primer out is to big to fit in the neck of the case when I deprime and Size the case. I’ve tried a longer pin but the collect that secures the pin in place is to large to fit in the neck of the case and the case just gets crushed. Ideas?
Reloading trouble Hornet 22K
- Thread starter mnhunter2
- Start date
Welcome to tfl!
First, what brand of dies are you using?
IF the decapping stem is too large to enter the mouth of the fired case, it is the wrong one. Contact the die maker, for the right one.
I don't load for the K-Hornet, but I do for the regular Hornet, and it's a chore. Cases are almost paper thin at the mouth, and I've crushed more than a couple. One thing that helps is a very "generous" chamfer on the case mouth, and working slowly and carefully seating the bullets.
Get ahold of who ever made your dies and tell them what's going on, they should send you the right stuff, usually at no charge.
A "work around" is the Lee decapping set, a punch and base set with two different size punches, the smaller one does .22 cal the larger .30
This does not, however replace the expander "ball" on your die decapping stem. You need the right one.
(also, check your computer, auto-correct might be turning "collet" into "collect" mine turns "spitzer" into "spritzer" when I'm not looking...
)
First, what brand of dies are you using?
IF the decapping stem is too large to enter the mouth of the fired case, it is the wrong one. Contact the die maker, for the right one.
I don't load for the K-Hornet, but I do for the regular Hornet, and it's a chore. Cases are almost paper thin at the mouth, and I've crushed more than a couple. One thing that helps is a very "generous" chamfer on the case mouth, and working slowly and carefully seating the bullets.
Get ahold of who ever made your dies and tell them what's going on, they should send you the right stuff, usually at no charge.
A "work around" is the Lee decapping set, a punch and base set with two different size punches, the smaller one does .22 cal the larger .30
This does not, however replace the expander "ball" on your die decapping stem. You need the right one.
(also, check your computer, auto-correct might be turning "collet" into "collect" mine turns "spitzer" into "spritzer" when I'm not looking...
)ligonierbill
New member
I happen to have a Redding die set for 22 K Hornet. I have never had a problem with it, so I would start by measuring your expander and calling Redding with that info. As 44 AMP noted, it could simply be a manufacturing error.
Have you successfully sized cases with another die set? What rifle are you shooting? Get the dimensions of a fire-formed case and check them against the sketch in your reloading manual. Not all Kilbourne chambers are the same. I have two Savage 23Ds (some of us never learn) that have chambers different enough that I have to fire-form for the specific rifle. One is way tighter.
Now, this may not help at all, and it sounds strange. But when I size 25-20 cases (RCBS dies), I have to run the decapping pin/expander way down. If not, I crush cases. I think the clearance between the die body in the neck region and the expander is too tight. The expander is fine. And with the decap pin extending out like Pinochio's nose, I have no problems.
Good luck.
Have you successfully sized cases with another die set? What rifle are you shooting? Get the dimensions of a fire-formed case and check them against the sketch in your reloading manual. Not all Kilbourne chambers are the same. I have two Savage 23Ds (some of us never learn) that have chambers different enough that I have to fire-form for the specific rifle. One is way tighter.
Now, this may not help at all, and it sounds strange. But when I size 25-20 cases (RCBS dies), I have to run the decapping pin/expander way down. If not, I crush cases. I think the clearance between the die body in the neck region and the expander is too tight. The expander is fine. And with the decap pin extending out like Pinochio's nose, I have no problems.
Good luck.
This may be a problem, as these cases are short, for rifle rounds, and you cannot pull the expander through the brass unless it is below the neck sizing part of the die. You simply don't get this issue with 2"+ rifle cases, but with the shorter ones its possible the expander is entering the sized case neck at the bottom while the case mouth (and maybe some of the neck) is still in the tight sizing part of the die body.
Never seen it myself, but I can see where it might cause problems.
The pin should fit the flash hole from the head side. The Hornet could be .223 or .224 diameter. If the sizing bass has sharp corner or not well rounded it can be snagging the case neck opening. In that case I have found that when seating bullets in the K-Hornet flat base bullets tend to not want to enter the mouth. That is the only time I recall crushing the case at the mouth. I would get around the problem with the flat base bullets by gently and slowly wiggle the case to get alignment in the case mouth. It is a careful slow process but it gets easer with practice. You might be having the same problem with the neck sizing ball.