what brand die would size the least

B

bobn

New member
have a commercial, not military 7x57 rifle. its chamber is on the generous side. i would like to full length resize but maybe not as much as one with a tight chamber.
...any one have any experience with one brand versus another? thanks gents...
 
Die brand is not relevant: they are SAAMI spec

What you should do is fire ammo in your rifle, save the brass and reload it, after Neck Sizing (only). That brass is now fireformed to your chamber. No need to FL size again until the bolt wont close. Then repeat.
You can also try adjusting your die out little by little.
 
so is my chamber, but specs vary from min to max in ammo, chambers and dies, different manufacturers lean different ways....
 
Assuming you mean headspace dimension (is generous), is there any
reason not to simply adjust the die to resize/match those dimensions?
 
thanks, good idea. there does seem to be a slight bulge just past the web. not sure how much is normal. (ruger 77 mkII in a obsolete caliber for them). mid load....thanks again
 
are we talking loose front to back, or side to side.

If its front to back, you should be able to adjust your die to not fully size to fit your chamber better. Something like the Hornady Headspace Comparator Gauge would probably be helpful in measuring your fired brass, and adjusting your dies to just push the shoulder back 0.003 or so. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012743827?pid=479704



If you are loose side to side Hornady will make full custom dies to your specs, although I am not sure of the wait time. They are not cheap, but you can currently get just a sizing die for $165-$187 depending on the length of the casing. but if you want an exact fit for your chamber.....

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/dies/custom-dies#!/
 
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In the meanwhile, folks report the inexpensive Lee dies tending more toward the generous end, but die tolerances are typically a 0.002" spread (RCBS says that is their tolerance), so there is no guarantee you would get a generous one if you bought a Lee. Redding makes custom dies, so you might want a price from them, as well, though I doubt it will be lower than Hornady.
 
I don't know if they still do it, but for a long time RCBS would make you a custom die if you sent them 3 fired cases.

If that service is still available, you might pursue that, but open your wallet. Custom dies cost a bunch. No idea current prices, but RCBS custom dies were $100 back when the standard die set was less than $40.
 
i appreciate all of your insights. reloading isnt a cheap hobby so it is what it is...
The rifle is a 77mk II in 7x57 with a generous chamber although not nears as bad as the vintage military 95s.
...looking to make the brass last by loading starting loads and not overworking them....thank again, bobn
 
My experience has been that Lee works the brass the least. RCBS seems to be the most.

I agree with the previous poster that recommended just neck sizing. I have been doing that for years and have had brass life beyond what some have said is normal.
 
If you don't shoot warm loads, try partial length resizing. Raise the sizing die so that it doesn't resize back the bulge near the web.

I have one 6.5 arisaka that has the same problem. Eventually I found an old herter sizing die that is on the large side.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
I have RCBS, Lyman, Redding, and Lee. Think SAAMI - that's what they size to in a cartridge. On most of my rifle cartridges, I put a penny between the die and ram to set it. Don't work the necks that way.
 
The least sizing? A Lee FCD with crimp guts removed. Best is if you can chamber a fired case so you only have to size where the bullet is seated.
 
thanks for the replies.
.... i did try using a older rcbs 8 mauser die with out the stem. it just barely sized the body. then a shortened 284 die on the neck. so it seems i got what i wanted by using my thinking cap. lol, thanks again gents. bobn
 
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