my full length 17AH die when set to size only the neck still sizes the body of the case. so i need a neck die, but no one stocks a 17AH neck die. i figured after checking the dimensions of a 17 HH compared to a 17AH, that i could use the 17HH neck die.
the 17HH neck die showed up today, after marking the neck, shoulder and top of the body of the fired 17 AH brass, i ran one into the die, turning the die in just until the ink on the shoulder/ body joint got a small mark, then backed the die out just enough. it was sizing about 85% of the neck.
i was home free, finally i could load some more 17 AH! after about 100 cases through the die, i noticed as i went to toss one in the sized bin that the neck was crooked! i rolled it on the table and sure enough, the neck was not parallel to the case axis! i put the brass in the gun and with some effort closed the bolt, the extracted brass had a shiny spot on one side near the case mouth. i tried the die in another press just to make sure that it was not my 30 year old lee 'O' press, but the brass came out the same when the die was in the rcbs press.
i think if i run the die down to the point where the shoulder just comes into contact with the die, that the neck should be straight. but, i do not want to alter the body of the case and after bending the neck over and then straightening it out would seem to work the brass in a bad way.
some of the cases are better than others, but some are really bad. i cannot believe that a round loaded with a crooked neck is worth shooting.
So, anyone need an RCBS 17HH neck die?
needless to say, i am not too happy. by the time i can get a proper neck die the ground squirrel season will be done. so it is back to full length sizing or no 17 AH shooting!
the 17HH neck die showed up today, after marking the neck, shoulder and top of the body of the fired 17 AH brass, i ran one into the die, turning the die in just until the ink on the shoulder/ body joint got a small mark, then backed the die out just enough. it was sizing about 85% of the neck.
i was home free, finally i could load some more 17 AH! after about 100 cases through the die, i noticed as i went to toss one in the sized bin that the neck was crooked! i rolled it on the table and sure enough, the neck was not parallel to the case axis! i put the brass in the gun and with some effort closed the bolt, the extracted brass had a shiny spot on one side near the case mouth. i tried the die in another press just to make sure that it was not my 30 year old lee 'O' press, but the brass came out the same when the die was in the rcbs press.
i think if i run the die down to the point where the shoulder just comes into contact with the die, that the neck should be straight. but, i do not want to alter the body of the case and after bending the neck over and then straightening it out would seem to work the brass in a bad way.
some of the cases are better than others, but some are really bad. i cannot believe that a round loaded with a crooked neck is worth shooting.
So, anyone need an RCBS 17HH neck die?
needless to say, i am not too happy. by the time i can get a proper neck die the ground squirrel season will be done. so it is back to full length sizing or no 17 AH shooting!