Whats going on with my dies?

[Doe]

Guys just got my new (Lee-3 dies set) with factory crimp for my 308 win.  Had it set up on my single stage press and with the decapper, it crush the case mouth! and if i take out the decapper out it will form the case just fine with out crushing the case mouth down.  What going on? i've even tryed adjusting the decapper up and down but it will not push the primmer out and with the decapper in, the shell will not push through, it'll crush the case. I mic the neck expander it mic at .308 shouldn't it mic smaller? and yes i lube the case and the inside mouth with graphite, and yes i clean out the dies too just don't know what goin on??   HELP!!

[LaOtto222]

It is difficult to trouble shoot a problem like this with out being there to actually see what is going on and when. I have several Lee Deluxe three die sets with collet dies, no Factory crimp dies. I do not have a 3 die set with a factory crimp.  My guess is the expander ball shaft is too short. If you can not push a primer out and you are crushing the case mouth, you may have a stem for a shorter cartridge in the forming die....say a 7.62 X 39mm stem for example, since you can not reach the primer to push it out.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[geezerbiker]

Just a guess but it sounds like either the lock nut for the decapper is too long or the die was threaded too deep.  I would talk with the retailer that sold them to you since in either case the die is defective.

I have a similar set in .223 and other Lee dies but I've never had a problem with them...

Tony

[shot1]

You did not say which make cases you are using. If they are military your case necks may be too thick. Have you also trimmed your cases and chamfered them inside and out?

[huntswithdogs]

I'd first try resetting the dies. I've set them up wrong before and it looked right, just wouldn't work, until I went back and redid them.
If this doesn't work, you can either go back to wherever you got the dies, or you can get on the phone to Lee. You may have something that's been either packaged or labeled wrong.


HWD

[huntswithdogs]

Another thought just skipped through my head... When you pulled them apart to clean up, you didn't by chance get them out of order did ya? The crimp die would collapse the neck if there's not a bullet in the shell.

Just a random thought...

HWD

[Doe]

Well guys i think, i've figured it out.  I was trying to size and decapped and IMI head stamp military shell with the primmer being clamp and maybe even glued in?  In doing so i strip the tread in my sizer die and the decapper clamp    had to go to lee and order a new sizer body and new clamp it cost me $21.00 for my mistake!  Dangit!!..I figured it out by just sizeing my factory caseing and it went smoothly!  Does anyone have this problem with military caseing that has a crimp primmer and it may even have glue in it too?

[spinafish]

that's why I have a de-capping die!!

[necchi]

that's why I have a de-capping die!!

Ya that's what I did too, the Lee Universal De-Capper Die is cheap, (15-16$ ?) Now I don't hafta beat up my sizing dies

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

IMI - Israel Military Industries, Tel Aviv, Israel
  Over the years I have heard enough stories of grief from reloaders caused by foreign born military brass that I stay away from it.
Sorry for the bad experience but still glad you got it figured out and shared your story here.
 
 
Bill

[shot1]

I still have the old de-capping set up from the first Lee Hammer Job loading set in 30-06 I ever had. With military cases I use it to knock out the primers then use my RCBS primer pocket swedging tool to get rid of the crimp.

One other note to be aware of: Back off one full grain on a starting load and work up with military cases. They are much thicker than commerical and it takes less powder to get the same pressure and velocity out of them.

[LaOtto222]

I have a Universal decapping die I have set up in a cheap Lee press for decapping cases. For extremely difficult ones, I use a decapper from an old Lee manual set, the type that you whack with a hammer or mallet. I just drill a small hole (primer sized) in a hardwood block and place the case over the hole and put the rod down the case and hit it with a hammer; it'll come out

Good Luck and Good Shooting