I need Info on a product

[jvs]

I was wondering if anyone here has any kind of feedback on a product that a guy makes down in Florida.  His company is called Innovative Technologies.

He produces a Case Sizing Die that is supposed to extend the life of Belted Magnum casings to over 20 reloads.

Since most sizing dies for belted mags don't completely size the whole casing, most casings only last 3 to 5 reloads before they start blowing out right above the Belt.

This companies testimonials indicate that their sizing dies substantially extend the life of the casing.

Does anyone here have experience with the sizing die for belted mags from Innovative Technologies? 

If the casings last up to 20 reloads, the $100 price tag for the sizing die may be worth the expense.

Any feedback about this product would be appreciated.

[beemanbeme]

I know nothing about the product but I'm not sure I agree with the 3 to 5 reload data.  That hasn't been my experience.  Nor have I ever had one blow out above the belt.  Any failures I've had have been "standard" failures or split necks and such. 

[jgalar]

I believe the American Rifleman (or whatever the NRA mag is called) had an article about it awhile back. I don't have any belted magnums so I read the article with little interest. As I recall the writer wasn't overly impressed.

[jvs]

I recently bought a 6.5 Rem mag, which is belted.

After talking to a few people who own belted magnums, they all pretty much said the same thing.  Right above the belt a faint line will start to appear after just the first shot.  Each reload mAKES that line more and more visible. 

What that line is, is a weakspot in the casing because a normal sizing die does not size all the way down to the belt.   Each time the casing is fired, more and more of a bulge is forced in the casing, until it gradually breaks.  I have seen those bulges in empty belted mag shells I looked at during gunshows.

Maybe 3 to 5 reloads is off, but my point is the product mentioned above is supposed to size all the way down to the belt and extend the life of the casing.

Whether any of this is true, I have no idea.  I am new to belted mags.

[vicar paul]

Hi jvs, can't honestly say the scenario you mention has happened to me with my belted magnums. Most folks who reload for belted magnums size the cases on the shoulder instead of using the belt to obtain correct head spacing for that particular rifle. That is the function of the belt, the round head spaces on it...in theory anyway. I have used Remington brass in my Weatherby Mk. V (7mm Weatherby) and found that I can easily get 8 loads out of a case before discarding them, this is only MY criteria. I can also honestly say that I never have had a problem you described above, but have seen other users that have. The secret isn't rocket science...because it says MAGNUM on a case, or rifle barrell it isn't a licence to overload. I do suspect that some magnum users push it to the limit...and as the song goes "Take it to the limit one more time" can be unhealthy, to say the least. Enjoy your 6.5 magnum, keep an eye open for those rings, and head space on the shoulder.  Good luck

VP

[skb2706]

After talking to a few people who own belted magnums, they all pretty much said the same thing.  Right above the belt a faint line will start to appear after just the first shot.  Each reload mAKES that line more and more visible. 

The 'few people' you mention don't know how to set up their size dies. If you load belted cases exactly the same way you should load any bottleneck case this problem is non-existent. I have many pieces of .300 Win brass that are on their 8-10th loads with no such line or problem.

If someone uses the belt to headspace off of then no doubt the IT product will be the eighth wonder of the world for them.

[beemanbeme]

Uhhhhh, Jvs, that line you're talking about is endemic to reloading in general not just belted cases.  If you resize a say 30-06 or a 22-250 or what have you, you will see the same ring.  It doesn't get bigger and bigger or thinner and thinner. It's just there after the first firing.
If your author has the slightest idea of what he is talking about, he is possibly referring to case head seperation from improperly resizing you cases and creating excess head space.  Which won't happen if you head space your belted case on the shoulders and ignore the belt.

[victorcharlie]

Or.....just neck size and the cases last and last.......