Ripping necks from .303 HXP Brass while F/L resizing

[nfarmer]

I'm looking for help with a problem reloading some .303. Just been full length resizing some brass, once fired but not by me. I had four or five instances where the neck was ripped off the rest of the case. Checked the lubing and re-lubed a couple of times after the first two/three occurrences and was able to knock out the broken neck from the die but on the last occasion I have been unable to remove the neck.

I then purchased a new PaceSetter 3-Die Set in .303 British and a spare expander as the old expander seemed a little out of true.

The 303 mystery deepens!. I've received the new dies and I've got a Mica Case neck lubricator. I've just resized three cases lubed and with the mica inside the neck and the fourth has had the neck ripped off exactly as before. The broken bit hasent got stuck inside the die this time, thanks goodness! but I'm now a complete loss as to what to do. Beginning to think its a bad batch of brass.

I have attached a photograph of the ripped case and the neck stuck on the expander.



Previous to this I have used the original die set to prepare approx. 300 rounds of ammunition with no issues. The brass has the same headstamp.

I have also emailed Lee for help

Please help it’s very frustrating.

Norman

[WelshShooter]

Not used mica before, but I would be a bit hesitant to using that for full length sizing. Do you feel a lot of resistance when pushing the expander ball through the case neck (i.e. pulling the press handle downwards)? If you feel a lot of resistance, you may find that there is insufficient lubrication on the interior of the case neck. I would recommend using a different lubricant if that is the case.

No doubt you will get some comments on not using the expander ball at all.

[nfarmer]

Not used mica before, but I would be a bit hesitant to using that for full length sizing. Do you feel a lot of resistance when pushing the expander ball through the case neck (i.e. pulling the press handle downwards)? If you feel a lot of resistance, you may find that there is insufficient lubrication on the interior of the case neck. I would recommend using a different lubricant if that is the case.

No doubt you will get some comments on not using the expander ball at all.

Have done a couple of batches before without the Mica, and if fact the first reference to four or five instances was without the mica.

I reload regularly 5.56, 7.62x39 and have always F/L resized without Mica. Only just used Mica on the inside of the neck in this last batch because of the earlier issues. I prepare my own spray lube with pure lanolin dissolved in 99% alcohol and this has worked on both inside and outside the neck etc.

Mica was the different lubricant.

Thanks

[dromia]

Have you checked the cartridge length?

looks as though they may be a tad too long, Lee dies are very short in the neck section before the threading starts for the decapping pin and the case mouth looks as though it has been roll crimped by the die.

[dromia]

Also I notice that you are still using the neck expander, these are an abomination and are the work of the devil, they should be destroyed and replaced with a sub calibre decapping pin, these damned expanders are no doubt adding to your woes.

[nfarmer]

Cartridge length averages about 2.214/5 with occasional measurements about 2.226" doesn't seem out of the way to me, what do you think?

Sorry dont understand your comments regarding the expander, how do you resize the neck without the expander and whats the purpose of the sub calibre decapping pin. I'm newish to the reloading lark.

[WelshShooter]

If memory serves, the maximum case length for .303brit is 2.222" and the trim length is 2.202", so nothing out of the ordinary with your measurements (case length tends to increase after full length sizing, so don't forget to measure afterwards!).

Lee sell a collet die which only sizes the neck portion of the case, so you could use that. I don't understand really why there is an expander ball in the full length sizing die. During full length sizing, the expander ball is passed through the neck of the case while the die forms the brass to original specifications (i.e. smaller than fired). When you withdraw the case from the full length sizing die, the expander ball passes through the neck and "expands" it so you are adding unnecessary stress on the brass.

You could swap out the .303 decapping rod to a smaller one, like from a .308, and you should be fine. It seems backwards, but the .303 accepts a bullet of .311" diameter, whereas the .308 accepts a bullet of .300" diameter, therefore the .308 expander ball should be smaller in diameter than the .303. By swapping this out, you should not be expanding your neck necessarily.

[nfarmer]

The intention is only to F/L resize once as the brass is already fireformed as they were purchased 'once fired' and subsequently just to neck size after fireforming in my Lee Enfield

[WelshShooter]

The .303 is prone to case-head separation after multiple fire formings between full length sizing. You can use O-rings which you slide over the brass case down to the rim such the brass has uniform headspacing (because rim thickness plays a big part in this). A while ago Ovenpaa was talking about using O-rings for this purpose so they may be able to help you out further! Which reminds me, I was meant to ask them about this a long time ago for myself!

[dromia]

These expander abominations are supposed to expand the neck after the case has been resized, they do this by dragging them selves painfully and brutally through the sized neck thus lengthening the case length making trimming more often necessary, annealing more often necessary and shortening your case life and ruining your brass in the process.

First see if you case neck needs expanding for your bullet and if it does then use a parallel side expander plug like the Lyman M die of the correct size for your bullet, originally made for cast bullets they also work well for condom bullets, are gentler on your brass and allow you to get more consistent and appropriate neck tension.

Lee make a straight replacement decapping pin/rod available from good gunshops that you can replace your expander abominations or use a smaller calibre one but really that should be destroyed too.

Mica or any case neck lube is treating a symptom when you should be addressing the cause.