04-12-2021, 06:02 AM
I resized AA, once fired Hornady & Lapua 6.5 Grendel to 6mm ARC. I sized some in a Hornady die & some in a Wilson bushing type full-size die. With the cases sized in the Hornady die, I was able to trim all the cases with my RCBS trimming tools. With the cases sized in the Wilson bushing die, I was able to trim only the AA cases. The trimmer pilot wouldn't fit in the Hornady & Lapua cases. I had to re-run those cases through the Hornady die before I could trim them.
Apparently the bushing I had in the Wilson die sized the necks too small. I changed the bushing to a larger diameter & that fixed the problem there.
Observations about the process: All three brands of cases have different case neck thicknesses with Lapua the thickest, Hornady in the middle & AA cases the thinnest. Thusly, all three brands will probably have different case neck tensions when bullets are seated. Outside case neck diameters will certainly be different.
A bushing type die will mitigate the tension problem somewhat but there are still problems using different brands of brass. Case capacity being the number one difference. What are the chances identical components loaded in each case brand will give the same down-range results?
This all part of the fun of reloading... figuring out what works & what doesn't.
Apparently the bushing I had in the Wilson die sized the necks too small. I changed the bushing to a larger diameter & that fixed the problem there.
Observations about the process: All three brands of cases have different case neck thicknesses with Lapua the thickest, Hornady in the middle & AA cases the thinnest. Thusly, all three brands will probably have different case neck tensions when bullets are seated. Outside case neck diameters will certainly be different.
A bushing type die will mitigate the tension problem somewhat but there are still problems using different brands of brass. Case capacity being the number one difference. What are the chances identical components loaded in each case brand will give the same down-range results?
This all part of the fun of reloading... figuring out what works & what doesn't.
The trick is growing up without growing old. -- Casey Stengal