Tightest .50 AE sizing die?

[Desolo]

Ive discovered something that is bothersome.... my Lee .50 AE resizer doesnt seem to leave my Hornady brass with any real case neck tension, and while it does better with other varieties, it doesnt seem to be doing well on others.

So I figured Im going to need to piece meal a "proper" setup to get a better result.

So, which company makes the tighest resizing rig for .50 AE?

 

[Catfish]

New brass? Old brass? does it need annealed?

 

[Desolo]

It was all "once fired" ( I assume majority was range brass being sold), so I dont really know it it needs annealing.

I do know, no matter what tests ive done, the Hornady brass does not want to hold onto projectiles. The other head stamps do have much better success rates.

Ive not had any factory ammo to examine so I have no frame of reference there.

 

[Toprudder]

It was all "once fired" ( I assume majority was range brass being sold), so I dont really know it it needs annealing.

I do know, no matter what tests ive done, the Hornady brass does not want to hold onto projectiles. The other head stamps do have much better success rates.

Ive not had any factory ammo to examine so I have no frame of reference there.

I've had a similar problem with PPU 10mm brass.

Is the expander actually contacting the inside of the case? You might be able to sand down the expander to reduce the inside diameter of the case a little, that may help with neck tension. If the expander is not contacting the inside of the case, then you will need a sizing die that will size the bras down a little smaller. You might contact Lee to see about about getting an undersize sizing die.

 

[georgel]

Some brass is thinner than others. Are you checking tension right after the sizing die or after the expander die? Is there enough tension right after the sizing die?

 

[Desolo]

Let me put it this way, I tried sizing it, and not even running it through the flaring process and the Hornady cases could have projos pushed all the way into the cases by finger pressure alone.

 

[georgel]

You need bigger projectiles. 😁

Actually, have you measured the projectiles?

 

[Desolo]

You need bigger projectiles. 😁

Actually, have you measured the projectiles?

I probably should just measure all of them, but have tried 4 different ones ( as in 4 types and brands) and gotten the same results... the few I did measure ( Hornady) were either .500 or .4995 but im not confident in my calipers at the moment to be honest.... but then again.

 

[Catfish]

odd...

measure and compare a few things?

1) OD of a hornady case before sizing
2) OD of a hornady case after sizing
3) OD of "other" good brand of case that works, before sizing
4) OD of "other" after sizing
5) wall thickness at the mouth of hornady and "other"
6) bullet diameter

I'm curious if the hornady cases are thin brass or springing back after sizing? Are your bullets undersized?

BTW Google says you're not the first to have this issue in 50AE. I ran into it with 32 ACP. My solution was to switch brands of bullets.

 

[Desolo]

odd...

measure and compare a few things?

1) OD of a hornady case before sizing
2) OD of a hornady case after sizing
3) OD of "other" good brand of case that works, before sizing
4) OD of "other" after sizing
5) wall thickness at the mouth of hornady and "other"
6) bullet diameter

I'm curious if the hornady cases are thin brass or springing back after sizing? Are your bullets undersized?

BTW Google says you're not the first to have this issue in 50AE. I ran into it with 32 ACP. My solution was to switch brands of bullets.

I'll have to break out the calipers and do some measurements later today after work, unfortunately all the cases I currently have have been resized ( I tend to try and work my brass in steps, and running it all through deprime and re size was done first, of course)

I cant imagine 3 brands and 4 types of projectiles can all be undersized to the degree this would require to cause this though.

 

[Desolo]

Hornady ftx 300gr: .4995-499
Hornady Xtp 300gr: .4995-499
Berry's 350gr RS: .500-501 ( not suprising that these fit the best in my previous loads)
Xtreme 300gr RS: .4995-499

Hornady case: .501-503 inner diameter (little to no flare )
Wall thickness was not easy, seemed to wander between .09 and .12? Mostly hovers around .10.....

Armscor:
Inner diameter: .499-.500
Wall thickness .010-012 (mostly towards .012)

Federal
Inner diameter: .497-.500
Wall thickness: .011-.012

 

[Catfish]

My takeaway is marginally thin brass that’s been overworked. Annealing might fix it. Worth a try if you have the means.

 

[Desolo]

My takeaway is marginally thin brass that’s been overworked. Annealing might fix it. Worth a try if you have the means.

Alas, an annealing set is not in my tool box.

 

[georgel]

I did a cursory seach and this problem seems to show up here and there. One solution was to go with Hornady bullets, but you have those. Another solution for one user was custom dies from RCBS. I don't know about RCBS, but Lee has suspended custom work for the time being.
Apparently the 50AE has some interesting characteristics, like a tapered case and the original bullet was reduced from .510 to .500. Which is why the case is tapered.

Are you screwing down the die until it bottoms out against the shell holder? At the top of the stroke, with a case inserted, see if the die is still making contact with the shell holder. Sometimes, under load, the slack in the system leaves some space, maybe a 1/4 turn's worth.

 

[Desolo]

I did a cursory seach and this problem seems to show up here and there. One solution was to go with Hornady bullets, but you have those. Another solution for one user was custom dies from RCBS. I don't know about RCBS, but Lee has suspended custom work for the time being.
Apparently the 50AE has some interesting characteristics, like a tapered case and the original bullet was reduced from .510 to .500. Which is why the case is tapered.

Are you screwing down the die until it bottoms out against the shell holder? At the top of the stroke, with a case inserted, see if the die is still making contact with the shell holder. Sometimes, under load, the slack in the system leaves some space, maybe a 1/4 turn's worth.

Yup, shell holder, with case, still touches the resizer at full travel ( I always try to setup the resizer to have that little cam over "bump" as well), and was actually the very first thing I checked -_-

I think im going to have issues going forward if I cannot find a solution, as I cant get a custom resizer, and no amount of modification is going to tighten up what I have.

 

[Toprudder]

Well, the solution may be to ditch the Hornady brass if that is the only headstamp causing problems. That is pretty much what I did with 10mm, I am not using any of the PPU brass I have collected.

If you are shooting from a Desert Eagle, you could buy a 429 barrel and reform the Hornady 50AE brass into 429DE. I have a 429, and it is just as much fun to shoot, and cheaper to reload since I can use jacketed 44 mag bullets.

 

[Catfish]

Alas, an annealing set is not in my tool box.

Pliers and a blow torch - get medieval on that brass!

J/K but it sounds like culling the hornady brass will solve your problem for now. Didn't you say the other headstamps give good neck tension?

 

[Toprudder]

It won’t hurt to contact Lee and tell them the problem you are having with their die.

 

[Desolo]

Hhhhmmm... It couldnt Hurt to comtact them I suppose.

The biggest problem with culling all the Hornady is it made up almost 50% of the supply of "once fired" brass Id gotten ahold of... and while the other headstamps seemed to provide better neck tension, its still touchy.

Ironically the small amount of nickeled cases have been basically trouble free, as were the few IMI cases that were in the piles. Id have measured the nickeled cases for comparison, but those are all loaded.

This does feel like a "10mm PPU" issue, but its not like I only have 50 pieces or so -_-

 

[Desolo]

Hhhhmmm... It couldnt Hurt to comtact them I suppose.

The biggest problem with culling all the Hornady is it made up almost 50% of the supply of "once fired" brass Id gotten ahold of... and while the other headstamps seemed to provide better neck tension, its still touchy.

Ironically the small amount of nickeled cases have been basically trouble free, as were the few IMI cases that were in the piles. Id have measured the nickeled cases for comparison, but those are all loaded.

This does feel like a "10mm PPU" issue, but its not like I only have 50 pieces or so -_-

....looks like they want me to send it in. "IF IT IS OUT OF SPEC... WE WILL REPLACE IT...."

We shall see I suppose.

Perhaps Ill see if I cant source another sizing die and see if it helps while this one goes home....

 

[Desolo]

Ok, so I havent gotten around to sending in the Lee die yet.... but my new Hornady sizer came in. WITHOUT MEASURING and just using this new sizer, it is a world of difference, with the same bullets.

.....even got that little "coke bottle" effect.

It was the sizer. Had to be.