I'm new to reloading; I'm reloading 357Mag and I'm having problems with new Winchester cartridges just purchased. Some of the shells won't go into the cartridge holder on my press without significant force being used; others slide in and out of the holder very easily. Is this to be expected? Any solutions? Thanks.

Try a different brand of shell holder.QC isn't what it was especially now when their making components as fast as they can.I've had the same thing happen with all brands of brass at one time or another.

Thanks dgslyr; I have a new Lee classic turret press; I'll try another vendoes shell holder.

Once the case is in the shell holder see if it will rotate freely. If it does, you might look at the shellholder where the case rim enters. Sometimes there is a small burr there. Take a small fine toothed file and make a few passes across the edge. Try the cases again and see if it helps before you spend money on another shell holder. Hope this helps.

Quite often, the rims aren't exactly round. When one won't go in easily, turn it 90 degrees. It will often slip right in. Ditto if it won't come out.

__________________
To see my books and articles, just Google my name.

Thanks for all the advice!

Also check that you actually have the right shell holder. For some reason of oversight, SAAMI was never brought to the table to standardize shell holder numbers. The .357 needs a #1 Lyman or Lee, a #6 RCBS or Hornady, and a #12 Redding or C&H. For .38 S&W, Lyman changes to a #21, and Hornady to a #28, but all the rest use the same holder as for the the .38 S&W Special. That tells you they are made to different tolerances and there sometimes are no exact equivalents. A table of them is here.

__________________
Nick

__________________________
CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor
NRA Certified Instructor
NRA Patron Member

"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

Thanks very much unclenick; table is terrific.

SAAMI isn't a "reglatory" agency, it's more of a committee comprised of representatives from the various makers. When someone comes up with a new product they can present it to the committee, spell out the desired manufactoring specifications and they hash it out. When a consensus is reached, they vote on it to establish a standard for manufactoring. Any maker, even member makers, can deviate from the standards if they wish, such as Dillon's strange dies for their SDB press, but they restrict those products to a VERY limited market!

Such trivial things as shell holder part numbers are up to the maker, it can no more be a part of the SAAMI standards than the product numbers for dies or presses, etc.

While checking for a burr,make sure that there is no dirt,of any kind,in the shell holder.
Frank

__________________
Frank