I recently picked up a Lee Turret press and a set of Lee .308 dies, but I've hit a road block trying to set it up and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
I've prepped my cases - they're cleaned, to size (once fired, so they didn't need to be trimmed) and lubed.
I installed the sizing die per the instructions: I raised the ram, screwed in the die until it was touching the ram, lowered the ram, screwed in the die 1/2 turn more and locked it in.
But when I place a case on the ram, it doesn't fit into the die; the case gets stuck with about 1/3 of an inch hanging out the bottom of the die. I tried to force it, and the decapping pin popped out of the die and got stick inside the case (the bulge in the decapping pin that's supposed to size the neck of the case went past the neck and got stuck below the bottle neck of the case). The neck of the case is bunched up and I had to tear the case apart to get it back out. The decapping pin never even hit the primer.
I tried inserting a commercial .308 round into the sizing die (with the decapping pin still removed) and it got stuck with 1/3 inch sticking out, same as the case.
I inspected the dies, and they clearly say ".308 Win" on both the die and the box.
I've been reloading pistol cartridges on my Dillon XL650 for years without a problem, and I don't understand why this is failing so badly. I picked up the Lee press because it was cheaper than buying the conversion kit for the Dillon.
WTF am I doing wrong here??? Please help!
I've prepped my cases - they're cleaned, to size (once fired, so they didn't need to be trimmed) and lubed.
I installed the sizing die per the instructions: I raised the ram, screwed in the die until it was touching the ram, lowered the ram, screwed in the die 1/2 turn more and locked it in.
But when I place a case on the ram, it doesn't fit into the die; the case gets stuck with about 1/3 of an inch hanging out the bottom of the die. I tried to force it, and the decapping pin popped out of the die and got stick inside the case (the bulge in the decapping pin that's supposed to size the neck of the case went past the neck and got stuck below the bottle neck of the case). The neck of the case is bunched up and I had to tear the case apart to get it back out. The decapping pin never even hit the primer.
I tried inserting a commercial .308 round into the sizing die (with the decapping pin still removed) and it got stuck with 1/3 inch sticking out, same as the case.
I inspected the dies, and they clearly say ".308 Win" on both the die and the box.
I've been reloading pistol cartridges on my Dillon XL650 for years without a problem, and I don't understand why this is failing so badly. I picked up the Lee press because it was cheaper than buying the conversion kit for the Dillon.
WTF am I doing wrong here??? Please help!