09-02-2018, 03:36 AM
One thing I'd like to point out as a new Grendel shooter/reloader in an AR platform:
I bought Hornady dies and the matching shell holder for the press but I also had a RCBS shell holder that I thought would be useful in the priming tool.
The RCBS shell holder wound up in the press under the HDY dies and when I tried full-length sizing and loading some new Winchester 7.62x39 brass, it *almost* chambered but proceeded to stick, wouldn't fire and was a b***h to unlock the BCG while trying to appear casual at my gun range (HA!).
I measured the distance from the top of the shell holder (where die contacts) to the base where cartridge sat and the RCBS shell holder is a couple/few thou taller and once I swapped the HDY shell holder and re-adjusted the die, the neck/shoulder of the 7.62x39 brass was pushed back just enough to chamber. I had never had any trouble with the HDY brass like this
.
So, don't mix & match components of your reloading tools unless you know why you're doing it.
I bought Hornady dies and the matching shell holder for the press but I also had a RCBS shell holder that I thought would be useful in the priming tool.
The RCBS shell holder wound up in the press under the HDY dies and when I tried full-length sizing and loading some new Winchester 7.62x39 brass, it *almost* chambered but proceeded to stick, wouldn't fire and was a b***h to unlock the BCG while trying to appear casual at my gun range (HA!).
I measured the distance from the top of the shell holder (where die contacts) to the base where cartridge sat and the RCBS shell holder is a couple/few thou taller and once I swapped the HDY shell holder and re-adjusted the die, the neck/shoulder of the 7.62x39 brass was pushed back just enough to chamber. I had never had any trouble with the HDY brass like this
.
So, don't mix & match components of your reloading tools unless you know why you're doing it.