http://www.larrywillis.com/

Scroll about half way down the page to "Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die"...


Is the bulge problem real? Do RCBS, Redding, Forster, etc dies address this?

I am new to reloading (have die sets for a couple cartridges) but need help in selecting 300 Win Mag dies. Will the basic full length die be fine or do I need to consider other sizing operations in addition? It's a bolt action which I will use to get my feet wet in "long" range target and will also hunt with the rifle. No competition.

Thanks - Mickey

It might be real for some chambers but not for all. Have a 264WM that is one that has expansion just above the belt to the point I cannot resize brass from it with either RCBS or Redding FL dies without an extra step. Figured out early on that I can first size the 264 brass in a 300 Weatherby mag FL die without the stem and resize that portion then use the 264 die to complete the sizing. Using this method I got 5 loads before chunking the brass due to getting a ring you could feel with a paperclip at the case head juncture.

That is the only one I have ever seen the ring on with loading a few other belted magnums: 257 and 300 Weatherby, 7mm Remington, 7mmSTW and 350 Rem Mag.

By the way the belted magnum case has been around a lot more than 50 years, try over 100 years in the H&H and 70 years in the Weatherby line.

I think that alone tells me how to start - a basic FL die set and see where that gets me. No need to worry about case conditions that may not result from my specific chamber.

Even with the collet resizing die, you will have to have a FL die as well. The collet die only sizes the case right above the belt. I have a rifle that required the collet die in addition to FL sizing. It works well with Imperial sizing wax/lube.

I have reloaded 300 win mag brass over 4 times and have not experienced "the bulge" yet. I full size each time. Just put enough lube on it.

That's it!! 99% of 300 WM chambers will not need it. There are some smith's that will chamber a belted magnum round with a match reamer. Match reamer means a minimum spec reamer, and tight in the case body and case web area. I have run into this problem on 2 customers' rifle's that had a chambering issue just above the belt. The cool thing, is you can even use the collet die with a loaded round. So, even if you have this issue, you can still size the area just above the belt with it loaded after the fact. All it does is squeeze the brass area right above the belt.

I should have also mentioned this is a factory rifle. Maybe I'm erroneously reading too much into what you and others have said (and what I've seen elsewhere) but that puts the odds even more in my favor (not experiencing bulge). Either way, it's just a few clicks and I'll have 300WM dies to get started!

Good deal, thanks everybody for the information and education.

A standard FL die will for you just fine. Remember, they are trying to promote and sell a product. If they convince you that you need it, then you may buy it. But if you ever do need it, it's always there.

Yep, and with having no experience they were able to pique my skeptical curiosity thus compelling me to ask people I "know and trust" relative to some random site that wants my money.

Thanks again.

2-die set is on the way. Should arrive in a few days.

'Murica

Dies were delivered today.

As you were.