What will cause a case to swell???

Oakie

I reloaded for my 218 bee and the cases will not fit at the rim. I sized them and they will not fit. I never had this problem before. Did I not have the die set right??? I resized them with a full case risizing die.

B17-P51

You should have had the die (non Carbide type) screwed into the press so that the press cams just slightly over center. That is, screw the die in till it just touches the fully raised ram, back the ram off and screw the die in another quarter turn or so.
You may be seeing the problem at the rim but it may be in the shoulder. The Bee does not headspace on the shoulder but chamber dimensions may require you to touch this area.
Crimping incorrectly or excessivly will cause this problem also.
Usually a case fired in a particular gun will go back in the same gun with minimal resizing.
Check also case length as a case will grow with repeated firings.
Maybe a bad die set. Is this the 1st time you used it?
Other than that I dunno.

zimmden

If this is a custom cut chamber, it may be on the minimum side of SAAMI specs. If so, you will need small base dies to properly resize them. Can you measure base with a caliper or micrometer and compare it to a new case that fits your chamber? Were the oversize cases fired in your gun or someone elses? Once fired in yours, they should fit OK without using small base dies which are pretty expensive.

tskry

i have to believe he is on the right track here,, if the case was fired from the same gun you are trying to rechamber it into there is no reason it shouldnt fit especially if you fl resized it, i would have to believe the problem is that the case has expanded length wise.

redding makes a body die that will push the shoulder back also rcbs makes what they call a small base resizing die that will do the same. this will give you more head space and easier chambering.

i have a TC that will only chamber brass after it has been through this die, if it has been shot from another gun.

Rocky Raab

I'm going to offer a counter idea.

Rimmed cases can be over-sized enough that they'll separate on the next firing. Before I cram one deeply enough into a sizing die that I'm hard against the shellholder, I back the die OUT a full turn and size only the first 3/4 of the neck. Then I test that case in the gun. If it chambers easily, I leave well enough alone. If it has more than a bit of "feel" I'll screw the die down a tiny bit - maybe a quarter turn - and try again. Repeat until the case just chambers with a whisper of feel.

You cannot size all the way to the rim, because of the dimensions of the die and shellholder, so it is possible to actually SWELL the case just above the rim if you try to size too much. Back the die off a wee bit and that problem magically disappears. Try it.

Oakie

Thank you rocky, you saved my butt again. I will try it and see what happens. Now I have to unload fifty rounds!!!

jaegermister

You can also determine the reason for not chambering by buffing and polishing the cartridge, then try to chamber, remove cartridge and using a mag glass carefully inspect the cartridge body for contact marks. This will get you going in the right direction, sometimes it appears to be tight at the rim buy actually is the shoulder or o/a length problem. The marks will let you know. Then follow the good advice given.
And above all never try to force chamber a cartridge with the action.

243winxb

http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Rifle/218%20Bee.pdf An over pressure load will expand the web area near the rim. Standard full length dies do not touch this area, as its sitting in a shell holder. Take measurements of your brass, compare to SAAMI link above.