Vent Hole In Rifle Sizing Die

[Ranch Dog]

I was setting up my new set of 303 British dies, the Pacesetter full sizing length die, and it has a vent hole in the barrel. I own a lot of the Lee die set and this is a first for me. It has a Feb 2015 date code on the die.

303_Bristish_Sizing_Die.jpg

[daboone]

I just checked my Lee 303B, 30/06, 6.5x50 and 7.5x55 and they all had vent holes. All of these are at least 5 year old most much older but none as large as the one pictured. So do other caliber dies of RCBS and Redding origins.

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks, none of my other rifle sets; 30-30 Win through 45-70 Govt have them.

[Steve]

My Lee 30-06 and 223 have vent holes.

[daboone]

My 45/70 doesn't have one either.

[RBHarter]

I really haven't had any Lee dies until the last 5-6 yr . I don't know that I paid much attention to the ACP and other straight case dies that have come and gone but all of the bottle neck dies are vented that way . 222,223,6.8 ,358 Win, 280 AI, and 300 WSM . Every 1 of them marks the brass if it needs major forming also . 358 Win from 06' has a line all the way down the neck as does 222 from 223. I don't have a suitable tool to fix it maybe some valve lapping compound on a boresnake just enough to break the hard edge.......

[daboone]

..... Every 1 of them marks the brass if it needs major forming also ......

Are talking talking about forming or sizing this brass?

I've noted some small light scratches but was never concerned about this as it's not affecting case life. At the base, just above the extraction groove, of my 30/06 and 8mm brass I've consistently notes a bright band after sizing. I use to do the bent paper clip check these cases wondering if these bands indicated head case separation but these checks proved nada. I assume that this is the bottom extent of the sizing. This occurs with both RCBS and Lee dies.

[RBHarter]

I haven't seen it in normal sizing except where there was a very over sized neck . The 280 AI fired case would except a 301 dia bullet and that 1 would mark about 1/3 . I recently did some 358 Win from 06' and that was marked also . The 222 dies marked when used to go directly from 223 but not when a 256 Winchester mag was used as a step die.
I made a few 8x57 from 06' then to 7x57 with RCBS and Lyman dies and didn't see this happen . I just except as a limitation of the tool .
Necking up I haven't observed and issue and in normal sizing I don't see it.

I wonder if it would happen with in 7-30 Waters from 30-30 or 30-30 from 32 Winchester Special?

[357cyrus]

My 7mm Rem Mag has one up above the threads. 300 Savage and 223 have them hidden behind where the lock ring is normally sitting while in use.

[Steve]

My 7mm Rem Mag has one up above the threads. 300 Savage and 223 have them hidden behind where the lock ring is normally sitting while in use.

I had the shoulder of some 30-06 cases getting wrinkled from excess lube when the lock nut covered the vent hole. I cut a grove into the threads from the vent hole up. This allowed it to vent above the lock nut. At that time I was using a lube pad and would occasionally apply too much lube.