I found out the hard way with 50-90 dies

[Eric F]

So I was going to prime size and bell my cases yesterday and load them tomorrow, I have the laymen die set.  I followed the directiond right to the letter got the size and deprime set up got the expander and followed the directions ran a case in so I can set the bell and it went in a bit stiff so I bring it down and the case is wrinkled beyond repair

What went wrong?  It took me a few minutes to figure out that they gave me a 50-70 expanding die the instructions said to screw the die in until it touches the shell holde,r how wrong!  I had to unscrew the die about an inch or so but I did get it working.

Has any one else see this problem before?

[Steel Horse Bailey]

It's been a while since I adjusted my Lyman die, but don't you first back the expander all the way up, screw the die body down 'til it touches, THEN begin screwing the expander down until you have the desired expansion and flare?

[Fox Creek Kid]

Lyman & RCBS have had trouble with 50-70 dies as they were originally made to size for a bullet of 0.515 diameter. They have supposedly corrected this as of late and made the sizing dies to size down to hold a 0.510 bullet. RCBS sent out a free sizer to those who had their old dies (I was one of them).

It looks like someone screwed up packing your dies at Lyman or they are sending a 50-70 sizing die with both 50-70 & 50-90 dies. 

[Eric F]

just looking at part numbers from a few web sites I have determined that there must not be a 50-90 specific expanding die any more.  It looks to be a 50-70 die that you just dont screw down all the way.  I am going to call buffalo arms just to be sure though here is what the directions said to do

Adjusting the Neck-Expanding "M" Die: Remove the expanding plug
stem from the die body. Loosen the set screw and die lock ring and
back off the die lock ring for sufficient room to screw the die body into
the press. Lower the press handle until the shellholder is at its highest
point, then screw the die into the press until the die's bottom edge
made light contact with the shellholder. Exception: Belted magnum
cases require space between the die mouth and shellholder for their
"belts". The die body is now adjusted. Turn down the lock ring and
tighten its set screw.

Well I just got off the phone with Buffalo arms and they did some quick research lyman only makes the 50-70 expanding die there is not a 50-90 specific die so you need to make adjustments for that.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Adjusting the Neck-Expanding "M" Die: Remove the expanding plug
stem from the die body. Loosen the set screw and die lock ring and
back off the die lock ring for sufficient room to screw the die body into
the press. Lower the press handle until the shellholder is at its highest
point, then screw the die into the press until the die's bottom edge
made light contact with the shellholder. Exception: Belted magnum
cases require space between the die mouth and shellholder for their
"belts". The die body is now adjusted. Turn down the lock ring and
tighten its set screw.


I was close but you probably did that.
First.

Good luck

[Adirondack Jack]

I don't think I would have even noticed.  My "Drill" with .50-70 is to put a case in the press, run it all the way up, and screw the die down until resistance is  felt, then "turn and bump", turning the die and bumping the case up to the top,  repeatedly until I get the bell desired.  I've never even taken the .50-70 sizing die out of the box.

I decap with a universal die, prime, bell slightly and load, thumb seating bullets on top of a charge and walters card wad seated with a dowel as a "plug".  The bell doesn't hurt anything, and might help center the bullet toward the throat?