Die lock ring set screw

[rikman]

I stripped the brass set screw on one of my rcbs die lock rings last night :-(

Any ideas on how to get it out?

Thanks

 

[243winxb]

Have a look here > http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=313413

for my stuck set screws that had stripped out I stuck a phillips screw driver into it and turned it out, it's worked on them all so far.

an "easy out" would be the easiest way just get one you can shove in the hole, and turn

Did you strip the threads or round off the allen screw flats? If the threads are stripped it should still back out; if the flats are rounded off just tap a flat blade screwdriver into the brass set screw and it should screw our with no problem

 

[cfullgraf]

243winxb has some good suggestions. Sometimes, simple, on hand tools can grip the brass and remove the set screw.

Fortunately, brass is pretty soft so things can cut into it fairly easy.

Besides easy-outs, there are screw extractors with sharp edges that grip into the material. Slightly different from an easy out.

If you have a left handed drill bit, one that cuts in a counter clockwise direction, the mere action of drilling a pilot hole for the easy out sometimes spins out the failed fastener. Unfortunately, left handed drill bits are not easily found. But it is good info to file in your memory.

Sometimes, a prick punch can be used to tap out the set screw by tapping in a counter clockwise motion on the screw.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Just call RCBS and they'll take care of you. My guess is they will send you a new lock ring and not mess with the old one.

If you want to get the brass set screw out, just take a small flatblade screwdriver and tap it into the stripped out socket hole with a small hammer. When you feel it get a "bite", back the screw out.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rikman]

Thanks guys. I used a wrench to get the ring off the die. I was hoping the brass being soft wouldn't damage the threads. It didn't. Not a scratch on the die threads. I have to order some more Forster rings.

 

[Walkalong]

Next time put a small lead shot under it, or a little spitwad works too.

 

[oldreloader]

just took one out myself because I forgot to put the shot under it. I'm changing my brass screws out to the old steel ones I picked up at the hardware, and still using the shot.

 

[gamestalker]

So far as getting out you can either do one of the easy out methods or have RCBS just replace the lock ring as was suggested already.
To help prevent that from happening again in the future, I would put a small lead shotshell pellet in the hole before you thread the brass screw down. The lead helps prevent you from stripping the threads out by reducing the amount of tork needed to hold the lock ring in place. I use a #6 but I'm sure that is insignificant.

 

[beatledog7]

I stripped out a couple of these the very first time I set up dies. Now I am in the proces of changing out all my lock rings to Hornady. They work by closing the ring onto the die threads rather than attempting to generate enough locking friction on a pinhead size area. They're on backorder pretty much everywhere.

 

[Tim the student]

They are my least favorite lock rings I have used. I replaced them with Hornady.

 

[Claude Clay]

add using an exacto knife's point

but the revese drill is optimal. not a dremal, way to fast to control.

 

[bergmen]

They are my least favorite lock rings I have used. I replaced them with Hornady.

Yep, me too. The RCBS lock rings suck and I can't believe they don't know this by now.

Dan

 

[jgiehl]

^+1

 

[Sport45]

Left-hand drill bits aren't too terribly hard to find.

Harbor Freight 13-piece set

Northern Tool 15-piece set

Ace Hardware 5-piece set

They're just sometimes more expensive than they should be...

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

I replace the brass socket with a brass screw of the same thread, way easier to loosen if I need to change the setting. I still use the lead shot to give the ring a little more "bite".