Need Help Please-stuck case

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1SOW

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For the first time, I have a case that "snapped off" at the base, stuck in a die, and I can't get it out.
-9mm WCC Case,
-Lee size & Deprime Die
- After sizing and pushing the handle forward, the case head Broke away from the body. About 1/16+" of the case can be grasped by needle-nose Visegrips. I applied penetrating oil-CLP, but It won't pull out. Not enough case sticking out of the die to get a good grip on it.
-I have it in the freezer now, hoping the dissimilar metals will separate, and allow the vise-grips to pull it out.

I've removed the depriming pin, but don't see a way to force the case out.

I would really appreciate some advice on a way to get that case body out of the die.

Added: freezing didn't help at all. Think "heating" it might".
I also considered soaking it in pure ammonia to remove the zinc and leave copper that maybe could be folded inward from the side.
Bad idea?

Thanks
 
Place the die in your left hand, with the case facing you.

rotate the largest piece of exposed brass to the outside of your grip.

Grab the 16th of an inch brass with your needle nose in your right hand.

Hold on REAL tight.

Turn the needle nose counterclockwise, while turning the die clockwise.

You are essentially trying to "scroll" the brass in on itself enough for it to come loose.

I use this method to get metal hose barbs out of permasealed auto hoses all the time.

It may work. Your lube may work against you using the lube you have....try and get it all off.
 
blarby , good instructions and should be a good idea.
The 1/16" or so of brass exposed just breaks off with any real force on it. That case is all but welded to the die.

Why is the lube a bad idea?
 
Because the lube causes your tools to slip off the brass.

Give it another try on a piece you havent tried to wiggle the brass out yet with, if there is any...... You dont need much, just a few thous of scrolling.

You have what I call a "PITA" and its a big one........

If you have a flat-head bolt thats smaller than a 9mm casing, you may be able to get it in there, and rest the base of the bolt or screw head on the mouth of the case inside the die.

Then grab the bolt by its shorts and tug like heck !

With the decapping stem out, you might be able to get a dowel or a screwdriver head on the case mouth in the same fashion, but from the other end of the die...and give it a few taps.

Your biggest problem here is the carbide. ITs strong but brittle, and you can crack it without a lot of force.

Depends on where exactly the case mouth is stuck in the sizing process.

If its mid sizing stroke- just send it back to lee.
 
If it is a carbide die you can try taking a steel awl (thin pointed rod like an ice pick) and gently tap it between the die and the brass casing. If you can get it there it will collapse the case enough to loosen it. If not wiggle it around and collapse the brass wall then it will come out. You can't scratch the carbide ring but can fracture it if you hit things hard enough however so tap lightly a bunch of times.
 
If it is a carbide die you can try taking a steel awl (thin pointed rod like an ice pick) and gently tap it between the die and the brass casing. If you can get it there it will collapse the case enough to loosen it. If not wiggle it around and collapse the brass wall then it will come out. You can't scratch the carbide ring but can fracture it if you hit things hard enough however so tap lightly a bunch of times.
Click to expand...

This theory has merit !

If you don't have an awl, you could try with a clipped off safety pin at various points to the same effect......
 
FROGO207 said:
If it is a carbide die you can try taking a steel awl (thin pointed rod like an ice pick) and gently tap it between the die and the brass casing. If you can get it there it will collapse the case enough to loosen it. If not wiggle it around and collapse the brass wall then it will come out. You can't scratch the carbide ring but can fracture it if you hit things hard enough however so tap lightly a bunch of times.
Click to expand...
Sounds about right to me, too. I'm betting that the brass has been work-hardened, and is now too brittle to 'scroll' out of the die. Unless you have a round-jawed plier, like a Jewler would have in his set. Something I picked up as part of a Sterrett set, many years ago. Seldom used, but oh-so-handy when they are. No sharp edges to scratch or start a tear in the edge of the brass cylinder...
 
I wonder if you could solder something to the case, like a brass rod, and bend the case in on itself with that. Or maybe solder another case to the inside of the 9mm case. Maybe the shoulder of a 223 might fit if you hammer it in. Then pull the case out with the press. Dunno what the heat would do to the die.

Hey, I guess you're lucky the case broke in the press, and not in your gun! Maybe you need to figure out what's wrong with your brass? A chewed up rim coming off, no problem. But the entire casehead breaking off, seems like you wouldn't want to be shooting that in a semiauto without full casehead support.
 
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taking a steel awl (thin pointed rod like an ice pick) and gently tap it between the die and the brass casing.
Click to expand...
All good.

But I would grind a sharp chisel tip on a peice of 1/8" brass welding rod.

Then drive that between the case and the die.

The brass rod won't hurt the die.

If that doesn't work, take a thread tap that will fit inside the case and carefully screw it in the case far enough to get a grip. Just not far enough to harm the die.

Then knock the whole mess out with a punch & hammer.

rc
 
I have experienced this with my lee press also. I remove the die. Then place it in a vice, holding the flat sides where the deprime pine goes in. Grab the brass with channel locks or vice grips and twist that sucker off. Check for any damage before re using it.
 
RC is spot on in using a softer metal than the die as a wedge.
I have an old aluminum cleaning rod section filed to a point for just this purpose in my tool bag. Easy to reshape and wont mar steel surfaces.
 
Take the decapping pin out. Look into the die from the top. If there is enough case above the sizing ring take a brass(or whatever you have) rod and bend the casemouth in to from a shelf. Take a punch and tap the case out. Just to state the obvious, if there isn't enough case exposed above the ring, this won't work. I ended up pouring some melted solder in a die once and driving a case out. It was a real pain. I filled the bottom of the case with cotton, and bent the edges in and filled the case with the solder. The heat caused everything to expand and it came right out. I don't know how carbide will react to that much heat, so it's a last resort.
 
After many years I finally had that happen as well, but I was luckier than you, mine did it when expanding.

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The chisel point with a material harder than brass but softer than steel should work.
 
it's the same as if a case was stuck in a gun's chamber...easiest is with a stuck case remover appropriate to the cartridge.
\
btw, i've never seen this before in a sizer die...
 
Do people not read the OP? How are you going to use a stuck case remover when you do not have a case head? READ THE POST!!! This would solve not having 12 of the same answers also. Back to the original question though. Midway sells Cerrosafe Chamber Casting that melts at close to 160 degrees if I remember right. I have used it for this very problem once before on a carbide .40 die and it did not harm the die. You just put a cotton patch or ball in the top of the case and be careful when you pour it. Let cool couple of minutes and then you can use a punch to remove the case. Others have given good answers it all depends on what tools you have at your disposal. Good luck
 
budman46 is correct, what he is referring to is a military type stuck case remover, not the common reloading type. They are designed to be used when a case head separates in the weapons chamber leaving the rest of the case stuck in the chamber.

Perfect tool for this job...if you can find one in 9mm.

If you can't, a self tapping bolt with a tapered end that will fit snugly into the case can be used. Run a nut up near the head of the bolt then place a washer that has a hole large enough for the case to fit through, but big enough that the die can't.
Start the self tapping bolt into the case from the bottom, when you think its got enough "meat" to pull the case, screw your nut and washer down and it'll pop the case right out. You may have to use more than one washer to get the amount of pull /clearance you need.
 
Thanks to all for the good suggestions!

Right or wrong, here's what I tried.
1. I froze the die and tried needle-nose---Not a chance. That case acted like it was welded in
2. I tried using a pin punch to bend the 1/16" that showed toward the center of the die to start a crease.--The brass just broke off or bent without affecting the stuck portion.
3. A 5/16th tap just slightly contacted the brass, but didn't cut deep enough to hold firmly. A metric tap a coulple of thousandths bigger might have worked.
4... I used an old allen wrench less than 1/8" and ground a flat on the tip and sanded off some of 'sharpness' so it wouldn't scratch as easily . I put the die in a vise and "hammered" my mini-chisel between the brass and carbide. After going in about 1/4", the case popped loose and went further into the die. I tapped it out from the top easily.

I checked the carbide sleeve with a light and a glass, and it was unscathed.
I processed a number of cases and no scratches or marks of any kind.

I don't know why this case head separated from the case, but I hope it's the first AND last time for this to happen.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Swampman, now that I see your suggestion, that opens up more ideas. Wonder if J-B Weld maybe 3/8" deep under a washer, would provide enough hold to hammer it out from the top with a punch? Hope I never need to find out. Oh, I forgot. I did try a bolt extractor - tapered-, but it didn't get enough contact to hold.
 
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Glad you got it out.

The brass may have been someone overcharged load to make Major PF. They normally load once and discard. If could have also been damaged by leaching the zinc out of the brass using chemical cleaners. Never Know.

Glad your back in operation again.
 
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