Sick and Tired of STUCK Cases...

[MarshallDodge]

Are you wet tumbling your cases? Doing this removes everything off of your cases and leaves them very dry.

You need to use more lube or try a different brand. I prefer Imperial Sizing Wax for resizing brass. A good amount is applied to the body with my fingers until it feels slick. A thin amount is put on the neck, and I do not put any on the shoulder if bottleneck cases are involved.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Or the expander stem in a universal depriming die.

I do have a universal Decaping die....

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Are you wet tumbling your cases? Doing this removes everything off of your cases and leaves them very dry.

You need to use more lube or try a different brand. I prefer Imperial Sizing Wax for resizing brass. A good amount is applied to the body with my fingers until it feels slick. A thin amount is put on the neck, and I do not put any on the shoulder if bottleneck cases are involved.

I walnut tumble my stuff. And yes I've tried the Redding imperial wax as well but I don't think the Lee lube really is any worse to be honest as I've gotten numerous stuck cases with the Redding stuff before.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I walnut tumble my stuff. And yes I've tried the Redding imperial wax as well but I don't think the Lee lube really is any worse to be honest as I've gotten numerous stuck cases with the Redding stuff before.

The Lee lube is works okay, that is what I started with years ago.

Make sure you clean the die before starting the first time, or when changing lubes. I pull the decapping rod and use nail polish remover(acetone) on a Q tip to make sure the inside of the die is completely clean.

Use plenty of lube on the brass body, you just don't want any on the neck.

 

[Mark_Mark]

try cooking spray

 

[MarshallDodge]

try cooking spray

It's not the lube. It's the amount.

 

[Mark_Mark]

It's not the lube. It's the amount.

cooking spray solved my .223 sizing issue with Lee Steel

 

[MarshallDodge]

cooking spray solved my .223 sizing issue with Lee Steel

It may be a great lube, I'm just saying that he isn't using enough of whatever he is using.

I have a set of Lee steel 223 dies as well. Lee, Imperial, as well as my veggie oil mix all work fine with them.

 

[Soonerpesek]

It may be a great lube, I'm just saying that he isn't using enough of whatever he is using.

I don’t know if we’ve determined it to be amount of case lube, or the expander ball issue…?

 

[Mark_Mark]

I don’t know if we’ve determined it to be amount of case lube, or the expander ball issue…?

I spray it all down inside and all, then wash after sizing. Just the pain of loading .223

 

[25-20 WCF]

If the OP is experiencing stuck cases with range pickups in .308 and .223, it is likely they were fired in an auto with a large chamber. His press (exactly what is it?) may not have the power to size those over-expanded cases. Even the best lube can’t overcome too much of an oversized, work-hardened case in a press with limited leverage.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I do have a universal Decaping die....

There is a danger: unlike using a sizing mandrel and swage, the universal die leaves the case necks unsupported. It’s possible to crush a case neck, or pull a case shoulder out of spec’ using this method.

The technique is simple - starting with buffing and polishing the expander surface to a 250 or better finish - but it requires some finesse.

I don’t want to lead you down the path of thinking this is a simple, or even preferred solution. It’s not. It’s a fairly workable solution to an extraordinary problem.

Did you ever sign up for cooking lessons? Knife handling skills will help you learn how to feel when the machinery is not working right.

 

[Soonerpesek]

If the OP is experiencing stuck cases with range pickups in .308 and .223, it is likely they were fired in an auto with a large chamber. His press (exactly what is it?) may not have the power to size those over-expanded cases. Even the best lube can’t overcome too much of an oversized, work-hardened case in a press with limited leverage.

I think from some of his previous thread posts, he’s got a beast of a press.
Might be a Redding Big Boss…

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I think from some of his previous thread posts, he’s got a beast of a press.
Might be a Redding Big Boss…

I think you’re right.

FWIW, I resize 7.62mm machine gun brass in a RCBS Partner mounted on a barstool. The proper use of lubricant and measured force is the way to get the job done. There’s no need for a beast of a press mounted on a piece of Mithril Steel attached to the Earth’s core.

 

[Soonerpesek]

I think you’re right.

FWIW, I resize 7.62mm machine gun brass in a RCBS Partner mounted on a barstool. The proper use of lubricant and measured force is the way to get the job done. There’s no need for a beast of a press mounted on a piece of Mithril Steel attached to the Earth’s core.

C’mon man, BIGGER is always BETTER……!!!!

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I think from some of his previous thread posts, he’s got a beast of a press.
Might be a Redding Big Boss…

Yep! Redding Big Boss mounted to a pretty sturdy reloading bench with inline fabrications mounts.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

C’mon man, BIGGER is always BETTER……!!!!

I genuinely want the guy to learn how to do this stuff but I’m a lousy teacher and this long distance diagnostic stuff is for the birds.

I know people think I’m being a smarty pants suggesting cooking lessons and knife handling skills but I really think the root problem here is a lack of finesse and fine motor skills. If you don’t know how it feels when a piece of steel is seizing up then you can’t stop your motion in time to prevent a lockup. It’s in the touch and those skills just have to be learned. Don’t know what else to say.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

If the OP is experiencing stuck cases with range pickups in .308 and .223, it is likely they were fired in an auto with a large chamber. His press (exactly what is it?) may not have the power to size those over-expanded cases. Even the best lube can’t overcome too much of an oversized, work-hardened case in a press with limited leverage.

I've got a Redding Big Boss, beast of a press...

 

[Soonerpesek]

Yep! Redding Big Boss mounted to a pretty sturdy reloading bench with inline fabrications mounts.

We still need to figure out the stuck cases tho…

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I genuinely want the guy to learn how to do this stuff but I’m a lousy teacher and this long distance diagnostic stuff is for the birds.

I know people think I’m being a smarty pants suggesting cooking lessons and knife handling skills but I really think the root problem here is a lack of finesse and fine motor skills. If you don’t know how it feels when a piece of steel is seizing up then you can’t stop your motion in time to prevent a lockup. It’s in the touch and those skills just have to be learned. Don’t know what else to say.

I understand what you are talking about, I've saved myself a couple times when putting a case in and just after it starts to go in it will feel very tight so I'll stop at that point and try another case or re lube that case.

 

[AJC1]

I genuinely want the guy to learn how to do this stuff but I’m a lousy teacher and this long distance diagnostic stuff is for the birds.

I know people think I’m being a smarty pants suggesting cooking lessons and knife handling skills but I really think the root problem here is a lack of finesse and fine motor skills. If you don’t know how it feels when a piece of steel is seizing up then you can’t stop your motion in time to prevent a lockup. It’s in the touch and those skills just have to be learned. Don’t know what else to say.

I also believe that tactile input is very valuable, from seating primers or bullets or sizing cases....

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I understand what you are talking about, I've saved myself a couple times when putting a case in and just after it starts to go in it will feel very tight so I'll stop at that point and try another case or re lube that case.

Then I don’t understand the problem. You know how not to stick a case. Then you shouldn’t be sticking cases.

Reexamine your process and start with the basics. This is NOT an equipment or materials issue; this is a process failure.

 

[Soonerpesek]

I understand what you are talking about, I've saved myself a couple times when putting a case in and just after it starts to go in it will feel very tight so I'll stop at that point and try another case or re lube that case.

I’ve said it earlier, but try looking at a different lube…
This recording won’t repeat again….

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I also believe that tactile input is very valuable, from seating primers or bullets or sizing cases....

Yeah that's why i got those rcbs crimp cutting tools you were raving about cause the hornady swaging dies kinda (did) sucked tbh...

 

[MikeInOr]

I use a Dillon carbide set for .223, it seems to eat anything...............................but, unobtanium at this time......

ETA: case lube is STILL needed tho.....

I have Dillon carbide dies for .223 and .308. I load a considerably amount of LC brass and don't have any problems with stuck cases.

I shake my brass around in a cardboard box that has been well saturated with Dillon Lanoline lube over the years. It has been a couple years since I have added any new lube.

I actually forgot stuck cases were a thing until this thread then I remembered why I have an ancient set of RCBS 223 dies on the shelf that haven't seen any light in decades.