Full length sizing die question

[Sidinman]

Have a case stuck in a full length sizing die, not me but my neighbor. Any suggestions on removing. Not sure how he done this, just that it pulled the rim righrt off the case. now it is stuck there. Its a 223 lee die. I've never reloaded any rifle ammo, only handgun calibers, straight neck cases. Never had this problem. He brought it by before I got home, I told him I would ask around and see what I could find out. Any help is apprecated.

[Luke E.]

Have a case stuck in a full length sizing die, not me but my neighbor. Any suggestions on removing. Not sure how he done this, just that it pulled the rim righrt off the case. now it is stuck there. Its a 223 lee die. I've never reloaded any rifle ammo, only handgun calibers, straight neck cases. Never had this problem. He brought it by before I got home, I told him I would ask around and see what I could find out. Any help is apprecated.

 !st i'd pull the decapping rod out and find a steel rod or drill bit you don't mind donating to the cause. Use as big of a rod or bit as willl fit in the case and drive the case out. You'll prolly need to set it up on a vise to do this and you will have to knock the piss out of it but this SHOULD get it out.. If you can't get the decapping rod out i did once use it to drive the case out but you want to hit it hard so you don't have to keep hitting it and mushroom the end more than absolutely necessary. Assuming this works you can clean the end of the rod back up with a dremel.

 If for some reason this doesn't work you'll have to start drilling and tapping the primer pocket, next slide a socket over the case but smaller than the die, next stick a bolt with heavy washer through the socket and thread into the case that you threaded and start tightening.  

 I've stuck 2 .223 cases before and was able to pound out the 1st with the decapping rod but the 2nd i drilled and tapped until i ran out of brass then gave up and bought a new die. Good luck with the removal.

[frankmako]

do what luke e said to do.  take your time and hit her hard.  sometimes you can get the case out, other times you buy a new die. 

[Sidinman]

Thanks guys I will try this and let you know. I told him he might have to buy another die.

[Romad7]

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/65338-found-what-i-needed-ruined-my-223-sizing-die-will-by-just-the-sizing-die-or-whole-set/?hl=%2Bcase+%2Bstuck

For some more info

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Get one of these. You may use it more than once, also. :D

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/136542/redding-stuck-case-remover

[Dolomite_supafly]

And tell your neighbor to quit using the lube he is using.

 

For CHEAP lube make your own. All you need is a spray bottle, 100% pure lanolin and isopropyl alchohol of at leat 91%. The higher the percentage the better.

Get 100% pure lanolin and at least 91% rubbing alcohol, the higher the better. Then mix the two in a 8:1 or 10:1 ratio with the alcohol being the bigger and the lanolin being the smaller. Heat a pot of water on the stove until it is too hot to keep your hand in it. Then remove it from heat and let it set for a few minutes to equalize. Set the lanolin and alcohol in the hot water with the caps loosened. Leave them for about 15 minutes in order to heat up. This makes the lanolin more liquid like and helps it disolve in the alcohol. Put 1/2 the alcohol in the spray bottle then add all of the lanolin. Then pour the remaining alcohol in the spray bottle. Then cap it off and shake vigorously for a few minutes until it is mixed well. It should not seperate even after cooling.

And to use it all you have to do is spray it on the cases and let is sit long enough for the alcohol to evaporate. The higher the % of alcohol the quicker it evaporates.

Dolomite
 

[Jonnin]

Spray with kroil.  Let it sit for about an hour.  Take it apart and beat it out as mentioned.  

 

Depending on the setup, you can sometimes drive them out with the press that put it in there, by turning the die upside down, put something (even a strong dowel rod) in a bullet case, put the case in the shell holder and press it out....

[Clod Stomper]

Try the stuck case remover first.  

 

FIRST,  spray some Kroil into the case and the die.  If you don't have any, use WD-40 or a good penetrating oil.  

 

Now, while that is soaking, go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy:

- A 1/4"x20 tap and whatever drill bit is the correct size for that.

- Several 1/4" fender washers. The hole is 1/4" and the washer is probably 1 1/4"-1 1/2".

- A 1/4" hex head bolt. Get a couple different lengths.  Maybe 1", 1and a quarter, 1 and a half.

Make sure you have the tools to turn the drill, tap and bolt.

Drill a hole through the primer pocket into the case.  Then tap it with the 1/4" tap.

Put the die into the press upside-down.  Thread it in from the bottom with the case head up.  Leave plenty of space between the top of the case head the the top of the press, meaning that you only want to turn it 2 or 3 threads into the press.

 

Put 2 or 3 or 4 fender washers on top of the press over the die.  Put one of the 1/4" bolts through the washers and thread it into the case head.

 

Make sure that the bolt head is against the washers when is is JUST threaded through the case head.  You may need to use a shorter bolt, more washers or turn the die down away from the washers some.

 

Use your wrench to turn the bolt into the case.  It should pull the case out of the die.

 

I've only used this method twice, but it has worked perfectly both times.

 

Good luck,

 

Will

[mikegideon]

Get one of these. You may use it more than once, also. :D

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/136542/redding-stuck-case-remover

 

I don't know if anybody can break your record :)

[Luke E.]

Try the stuck case remover first.  

 

FIRST,  spray some Kroil into the case and the die.  If you don't have any, use WD-40 or a good penetrating oil.  

 

Now, while that is soaking, go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy:

- A 1/4"x20 tap and whatever drill bit is the correct size for that.

- Several 1/4" fender washers. The hole is 1/4" and the washer is probably 1 1/4"-1 1/2".

- A 1/4" hex head bolt. Get a couple different lengths.  Maybe 1", 1and a quarter, 1 and a half.

Make sure you have the tools to turn the drill, tap and bolt.

Drill a hole through the primer pocket into the case.  Then tap it with the 1/4" tap.

Put the die into the press upside-down.  Thread it in from the bottom with the case head up.  Leave plenty of space between the top of the case head the the top of the press, meaning that you only want to turn it 2 or 3 threads into the press.

 

Put 2 or 3 or 4 fender washers on top of the press over the die.  Put one of the 1/4" bolts through the washers and thread it into the case head.

 

Make sure that the bolt head is against the washers when is is JUST threaded through the case head.  You may need to use a shorter bolt, more washers or turn the die down away from the washers some.

 

Use your wrench to turn the bolt into the case.  It should pull the case out of the die.

 

I've only used this method twice, but it has worked perfectly both times.

 

Good luck,

 

Will

 I did this first on the last one that i had stuck. The problem i discovered with doing this first is that once i had done my drilling and tapping and the threads just pulled out and then moved one step bigger which also pulled out. At this point I thought hey this isn't working i just need to go to pounding it out, this is the point where i felt like an idiot for drilling and tapping first because the hole was now closer to the size of the case mouth which left me with almost nothing to drive the rod against.

 There are many ways to skin a cat in most anything you do but this is why i suggest doing it the other way first because you can always go back and start drilling and tapping  

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I don't know if anybody can break your record :)

Smartass!

[Clod Stomper]

 I did this first on the last one that i had stuck. The problem i discovered with doing this first is that once i had done my drilling and tapping and the threads just pulled out and then moved one step bigger which also pulled out. At this point I thought hey this isn't working i just need to go to pounding it out, this is the point where i felt like an idiot for drilling and tapping first because the hole was now closer to the size of the case mouth which left me with almost nothing to drive the rod against.

 There are many ways to skin a cat in most anything you do but this is why i suggest doing it the other way first because you can always go back and start drilling and tapping  

Gotcha.  

 

I've just always had better luck when dealing with tight things (pins, stuck cases, etc.) by pressing rather than striking.  Perhaps use Kroil and then press it out the way Jonnin mentioned above.  It will probably destroy the decapping pin, but that's better than a whole new die.

[Luke E.]

Gotcha.  

 

I've just always had better luck when dealing with tight things (pins, stuck cases, etc.) by pressing rather than striking.  Perhaps use Kroil and then press it out the way Jonnin mentioned above.  It will probably destroy the decapping pin, but that's better than a whole new die.

 

 It is definitely a better idea to pull the decapping rod and use a dowel, rod or drill bit to drive it out but in my case i couldn't get it out. I wouldn't have suggested using the decapping rod if it had been anything other than a Lee die because they have a super heavy shaft. I've only been around Lee, Dillon and RCBS dies so those are the only ones i can speak to. I beat the piss out of my Lee decapping rod and after using the Dremel to clean up the bit of mushrooming the rod and die were no worse for wear. Was i lucky? Maybe but like you said, the decapping rod is better than a die.

[Luke E.]

Gotcha.  

 

I've just always had better luck when dealing with tight things (pins, stuck cases, etc.) by pressing rather than striking.  Perhaps use Kroil and then press it out the way Jonnin mentioned above.  It will probably destroy the decapping pin, but that's better than a whole new die.

 

Also i completely agree with you on the pressing in most every case but this is one of the things that i've found that responds well to being jarred. If you can drill and tap it first and still leave yourself enough meat to drive against if the thread pull out then maybe you should go with that first.

[Sidinman]

Hey guys I put it in a vise, and tap it one good time and out it popped. I wiil tell him about the lanolin and alcohol, thanks to all for the advice.

[Luke E.]

Hey guys I put it in a vise, and tap it one good time and out it popped. I wiil tell him about the lanolin and alcohol, thanks to all for the advice.

I'm glad it worked out so well for you.

[Sidinman]

And tell your neighbor to quit using the lube he is using.

 

For CHEAP lube make your own. All you need is a spray bottle, 100% pure lanolin and isopropyl alchohol of at leat 91%. The higher the percentage the better.

Get 100% pure lanolin and at least 91% rubbing alcohol, the higher the better. Then mix the two in a 8:1 or 10:1 ratio with the alcohol being the bigger and the lanolin being the smaller. Heat a pot of water on the stove until it is too hot to keep your hand in it. Then remove it from heat and let it set for a few minutes to equalize. Set the lanolin and alcohol in the hot water with the caps loosened. Leave them for about 15 minutes in order to heat up. This makes the lanolin more liquid like and helps it disolve in the alcohol. Put 1/2 the alcohol in the spray bottle then add all of the lanolin. Then pour the remaining alcohol in the spray bottle. Then cap it off and shake vigorously for a few minutes until it is mixed well. It should not seperate even after cooling.

And to use it all you have to do is spray it on the cases and let is sit long enough for the alcohol to evaporate. The higher the % of alcohol the quicker it evaporates.

Dolomite
 

Where would be a good place to find some pure lanolin. Drug store, Walmart?

[Dolomite_supafly]

I got it off Ebay for CHEAP.

[TNMTBik3r]

I have only had one brass stuck in a die so far, Federal 30-06 brass and the rim tore/bent and pulled out of the shell holder. I had the RCBS stuck case remover and in a few minutes had the case removed with no harm to the die.
This happened the one and only time I tried using Mica... (Following a friends instruction).

[Clod Stomper]

You can also get lanolin at a baby store like Babies-r-us, but it isn't cheap.