RCBS dies

[Guest johnwhite]

Are their dies suppose to be set from the factory? I've used some Lee dies 9mm and 40 s&w without a problem. I get a set of RCBS 223 dies. Set the decap die in the press, press my brass into the die, the primer comes out but the brass neck looks like a badly sharped pencil. Turn a 55 gr. bullet upside down, not half of the tappered area will go into the case. I have adjusted the die in and out as much as can be, I can't get a straight wall in the neck, always rippled.

I carried some brass to a coworkers house. Lee press and dies. The necks come out straight walled, not V shaped and rippled like mine. The tapper part of the bullet upside down will almost go into the neck.

I bought the RCBS brand because they were there, wait till October for Lee dies. I'll call RBCS tomorrow and complain.

 

[173rdABN]

your not using to much lube are you? 

[superduty]

No, you set the dies up for your press. Not to sound like I'm being nasty, but its all in the instructions. I just set mine up this afternoon.

[Raoul]

I have a set of those and use them with no problem. Either you got a set of bad dies, or else they are not setup correctly.

Call RCBS, they'll help you figure it out.

[Tempest455]

your not using to much lube are you? 

 

Ditto on that. I stopped using the RCBS case lube pad for that very reason. A light coating of Pam works great.

[timthetoolman]

Less lube...and back your dies out and start fresh.  Every now and then I jack up a few cases and I have done quite a bit of reloading.

[frankmako]

you must set your own dies up when you get them.  i never seen any preset dies in my many mango seasons of reloading.  to many factors to do so.  all so to much lube will make a mess of your brass.  it might not look like to much lube, but it is.  set your dies and check your lube. 

[TNMTBik3r]

Did you pull the decap rod out and clean everything before using the die?
To set the die, install the proper shellholder and raise the ram all the way. Screw the die down until it touches, lower the ram and screw in the die another 1/4 turn. I use RCBS dies and have not had any issues following the instructions in the manual.

[Guest johnwhite]

I've read the instructions some 20 times. Took the die a part cleaned with lighter fluid lubed with a Rem oil wipe. I must have bad dies. First I take a once fired brass, 223. Sit a bullet at the mouth and it falls into the case. This is before sizing and depriming. I sit the case in the holder, adjust die out that nothing happens when handle is pressed down. Adjust the die in until the primer starts to come out of the base. The mouth of the neck starts looking like a cone. Adjust the die in until the primer pops out and the neck  has a good cone shape and ripples. The Lee dies I borrowed do the job right. I called RCBS and have a new set coming.

[Mark A]

I've read the instructions some 20 times. Took the die a part cleaned with lighter fluid lubed with a Rem oil wipe. I must have bad dies. First I take a once fired brass, 223. Sit a bullet at the mouth and it falls into the case. This is before sizing and depriming. I sit the case in the holder, adjust die out that nothing happens when handle is pressed down. Adjust the die in until the primer starts to come out of the base. The mouth of the neck starts looking like a cone. Adjust the die in until the primer pops out and the neck  has a good cone shape and ripples. The Lee dies I borrowed do the job right. I called RCBS and have a new set coming.

(oops, apparently I didn't see jonathon1289's post but that is how I do it...)

 

OK, I've only set up 6 or 7 different sets of dies but none of them used this process to set them up.

 

In a nutshell they all called to screw the sizing die down until it met the press in the raised position, lower the press and screw the die down another 1/8 to 1/4 turn to facilitate a cam over action. The way I understand things the decapper pin setting is done after the die is adjusted but I am not familiar with all dies and presses...

 

Maybe I am just misunderstanding the adjustment steps you are using?

 

Mark

Edited July 7, 2013 by Mark A

[TNMTBik3r]

OPs steps do seem to be slightly off...do not set the die with a case in the shellholder. Screw the size die in until it touches the empty shellholder.

[Guest johnwhite]

That's what I'm trying to tell you. If I set the rcbs die like I do the Lee die my brass neck looks like a badly sharped pencil. I have some 20 scraped cases with the rcbs die. The Lee die won't correct the necks, it's that bad. I've loaded over 500 with the Lee dies. I sent an email to rcbs about the replacement dies. do I get a tracking number? No, it's being shipped first class.

[TNMTBik3r]

OK, I misunderstood that you were using the same process with the Lee dies and they worked... I don't use Lee but I imagine you set them the same way.
RCBS will not email you a tracking number, but it comes from CA so expect 5 business days in my experience. Hopefully the new dies fix your issue.

[Guest johnwhite]

I got my decapping die in the mail today. I had to try it out. I should have stopped with the first one. Just like the last die. I sent a contact to them wanting my money back. I'll get a set of Lee dies.

[Rightwinger]

Hmm..in my experience, RCBS are much better "finished" dies than the Lee's.  The only Lee dies I have left are 30-06 and the universal decapper.  Now the universal is a must, if you do batches of brass.  Just throw it in and decap everything and throw it in the tumbler.  The Lee's appear much less polished internally and with the 458 Socom, just plain didn't work. 

 

Something isn't right here and I can't believe two sets of dies could have a problem but maybe you just won the lottery.

 

Just so we have all the info, what's the die set you have by part number?  They have a new set for "AR"s, did you get that set or the .223 Remington.  Two die or three die set?

Edited August 27, 2013 by Rightwinger

[Dustbuster]

I use their 300 AAC AR series dies on my dillon press I love em

[Trekbike]

If I'm reading between the lines correctly it sounds like you aren't adjusting the decapping pin separately from the die. Mark A mentioned this earlier. Basically you need to set the die base against the shell holder with the right amount of cam over. THEN screw the decapping pin in or out just enough to pop the primer out. These are two separate adjustments. Not saying that RCBS can't mess up but they are better quality than my Lee dies.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Trekbike

[gregintenn]

Are you putting lube on the shoulders and necks of your cases? If so, DON'T!!! You should put a very light coat on the straight part of the case body only, and perhaps just a touch on the rim of the case mouth.

 

What are you using for lube? I like the Lee tube of wax based lube.

 

Take the die apart and look inside it. The inside should be smooth and cylindrical, and shaped like your brass case. I'm betting the die is fine.

 

I have a bunch of RCBS dies, and aside from breaking the occasional decapping pin, I've had no trouble with them. I prefer Lee dies, but for reasons not linked to the problem you're having.

 

Could you post a picture of your brass after sizing?

Edited August 27, 2013 by gregintenn

[TNMTBik3r]

Agreed - die part number and pics of the brass will be beneficial to try and figure this out.
I would be extremely shocked at two sets of defective dies from RCBS but less likely events have occurred before...

[Dolomite_supafly]

You are doing something wrong. There is no way you got two sets of bad dies. If so go buy a lottery ticket because the odds are astronomical you did.

 

 

 

 

 

When you got the replacement die did you put the original decapping pin in that die too? Completely remove the decapping pin and run a case inside the sizing die. Does it still come out looking like a sharpened pencil?

 

It almost sounds like you have the seater rod in the sizing die rather than the decapping rod.

 

Take a picture of the problem die and make sure to include a view inside.

[Guest johnwhite]

RCBS 11101 FL Die Set .223 Rem. is on the box. I roll the brass over a sponge in a plastic travel soap dish soaked with 3 in 1 oil. I've loaded and shot over 500 rounds this way on a Lee single stage press. I buy a Rock Crusher with dies and this is what I'm getting.

They sent me a mailing label and the dies are in the mail. 

Only 1 die had a pin sticking out of the bottom. A slot for a screwdriver on top.

Edited August 27, 2013 by johnwhite

[Dolomite_supafly]

Hate to say it but it was something in your process and not two sets of dies. As I said I suspect you had the seater pin in the die rather than the decapper pin.

 

Luckily RCBS has the greatest customer service on the planet.

 

Also, 3n1 oil isn't the best stuff to use. You are eventually going to stick a case.

[Guest johnwhite]

That was on castboolit. The guy said to use SAE 10W oil. 3n1 oil is about the same weight and smells a lot better. The set came with 1 pin in the die, no second pin in another die or in the box. 579 reloads on the Lee C frame and 21 scrap cases on the rock chunker.

[Pa686]

:surrender:

 

Cheers to the cost of ineptitude being passed on to competent RCBS customers.

[Dolomite_supafly]

You were using the seater pin in a decapping die. This is not a RCBS problem, it was a end user problem. You have managed to do something I thought I would never see.

 

3 in 1 oil is NOT a lubricating oil. It is a cutting oil. Two totally different types and uses of oil. You would never use a cutting oil in an engine and you should never use a lubricating oil for cutting.