308 Casing Stuck In RCBS Full Length Sizing Die? How To:

[lshel]

What is the best way to get a stuck casing out of 308 full length sizing die with casing head torn off? I have die in vise and I have primer head loose with penetrating oil in die. I tried driving primer shaft down but casing didn't budge. I filled die with penetrating oil and will let set overnight. I will try again tomorrow to drive primer shaft down thru die to drive stuck casing out. Any other ideas. I only have a Dillon 500R.

Any advise from those that have unstuck casing would be greatly appreciated.

[cj0e]

Dillon has instructions in this PDF.

 

I'm guessing this is what you were saying about driving the primer shaft down already.

 

I've heard of people using a dowel and a hammer, but no way I'd try that myself. Maybe a dowel and some kind of slow, constant pressure from a hydraulic setup.

 

There are some stuck case removal tools out there that thread into the base of the case

[Keyless]

I have done it a few times and the threading the primer hole and using spacers and a bolt to pull the brass from the die has always worked . RCBS part # 504741 is what I made from the hardware store  Washers for spacers a drill bit , tap and a bolt will probably be less than the ready made tool . You can go to Midway and get a picture of it so you know what you need but it is the same as the video posted above.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Keyless

[R_Bert]

Is the web & primer pocket still intact?

 

BTW, Kroil is a much better choice than penetrating oil.

Edited February 11, 2014 by R_Bert

[Garufa]

BTW, Kroil is a much better choice than penetrating oil.

 

Kroil is the miracle oil.  Not only is it the best sticky situation unsticker it's made by a Tennessee company.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Garufa

[Raoul]

Kroil is the miracle oil.  Not only is it the best sticky situation unsticker it's made by a Tennessee company.

I second that.

[jeff43]

I got a 30-06 case stuck and sent it back to RCBS , I think it cost $5.They checked it out and polished it.

[Wiljo05]

Throw her in the freezer over night then pop it right out in the morning. Works tons of things. Bearings, stuck bolts, she'll casings ect.

[lshel]

I followed the above advice and bought a tap and die set 1/4"-20NC with #7 drill bit. Drilled and taped thru primer hole and used washers and 3/4" 1/4"-20 allen head bolt.

After tightening bolt down pretty good casing slipped out.  Somewhere along process I broke decapping pin. Have to go pick one up tomorrow. The 7.62x51 Nato LC brass is really going to get a good lube prior to sizing. Thanks all.

[TNMTBik3r]

What lube were you using? They are not all created equal...

[cj0e]

I followed the above advice and bought a tap and die set 1/4"-20NC with #7 drill bit. Drilled and taped thru primer hole and used washers and 3/4" 1/4"-20 allen head bolt.

After tightening bolt down pretty good casing slipped out.  Somewhere along process I broke decapping pin. Have to go pick one up tomorrow. The 7.62x51 Nato LC brass is really going to get a good lube prior to sizing. Thanks all.

 

Awesome, glad you got it sorted!

[lshel]

I was using Dillon DCL spray and rolling on pad. I bought a tin (like shoe polish can) of a new lube at Outpost 89 that they said was the slipperest. Will try in a few days.

[Ray Z]

+1 on the RCBS stuck case remover. It just makes it too easy to get the case out of the die.

[Static_USMC]

I was using Dillon DCL spray and rolling on pad. I bought a tin (like shoe polish can) of a new lube at Outpost 89 that they said was the slipperest. Will try in a few days.

Spray the dillon case lube on directly. Imperial sizing wax is the best Edited February 13, 2014 by Static_USMC

[Keyless]

I stuck mine when using the spay on lube ( one shot , Hornady ? don't remember ) and was spraying directly on the brass. Went to Imperial sizing wax and have had no more problems .

Edited February 13, 2014 by Keyless

[lshel]

Imperial Sizing Die Wax is great stuff. I bought a new RCBS Full Length Small Base sizing die and resized about 75 cases and had no LC brass stick using Imperial wax.

[R_Bert]

I use Frankfort Arsenal case lube .**  It doesn't take much, been using the same bottle for about 5 years, still have 1/3rd left.

 

Spray a half-drop (or less) on fore & index finger tips, wipe case with fingers, size it wet, wipe case when done.

 

And yes, the RCBS Case Extractor works very well, especially with Kano Kroil. Be advised, that you need to keep the Kroil in a secondary container during storage.  It WILL creep out.  Don't bother getting the spray can.  Bought three of them so far, and every single one sprays towards the user, as well as the target.  BUT, Kroil is *still* worth the hassle.  

 

 

** I think Dolomite has a homebrew version of this stuff also. 

Edited February 14, 2014 by R_Bert

[stumpy]

+1 for Kroil.  Recently I had to remove a 308 case from the chamber of a Ruger 77.  The round had fired, the bolt handle would raise, but the case simply refused to move.  I stripped the barrel action of all unnecessary parts (stock, scope, etc) and loaded the chamber with Kroil.  Let it sit 2 days in a cool area.  When ready to start I tipped the muzzle down and let all excess Kroil exit the muzzle.  I passed a 1/4" steel rod (with plactic electrical tape wrapped along it's length) down the bore and bottomed it in the case.  One modest tap with a wooden mallet and the case flew out of the chamber.  This was a Prvi Partizan cartridge, commercial 308, no flattening of the primer nor excessive swelling in the web area.  The case looked very irregular, like a poorly finished piece of brass with a lot of dimples and irregularities but did not suggest a dirty chamber (rifle is pristeen), and I suspect just a poorly made case.  The chamber and bore looked correct, no indication of crud to cause the stuck case, but of course the Kroil could have removed that as well.

 

As another comment, that same day another challenge was a Mossberg AR-style rifle with a live .223 round stuck in the chamber.  The owner was shooting it, all was going well until this round chambered.  The hammer fell, but the round failed to fire.  When I got the bolt open and the live round out, here was ANOTHER Prvi Partizan cartridge.  The fire pin had not hit the primer and the brass showed it had bottomed out in the chamber (bright contact marks on the shoulder of the brass).  This cartridge turned out to be long in the chamber - the shoulder was too far forward to allow the bolt to completely close on it.  It is odd that the bolt was not completely locked in battery, yet the timing of the trigger group allowed the hammer to fall, and the fire pin did not find the primer.

 

Quick summary - I will stay away from Prvi ammo (case headstamp PPU) and will recommend that to others as well. And I will always have Kroil nearby.

 

Stumpy