Stuck case!

[Hershmeister]

Crap - got my first stuck case in a lee die. And of course my punch broke trying to get it out..... Assuming i get a new punch and beat the decapping pin out along with the case, how and i supposed to get the case off the pin?

[gregintenn]

They make a tool to remove a stuck case, but with a bit of imagination, you can fashion one out of a small bolt, nut, and a few washers.

[res308]

I know RCBS makes them, and Hornady, but after looking at them I would think you could just make one. Almost like making a gear or wheel puller.

[Omega]

Just take it apart from the top, Lee dies are perfect for this.  Then it's easier to hammer it out with a punch.

[res308]

Just take it apart from the top, Lee dies are perfect for this.  Then it's easier to hammer it out with a punch.

Well............yeah. I hadn't thought of that. I think I would use a brass punch (to avoid damaging the die) and try to do that instead.

[Dolomite_supafly]

What lube are you using? I only use lanolin and alcohol now. It works as good as anything I have tried and is dirt cheap to make.

 

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.
 

[ehull20000]

Welcome to the club! Keep the case as a reminder. When I'm done with my tube of Lee sizing wax I'll have to try the lanolin and alcohol mixture.

[Hershmeister]

I use hornady one shot but i think i missed spraying this case. I was just so excited to finally have my reloading room set back up! My first time ever having this happen. Biggest bummer was having the damn punch break! I figured i had this all figured out - now off to find a new punch....

[gregintenn]

Any joy getting the case out?

[mikegideon]

I use hornady one shot but i think i missed spraying this case. I was just so excited to finally have my reloading room set back up! My first time ever having this happen. Biggest bummer was having the damn punch break! I figured i had this all figured out - now off to find a new punch....

 

I had a friend that used one shot, and he was the king of the stuck 223 cases. The center pins for Lee sizing dies are cheap. I use an RCBS lube pad FWIW

[Jonnin]

223 is the worst, really, high surface area for getting stuck and too small to work with when it happens.  My only stuck case so far was a 223 and I destroyed the die getting it out.  Being my first one, I was careless about my approach and tried to get it out faster rather than carefully.   

 

Kroil might loosen it.   But that stuff is annoying around primers, you'd have to clean it pretty well after.    Its probably a non-issue if you are a big tools guy.   I should have just taken it to the shop @ work instead of trying to get it out without decent tools. 

[Hershmeister]

Any joy getting the case out?

Yes, got the decapping pin out with some help from the reloaders bench. But the collet threads somehow got boogered up in this whole mess so i am sending the whole thing back to lee for a quick fix


And next time i will not be so careless in my spraying. This is my first ever stuck case in 8 years, and its my fault not the one shot

[enfield]

Pins are cheap - I buy them in bulk.  :D

[Hershmeister]

Ordered a set of these punches from amazon - worked like a charm when it happened again (intentional test this time)

Starrett S248 Extended Length Drive Pin Punch, 1/8"-3/8" Pin Diameters, 8" Overall Length, 3-1/2" Pin Length Pack of 5 in Starrett Red Cardboard Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006J4K5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_w5b-wbVAZH243

Broken Piece of crap home depot punches can kiss my butt

PS: did not have to send the die back - just carefully reran the collet back into the die and the threads fixed themselves