Opening up smashed case mouths?

[prickett]

When reloading, occasionally I come across a case whose case mouth has been smashed (like when the slide slams shut on a case during a F2E). The mouth ends up looking like a half moon, with one side in its typical rounded profile, but the other smashed in.

Anyone have a clever way to get it back in round before feeding it into a progressive press? (the press does NOT nicely reshape it, as the crushed side always seems to end up with a chunk of brass bitten off in the powder thru the die stage)

[scattershot]

I have used a drift punch, but generally find it's not worth the effort. Just pitch it and be done with it.

[smokesahoy]

Universal case expander would probably work easily

[MtGun44]

needle nosed pliers, use as a tapered pin, push both jaws in and twist, sometimes
even grab one side of the case and tweak a bit with the pliers - used like
pliers.
If too bad, into the scrap brass box.

Bill

[taiden]

I thought you were supposed to throw those out. But what do I know, I've only reloaded 400 rounds!

[Certaindeaf]

Sort through them and use a needle nose pliers on the bad ones.. to get them more round. You can stick both jaws in the mouth and work the brass a bit rounder too.
After that you'll likely still not be able to wholesale feed them into your progressive.. you'll have to then carefully coax each one into the/a die, preferably on a single stage press.

[Harter66]

I've a 20mm cannon projectile for just such things it serves about 5 other functions as well.

[C.F.Plinker]

Use the pliers to get it round enough to fit over the lower part of the case expander/powder funnel. Run it up onto the straight portion of the funnel to finish opening it up then size as usual.

[captaint]

The needle nosed pliers or a tapered brass punch. I use the punch a lot when I'm setting crimps on the 357's and 38's. Mike

[w5pv]

Hole punches work also but I just discard them.

[45-70 Chevroner]

The Lee universal case mouth expander works really good for that, it will open the mouth just enough to get the full length sizing die to do it's job.

[groovy mike]

Stick a screw driver inside and lever the caved side back out toward round, then it should resize normally.

[Walter Laich]

I'll run them through the annealer first to try to keep it from cracking

[Hardcast416taylor]

I use 2 things for a smashed case mouth. First thing is several sizes of needle nosed pliars to try first. Secondly is a 1/2" dia. brass rod that I tapered down to use for the most problem caliber. If I have a lot of that cal. brass on hand, then into the scrap pail with that case.Robert

[dilly]

I intentionally smash my case mouths on brass when I see a flaw so that I'm not tempted to accidentally use it later.

If the bend forms a crease it seems likely to split at that point so I might discard it. If it's not too drastic I use pliers to rough round it.

[Dframe]

needle nosed pliers, use as a tapered pin, push both jaws in and twist, sometimes
even grab one side of the case and tweak a bit with the pliers - used like
pliers.
If too bad, into the scrap brass box.

Bill

Thats exactly what I have been doing for decades!

[bangerjim]

Universal expander does amazing things........If you are REEEEEEEEEELY desperate to use a damage case!

banger

[pal82]

I thought you were supposed to throw those out. But what do I know, I've only reloaded 400 rounds!

Yes! You are supposed to throw those out.

[wistlepig1]

The Lee universal case mouth expander works really good for that, it will open the mouth just enough to get the full length sizing die to do it's job.
This was what I was thinking, silly me!

[bruce381]

I use needle nose pliers or a LARGE nail set punch that fits the mouth and a light hammer tap.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Universal expander does amazing things........If you are REEEEEEEEEELY desperate to use a damage case!

banger
At times I have been REEEEEEEEEELY desperate, actually anymore I just toss them.

[brown bass hunter]

I use the end of a Sharpie marker, the plastic will not hurt the brass and it rounds it back to the original curved shape.

[TXGunNut]

Wooden dowel or expander for minor issues, scrap bucket if a hard crease is observed.

[Eddie2002]

I alway seem to get an uneven mouth in the casing when I straighten a crushed mouth and run it through a FL die. If it is not that bad I'll trim it and use it but most of the time I just toss it. With pistol brass I won't even mess with it, just toss it in the scrap bucket.

[fredj338]

A tapered punch from 1/8" to 7/16" easily handles any case mouth booboo. Just put the case on the bench, the punch in the case mouth & push.

[dondiego]

Someone mentioned a 20 MM projectile. I use a .50 BMG bullet as a mouth straightener as needed. The armor piercing core of a .50 BMG bullet also makes a fine punch. Very sharp and hard point.

[beagle]

My straightener outer is a .50 projectile./beagle


I've a 20mm cannon projectile for just such things it serves about 5 other functions as well.

[FThera]

On my 223 brass I use a dummy round and just work the tip of bullet into the bent case then size.

[DLCTEX]

Needle nose pliers, yep!

[Iowa Fox]

I have tried it all and needle nose pliers work the best for me.