Stuck case in sizer die! Help?

[mkj4him]

First time this happened to me. 223 case just got stuck up in rcbs sizing die. Is there a way to get it out or should I just bite the boolit and buy another?

[Guesser]

RCBS makes and markets a kit to extract a stuck case from a sizer die, or you can send it back to RCBS and they will get it out for you. Once you see the extractor kit and how it works you should be able to put a kit together from readily available hardware store items.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Don't dispair or buy another die. There are numerous ways to get the case out of the die. Just don't try to pull it out by going in reverse with your press as the shell hold usually will strip/pull the rim off of the case. There is a kit available for doing the job and other tactics that work. Do a search on this forum for additional info. You didn't mention the brand of dies...that has some bearing on what way to go about it. Many members will give you good ideas on how to go about this so hang on and see which way you want to go. LLS

[mkj4him]

They are RCBS dies. Full length sizing die. I'm willing to listen to any idea. Part of the rim already pulled/stripped off when I went to lower the ram on my Hornady AP. So the case is stuck with a portion of the rim gone.

[Mk42gunner]

Here's a link that has most of the decent ways to get a case out: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...k+case+removal

The important thing is to figure out why you stuck a case in the first place. Usually it is either a lack of case lube or using one that isn't up to the task. Imperial Sizing Die Wax is the best that I have ever used.

RObert

[Reg]

Mk42gunner is right. Imperial is the best and you will have less trouble sticking cases with it but too much will still cause oil dents.

"A little dab will do ya "

The RCBS stuck case remover works like a champ but if you are about half handy you can whip one up yourself.

[1hole]

Makes little difference who made the die, you first need to get the decap stem as far up as possible and then drill/tap the flash hole for 1/4"x20. Then you can use a grade #8 1/4"x20x1.5" bolt and a quarter inch drive 1/2" socket to pull the case out.

[CATS]

First, relax. You likely own the drill, drill bit, bolt, socket, extra flat washers for spacers that you need. The guys here have given you good advice. You may also find that once you pull the rim off the case with your ram that you can take the die out and thread it in upside down and use your press as a holder as you extract the case. In the future, if your brass is squeeking or talking to you when you are sizing it you are not using enough lube.

[canyon-ghost]

Believe it or not, Alberto VO5 hairdressing gel has enough lanolin in it to be a very good case lube. It doesn't take a lot. You just twist the case mouth in a little and it works.


At half the price of most case lubes, there's no reason to go dry on VO5. This is a sort of depression-era answer to the problem. I got this idea from Ed Harris, and it helps when you're tired of the vicous circle of ordering case lubes. I find it in small town grocery stores but, you can find it almost anywhere.
Good Luck,
Ron

[flounderman]

It wasn't explained clearly what you need to do to get the case out. you drill a hole thru the primer area and tap threads in it. then you use a bushing larger than the case head, put a washer over the hole and thread a bolt thru the washer into the hole you threaded in the case head. tighten the bolt and it will pull the case out. if you have a lee sizer, you might get it by tightening the decapping rod down but you could ruin something, too.

[John Boy]

First time this happened to me. 223 case just got stuck up in rcbs sizing die.

Curious - what case lube are you using? If the die doesn't slip to the web easily with every case - your using the wrong lube

[Janoosh]

Ok... The frugal way.... Freeze The Die..... Don't wrap it.. Put it right on the frozen food in your freezer.. Couple of days.... Overnight... What ever! This really works! And its cheap. Major problem with this process is the speed of transfer from freezer to workbench. Set everything up. Move cold die to press. Turn shellholder to grasp fresh rim. Ease stuck shell out. This is no joke. It really works!

[NSP64]

I had this happen once. I was glad I had bought LEE dies. I just loosened up the nut that holds the decapping stem and poundeed it out, LEE dies dont use a threaded stem like RCBS. You could try loosening up the stem nut and using a screwdriver to push the case out (by screwing the stem into the die further you will hit the bottom of the inside of the stuck case with the decapping stem). Good luck and post results.

[David2011]

I had an AR-15 in 5.56 NATO with an oversized chamber. The cases would bulge out about .015" just above the web making resizing very difficult. I was also concerned that repeated resizing would lead to case head separation. Not a big deal if you only shoot factory loads but for reloading it made resizing difficult and several cases got stuck in the sizing die. I finally sent the upper back and the manufacturer replaced the barrel. The new one doesn't bulge brass and is as accurate as the old one was. The RCBS stuck case remover pulled every one of them out easily. Most people reading this forum probably have most or all of the items required to make a case remover sitting in their shop. OK, I'm kind of repeating what's been posted but trying to clarify the instructions.

BTW- The reason the cases were getting stuck was all my fault. Every time it was because the alcohol and lanolin based case lube had not been given enough time for the alcohol to evaporate before I started sizing. I've sized literally thousands more since then without a single case getting stuck. I like Imperial Sizing Wax but when processing several thousand cases it's impractical to lube each one by hand. The alcohol and lanolin lube like Dillon sells works very well if you give it a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate.

The RCBS kit includes a 1/4x20 tap and appropriate drill bit (#7 or 13/64), a 1/4x20 x 1.25" long socket head capscrew, an Allen wrench and a piece that can be easily be substituted with a 3/8" drive 5/8" socket and a heavy duty, preferably hardened 1/4"washer to support the socket head capscrew.

It doesn't matter if the rim is pulled off. Remove the die from the press. Back the decapper/ expander away from the primer pocket until it bottoms out so the drill doesn't hit it and then turn it back in 3 or 4 turns. You don't want the expander hard against the neck of the cartridge. Drill and tap the primer pocket, put the socket and washer over the cartridge, insert and tighten the socket head capscrew. The case will come out of the die pretty easily. If you want to substitute a hex head bolt, be sure it's grade 8. A soft hardware store bolt could easily break.



David

[AkMike]

Makes little difference who made the die, you first need to get the decap stem as far up as possible and then drill/tap the flash hole for 1/4"x20. Then you can use a grade #8 1/4"x20x1.5" bolt and a quarter inch drive 1/2" socket to pull the case out.

Corect EXCEPT the 1/4" bolts use a 7/16" socket not a 1/2".

[wgr]

amazing the amount of info. you can get on this site.

[David2011]

Corect EXCEPT the 1/4" bolts use a 7/16" socket not a 1/2".

AkMike,

The socket has to fit over the cartridge. It's not for turning the bolt. The bolt goes through the square drive hole. It's a spacer so the bolt can pull the cartridge out of the die, much like the RCBS fitting in the picture. The size of the socket may vary with the size of the cartridge head.

David

[shooterg]

These things are like shooter's crossfires in High Power - only 2 kinds of reloaders, those it has happened to, and those who it will ! Twice for me in 30-odd years. Too frugal with the lube !

[Silver Hand]

Purchased a RCBS stuck case remover in the 1970s used it once.
Recently I placed a 9mm with the No. 6 shell holder as I recall, on top of the ram some how? Then proceeded to push the case into the sizing die - shell holder and all. I had something in mind but I still cant remember what that was.