Pacific carbide sizer

[44 centerfire]

Asking for a remedy to smoothing up my Pacific carbide 44 mag sizer. It certainly scratches or dulls up the brass. My brass tumbler don't clear up the scratches.

Maybe buy a new carbide sizer?

44 centerfire

[Skunk1]

Carbide sizer would be my recommendation.

[skeettx]

Lee die set

[EDG]

Examine the inner surface of the carbide ring with a strong light and an eye loupe if you have one.
You probably have sized some dusty dry cases that galled to the carbide. Copper solvent may remove the galled on case metal.
In any case 400 grit to 600 grit wet or dry silicon carbide paper will remove the brass but will not damage the carbide.
Once you get it clean wash your brass before sizing it. Then use a little case lube on about every 3rd or 4th case to prevent galling in the future.

[ReloaderFred]

I use Varmint Al's suggestion on how to polish dies: http://varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Polish

Carbide doesn't scratch, but sometimes brass will adhere to it (galling) and that causes the scratches. Varmint Al's method removes the brass without harming the die.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[lightman]

Either one of the above 2 suggestions is what I would try. I've done this a few times.

[gwpercle]

Grit can get embedded in the carbide, I've had it happen once or twice. I scrubbed the carbide ring with a brass brush with some bore solvent on the brush. I followed up with some #600 wet or dry and 0000 steel wool with light oil on both . One scrubbing / polishing session got the embedded grit out and stopped the scratching ....Try cleaning the ring before buying a new one , it should do the trick .
Gary

[metricmonkeywrench]

I tried these on some steel .357 size dies with good results. I have a post here somewhere on them

http://www.brushresearch.com/brushes.php?c2=8

[Skunk1]

I have always been under the impression that pacific made chrome lined dies, not carbide. Carbide came out after they were bought out by Hornady.

[44 centerfire]

I have always been under the impression that pacific made chrome lined dies, not carbide. Carbide came out after they were bought out by Hornady.

I have had this carbide sizer....what...50 years maybe...it has a number 1 stamped on it. Works good in my Lyman ALL AMERICAN TURRENT PRESS......is this press 50 years old too??? Where did the time go tooooooo.

Hey guys...I thank you all for the thoughts and solutions for cleaning up this carbide ring. Oh I must say an aquaintence mentioned diamond dust for about $6.00 a container off of the internet used on a dremel. I will use you guys solutions....no dust. Thanks again!

44 centerfire

[1hole]

A galled carbide sizing ring can be easily cleaned - but not quickly - with a snugly fitted lap made of a strip of silicon carbide (black) "sand" paper, 400 grit or finer, wrapped around a short length of wood dowel that's chucked in an electric drill. The spinning lap will (eventually) remove the microscopic bits of brass and cannot damage the sizer. It will help if you keep your lapping paper wetted with some light oil as you work, WD-40 or any gun oil will work well.

When the carbide ring is perfectly clean there will be no more scratches in your sized cases. A light touch of case lube from time to time will go a long way to prevent a repeat occurance.

Do NOT use any kind of diamond dust to lap a carbide sizer. Diamond is the only thing that will cut the carbide and change the dimensions.

I get my silicon carbide paper from the auto trim/touch-up paints section in Walmart. My 5/16" and 3/8" diameter lapping dowels are from Lowes/H'depot, cut to about 4 inches long and slotted for the required turns of 2" wide strips of sand paper with a hacksaw.