Now, do I have the patience to:
1) wait for a new one from RCBS (7-10 business days) $24.99
2) Wait For a new one to arrive Monday from Amazon $39.00
3) Go to my local reloading dealer and see if they have one right now that I can get $???
4) Polish this one myself and hope for the best
Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Now that I've seen a picture of a sized casing from that die, I'm going to say that lightly polishing that die may be the best route.
I was expecting to see a deep score in the side of the casing. That picture doesn't look bad at all.
I would polish it with the flannel patch and auto rubbing compound flitz or shimichrome. Than looks more like a burnish mark than anything. A light polish should cure it.
Materials and tools you will need are. 1/4" aluminum rod 4-6" long, polish one of the above, a hack saw. drill motor ( not necessary but helps) small piece of cotton flannel cloth. Some light oil break free or similar.
Cut your rod to length and deburr ends. Split down center with hacksaw 1"-1 1/2". Cut a trip of the flannel 1 1/2" wide and slide in saw cut wrap and cut to length when a snug fit is achieved.
Coat this with polish evenly and thinly, It doesn't take a lot. A few small drops of the light oil or water ( depending on polish) start in die and rotate at low rpm feeding in and out so the polish lines cross over looking like a figure 8. work like this a few minutes add a little more water or oil and work again. Stay in the die until its time to add water or oil. A 5/16" washer super glued to a lock ring helps keep it inside when stroking back and forth. 3-4 times adding only the water or oil should do it. I have a 7//8 14 nut with the washer epoxied on made up for doing this on dies I make. Most rubbing compounds are water based. simichrome JB bore cleaner work well with the light oil I dont remember for flitz
That's an awesome solution !
Save time, throw the steel sizer die away, and use your new carbide set. You can't load enough ammo to wear out that new RCBS die. I've been using mine since 1976 -- about 125K rounds of 38 Spl and 357 Mag. Yup, about 25 cases of small pistol primer is correct.
With two sets you can size both 38 and 357 with the carbide size die. Have one set to expand a seat bullets for the 38's have the other set for 357.
Leo
I think a light polishing job would have solved your problem but you will enjoy that carbide sizing die.
Great choice, carbide set
Mike
NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95
Or...Chuck a larger caliber brass/bronze cleaning brush in a drill, soak with solvent, brush, inspect. If that doesn't work, load the brush with something like JB non-embedding compound or FLITZ, and see if that doesn't do it.
This is after checking with RCBS for possible warranty service. They are very good that way!
IT IS A FINE AND PLEASANT MADNESS !
I bought a carbide 38 spl sizer back about 1987 and have never looked back. Anybody want a steel sizer die?
Wayne
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - or else it gives you a bad rash.
Venison is free-range, organic, non-GMO and gluten-free
It's just a spec of grit that's embedded in the sizing die wall . Happened to me too.
A brass brush and and any cleaner , WD40 , CLP or whatever , scrub it out good ...twice and you should be rid of the embedded grit . After scrubbing it should be as good as new .
I actually like steel dies because carbide tend to size them down too much .
Carbide can also pick up grit . Clean them before you trash them and spend needlessly on new dies .
Gary
Certified Cajun
Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
" Let's Go Brandon !"
As time permits try polishing your steel di. The real solution is to get carbide di the first time you have the money. Solves lots of problems and makes resizing much eaier and faster.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |