Lee RGB 223 dies

[GT27]

Just bought a set of these and the shells keep jamming up in the decapping die!!!:twisted: I've tried using commercial lubes,VO5(never had a problem with this),the only way the case doesnt jam in there is if you have the die ran halfway up,meaning only 1/2 of the case is getting sized.This happens no matter what brass I try LC11,FCC,Win,Rem,IMI...I know to adjust it just above the web of the shell. I've been reloading for 35 years and have never had this problem! I suspect a out-of-spec decapper here,but I need some input before I call Dick tommorow! Any thoughts? No Lee bashers ,please!:coffeecom

[500MAG]

I use the same set for 223 and love it. Due to crimped primers causing decapping pins to break or bend in others, Lee works great for these without breaking the pin. I suspect you got a bad die. Is the decapping pin pushing up, or are you not even getting that far?

[GT27]

Goes up sometimes but not consistantly! Thanks for the reply,this is frustrating as @@@@! I'm not bashing but out of the last 5 products bought all Lee,and had to call for replacement parts...GT27

[500MAG]

I was having the same problem but only with crimped primers, which I handled differently.

[GT27]

I called Lee this am and spoke to the kind,helpful people there.Seems like mine got through the line unpolished!They are sending me a replacement F/C! Now the next question: Whats the best way to polish a die??? Thanks for the input 500MAG! GT27

[beex215]

mine got stuck 3-4 times out of 250 or so pieces of brass. the brass bottoms get ripped off and get stuck in the die. i hate taking the die apart as mine is so mangled now from the previous take downs.

[1hole]

"Whats the best way to polish a die???"

Depends on how the surface is, if it's rough no polishing will do the job, if it's just a matt finish I think that's better than a mirror polish finish for holding case lube.

I think a good case lube properly applied would do all you need done in any die; I make 22-250 from .30-06 and you can't have that much difference in your .223 dies.

[GT27]

If I would lube anymore I would have to be dropping it in a "bucket o lard"! Tried polishing it,and the decapping pin/neck sizer with Blue Magic,(Electric Drill) then lubed the case again,same thing"stuck case" ram pulls the sides of the case head off! I checked the markings on the die 223 REM. It's my belief this one was cut undersize to specs...I see some RCBS 223 dies coming in the near future!This ones going in file 13!! Thanks for the input! GT27

[midnight]

I have been known to oil up a large bore mop, put a little Flitz on it and chuck it in the drill press. I hold the die in my hand and work the mop in and out. It will put a glass smooth finish on the inside of the die, Do the expander button too. It made my BMG dies work much easier. On the BMG I also manually deprime and clean before I resize. That and the polishing makes sizing BMGs a breeze. Works even better on the smaller calibers. The BMG is actually a good learning caliber. Even little problems are magnified and you have to deal with them.

Bob

[GT27]

Thanks midnight,I chucked the rim of a case up in a 1/2 drill,ran it so as to visualize it being true,put the die upside down in my RCBS RSII put some Blue Magic on the case,with the decapping pin out.Spun it up to 4000 rpm's .Then I chucked the pin and held a cloth on it until it had a mirror shine,cleaned everything up,still to no avail! I really believe its out of spec,way too tight after you get to the 1/2 way mark on the shell resizing!GT27

[GT27]

It was a out-of-spec die! Lee sent a replacement that works great! Thanks Mary!

[Daddyfixit]

Good to hear Lee took care of the problem. Every manufacture at on time or another has a bad unit get out, it's how they handle it that makes the differance.