Stuck Case

[ncbearman]

This may not be the right place, but I thought I would start here. I have a stuck case in my Hornady 7.62 x 39 sizing die. Apparently I still need to lube cases in titanium /carbide dies. Ok, a pause for the laughter and ridicule............................. anyway, is there a way for me to get it out without getting a case remover? Thank you in advance for your help.
Russ

[Bent Ramrod]

Unscrew the decapping pin and pull it as far up the neck as it will go. Drill the primer pocket out and tap it (I usually use 10-24 or 1/4"-20 TPI). Get a stack of washers or a piece of pipe that is larger than the cartridge base and about 1/4" to 3/8" high, a washer that fits your bolt and covers the edge of the spacer stack, and a properly threaded bolt long enough to engage the threads past the spacers. Put the bolt through the washers, past the spacers and into the threads and turn. The case should pop out in a turn or two.

Don't ask me how I know how to do this.

[gnoahhh]

Drill ant tap a 1/4" hole through the primer pocket and flash hole. Get a 1/4" socket head cap screw and a stack of washers with big enough I.D.'s for the case head to pass through, but small enough to be captured by the bottom of the sizing die, plus one 1/4" washer to go on top of the stack to support the screw head. Place the screw through the stacked washers and thread it into the stuck case, and keep on tightening it until the case pulls free. Length of screw and height of washer stack determined by how far the case has to move before coming free.

[gnoahhh]

Ha ha! Simo-typing!

[MBTcustom]

I just back the lock screw up on the priming punch, soak it down with kroil, heat it with a propane torch and use a brass hammer to tap on the priming punch.
Of course, admittedly, If I break something I can turn around 180* and there is the Lathe/3700lb magic wand.

I had a run of 308 military brass that was really tough to size, and even though I was lubing the cases, every now and then the shellholder would strip the rim leaving a very stuck piece of brass in the sizing die.
This happened every 20 pieces or so, and I got them out as described.
The priming punch survived although the threads were a little buggered up, but I just stuck it in the trusty dewalt and filed off the swaged out portion and dressed out the threads with a three square file.
PITA but it worked and was quick and cheap.

[john hayslip]

Instead of sticking a pile of washers - after tapping the bottom of the the shell, just barely screw the die in the press - take a piece of scrap (I use a Herter locking ring wrench) end put it across the opening in the press and then use your regular wrench to turn the bolt. This is another "just ask me how I know what to do!)

[ncbearman]

Perfect! It worked. You guys are awesome. Thanks. Now, being the true brass conservative I am.................how do I save the case. :lol:
Thanks guys. Now I can start building my round for my new $350 AK with a 5 and 30 round mags, and an ATI tactical pkg. It's nice to have good friends.


7309073091

[country gent]

If brass cases soak with bore solvent for awhile Bore solvent will soften copper brass and help to release it. Then as above drill and tap and use a screw or bolt to pull.

[Bent Ramrod]

Gnoahhh--Great minds think alike:mrgreen:!

Somebody told me once that there are two kinds of reloaders: Those who have stuck a case in a reloading die and those who will stick a case in a reloading die.

Save your drill, tap, spacer and bolt in a convenient location. They will come in handy again. Don't ask me how I know this, either.

[Mk42gunner]

I use a 3/8 drive deep well socket for the spacer, it saves having to keep track of those pesky washers. 9/16" works well for .30-06 and below headsize, I don't remember what I used for the one and only belted mag that I stuck (so far).

Robert

[gnoahhh]

Frankly, I'm surprised that sheet metal screw worked, but glad it did though!

[ncbearman]

Frankly, I'm surprised that sheet metal screw worked, but glad it did though!

It has pretty deep threads and I "soaked" the die and case for a while before I did it.

[Janoosh]

If time is not of the essence, just freeze the die and shell. Usually overnight. And then mount all in the press and "VIOLA"..... And you save the brass! I stuck a 8x57 shell..... And you know the rest of the story.

[HarryT]

Its been long enough ago that my "friend" won't mind me telling this story.
Back in the late 1970's he had a few loaded 5.56 rounds with the shoulders bulged so he decided to push them into a sizer die so they could be chambered. One got stuck. The bullet was pushed in to the case and WD-40 was applied to deactivate the powder and primer. 24 hours later a steel punch was used to knock the cartridge out of the die. When the smoke cleared, the hammerer had a lot of black dots semi-permanently blasted into his stomach. The lesson we learned is to pull the bullet/dump the powder/ remove the primer before hammering on a loaded cartridge.
PS: I really had a tough time getting the remains of that 5.56 case out of the die after the bottom of the case blew off.

[drhall762]

I have discovered several ways to remove stuck cases but as my luck is terrible, I usually tear off the rim. Now, once that is accomplished, I simply choose whatever size Eazy Out best fits the case and pull it like a broken bolt. Even have gone so far as attaching the EOs to their own dedicated extension for those times it is a chamber and not a sizing die. Food for thought. Haven't damaged a chamber or die yet. KNOCK, KNOCK. YRMV.