Anyway to Correct RCBS steel Sizer?

[TybrneRyan]

Hello,

I obtained an older RCBS steel sizer die for FL sizing in 45 colt. The problem is there appears to internal scoring of the die that is leaving scratch lines on my brass. Is it possible to lap or remove these internal scratches? I only paid a couple dollars for the die, so if it's not worth messing with then I'll probably toss it. I wanted to try comparing fired case neck sizing to FL carbide to FL steel to see if there is any significant accuracy difference between the 3.

Regards,

[Johnny_V]

You could always call RCBS, they have GREAT customer service. They can polish your dies....

[TybrneRyan]

Thank you for the tip. I will give them a call.

Regards,

[CastingFool]

If the scratch isn't too deep, you can take a dowel, cut a slot on one end, then take a piece of very fine emery cloth, fold it in half, so the abrasive surface is on the outside and slide it into the slot. Chuck it up in a drill and polish the die yourself.

[ReloaderFred]

Use Varmint Al's method and it works like a charm. I've restored numerous dies to working order with it. Here's the link: http://varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Polish

Hope this helps.

Fred

[osteodoc08]

Use Varmint Al's method and it works like a charm. I've restored numerous dies to working order with it. Here's the link: http://varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Polish

Hope this helps.

Fred

done this for many an old steel dies. Whether scratched or corroded. Make sure they're clean when you're done

[jmorris]

varmital.com has a LOT of good stuff on it.

[EDG]

I have polished many dies to get rid of scratching.

I mostly buy used dies and from time to time I will get one that scratches the brass.

I have a threaded spud that fits the top threads of some of my dies and I can spin them using the spud in a drill motor.

I have polished a few by slitting a .250 wood dowel with a coping saw. I put 320 grit silicon carbide wet or dry paper in the slit and use a little light gun oil or wd-40 as a cutting oil. Use of the cutting oil is important to keep the paper from loading.

Most of the die polishing I have done is by using an engine lathe to chuck the die body. I usually 400 grit and call it done in about 3 minutes. If I want a deluxe finish I jump to 600 or maybe 1000 grit.

All you have to do is knock down the burr edges of any scratches in the die. You do not have to polish the entire die back to a pristine surface. Once the scratches are passed over once they will no longer scratch your brass.

I have also used this method on a few rusted die sets. Once the rust was polished out it left pitting behind in the sizing dies. However the dies still did a nice job of resizing brass once they were cleaned up.

[too many things]

the scratch is not from the die damage its a build up of brass. take some bore cleaner and the green scotch bright pad and cut a small piece and wrap around a 22 bore brush and run in a drill. takes about 15 sec to clean.

[EDG]

>>the scratch is not from the die damage its a build up of brass<<<
Not necessarily. Most of the time it is from grit on the brass scratching the die.
But if you fail to lube your cases you can have the brass gall and stick to the die.
The results are the same. The cure is the same.

[FLHTC]

A shotgun mop and and any good metal polish. I've used Turtle Wax Chrome Polish after Dupont rubbing compound in many dies and they are smoother than factory when I'm done.

[Motor]

You could always call RCBS, they have GREAT customer service. They can polish your dies....

For RCBS this is the best choice. I bet they replace it FOC.

Sometimes, probably most times its just brass stuck to the inside of the die and can be eaisly removed. If this is the case just clean it.

Motor

[covert]

Thanks for the great info.