Scratched brass from a die, is it OK or 500 pieces of .44 trash?

[paraord]

Yep, 500 pieces at least. Well 426 plus whatever I'm leaving in the tumbler overnight just to see what happens.

I'll admit it, I'm way new compared to most. Been at reloading and casting less than a whole year. A week or 2 ago I was sizing and depriming for my 44 mag, basically on autopilot. The scratch on this die was at 12 o'clock and grabbing each piece out of the press I didn't see, nor was I looking. A mistake I won't make again.

Is this brass alright, relegate to special load pressure, or trash. I'm really hoping not the latter. A new little one is coming any day and the Mrs would tan my hide if I get a mess more.

As far as depth it barely catches my thumbnail, can't feel it with a finger. I suppose I could get a runout gauge setup and see how deep it actually is. Here's some pictures.

http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz154/paraord1911/Mobile%20Uploads/20160807_202021_zpsn6dx5sft.jpg (http://s823.photobucket.com/user/paraord1911/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160807_202021_zpsn6dx5sft.jpg.html)

http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz154/paraord1911/Mobile%20Uploads/20160807_201947_zpsrtiugmtf.jpg (http://s823.photobucket.com/user/paraord1911/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160807_201947_zpsrtiugmtf.jpg.html)

[GRUMPA]

Your fine, it's more cosmetic than anything.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Won't hurt a thing. Fire away.

[mwells72774]

I'll scrap it for you [emoji106]

[Bent Ramrod]

Take the innards out of your sizing die and hold it up against a light. Either you have a piece of grit embedded in the wall or the scratch the grit made is there. In either case, you should be able to see it in a good strong light. You can hold the die gently in a padded vise and spin a split dowel with a piece of crocus cloth in it with a hand or power drill (the kind with variable speed, going slowly). Take it out every minute or so, clean and inspect.

If the damage seems to be reduced or missing, take one of your scratched cases, mark the scratches on it, and run it into the die again. If no new scratches show up, or no important ones, you are good to go. If they are still there, you go on polishing.

Even if you get a replacement die, doing this will set you well on your way to being an old hand at reloading die emergency services. Don't ask me how I know this.

[corbinace]

When Bent Ramrod talks about crocas cloth I am pretty sure he is talking about real fine stuff.

I have done similar. What I would reccomend is a bit different. I use a drill bit and wrap green scotch bright material onto the bit. Green is about 320 grit. If the scratch is fine, you can use a bit of your wifes kitchen blue scrubber, which is finer still. Do not remove the scrub bud from the drill bit, as it is used it will become finer grit and polish a bit before you get done. When you have removed the scratch you can wrap a bore patch over the scrub bud/drill and add a bit of rubbing compound, some types of car wax have this.

Have fun with your new skill.

[Hick]

I did the same thing, but worse. Didn't properly lube a bunch of 38 special cases. I actually had little pieces of brass inside the die and scratched the heck out of about 100 cases. I cleaned the die and used the cases anyway. After a couple more firings the marks went away.

[paraord]

Thanks everyone! Glad I'm not out a good pile of brass. I sent that die back to RCBS and they actually sent me a carbide sizing and depriming die back (I am assuming thats what CARB means on the side of the die itself).

Ill be keeping an eye out on my 357 brass as I size as well as 30-30 when I get those dies so I can try out what Bent Ramrod and Corbinace said. Thanks again guys.

mwells Ill keep you in the books for brass scrapping :lol:

[osteodoc08]

I've had it happen to me too. I've always taken a tight fitting shotgun mop and polished the die innards with flitz. I chucked the mop up in a drill press and spun it at a moderate speed and polished the die.

Your brass is fine. Cosmetic as noted.

[3 gun Gus]

To prevent this from happening again spray your cases with a little case lube first, it will make resizing much easier.
This goes for Carbide dies as it prevents galling.

Gus

[EDG]

>>>basically on autopilot<<<

If you want to do this, "autopilot" you need much improved work habits or you should think about a different hobby.

[Greg S]

Clean your brass before resizing. If wet tumbling, use a deprime die before them FL size after cleaning. This works well with carbide pistol dies (no lube required) but rifle brass needs lube so a second cleaning to remove lube is required. 223 from the jam-o-matic hitting the mud is a guarenteed way to scratch a die without cleaning the brass first. For rifle brass I generally tumble for an hour in untreated corn cob to remove residue on the outside of the cases prior to fl sizing.

[Walter Laich]

Clean your brass before resizing. If wet tumbling, use a deprime die before them FL size after cleaning. This works well with carbide pistol dies (no lube required) but rifle brass needs lube so a second cleaning to remove lube is required. 223 from the jam-o-matic hitting the mud is a guarenteed way to scratch a die without cleaning the brass first. For rifle brass I generally tumble for an hour in untreated corn cob to remove residue on the outside of the cases prior to fl sizing.

I do this as part of my case prep.
run them through my Dillon with only the deprimer rod (use spare head for this) use on Dillon as all I have to do it insert brass, it will be ejected just like it normally is when the shellplate rotates around
into a STM wet tumble
dry on towel in Texas Sun (doesn't take long these days)
ready to reload
Always have the deprime pin in when I do the actual reload in case I missed a primer--you never know

[jhalcott]

I bought a set of dies for a "really good " price. When I tried them, the brass was gouged badly. I polished the sizer die out with some lapping compound and no more gouges. A short piece of rod that fits into the die is split about 1/2 to 3/4", a short piece of heavy cloth inserted in the split and wrapped several thicknesses. Put a dab of compound on the rag and spin it in the die. BE CARE FULL! You only want to POLISH the interior NOT enlarge it. Check often to see how you are doing. It took me only 15 minutes to remove the problem.

[bangerjim]

Purely in the eye of the beholder. I have brass a lot worse than that! And they all still reload just fine.

If you are one of those that just has to polish every piece of brass for hours to get it to "new shine" then you will have a problem. I shoot dark dingy brass with no problems and do not waste my time polishing it. If citric acid will not take it off, it gets loaded anyway!

As Joe Pesche says........"Forgetaboutit".

banger

[triggerhappy243]

IS THAT NOT SOO COOL THAT RCBS SENT YOU A CARBIDE SIZER? Now that is what I call customer service. NOW, You need to develope a new mentality. You need to turn into a clean freak when it comes to your loading practices. Yes, be anal retentive. Your brass must be completely clean of any dirt. Wash it like you wash dishes...... I DO. brass picked up off the ground is deprimed, tumbled to remove carbon, washed, dried, lubed, full length resized, washed again, dried, trimmed if needed, primed, charged with powder, bullet seated, fired......... repeat.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

You should always examine the first one carefully. If it goes in and comes out unharmed, the chances are that autopilot will do fine for the remaining 499.

We haven't heard if this was a new die, one previously used by the UP, or a used one he was using for the first time. Digging out a stuck case can throw up a burr which will do this, as can a cracked carbide ring if the original die was carbide like the replacement. Grit shouldn't embed in a properly hardened die, but if it does, rubbing with a sharp-edged brass rod will probably dislodge it.

Cases can look badly scratched when the depth is very small. When your nail catches in it, remember that there is probably raised metal as well as a groove. Rub with fine abrasive paper wrapped around your finger until it disappears (to assess the situation, not polish out the scratch 500 times over), and the chances are that you will be pleasantly surprised at how shallow it is. After removal is the time you might want to test it with a runout gauge or tubing micrometer, for the point probably won't enter the scratch as it is now.