RCBS Tungston carbide sizing die

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Well after 40 years and probably sizing thousands of cases, my faithful RCBS 45ACP tungston sizing die had dropped the T/C sizing ring. Gluing it back in place with 620 Locktite still doesn't hold it in place. Guess it's time for a new reloading die set.

All my straight walled pistol dies are T/C but I've never had this happen before?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've never heard of that happening before....but obviously it can. I'll bet if you can get the die to RCBS they'll fix it for you.

DG

[winelover]

I would call RCBS first, tell them what happened, they'd probably just ship you a new one. Don't email them, it takes a lot longer due to staff shortages.

Winelover

[smithnframe]

RCBS will replace it!

[starnbar]

Had the same thing happen with a Hornady die they just called me back took my address and shipped me another one guess after a few thousand resizings the glue just lets go.

[JimB..]

They’ll replace it, but I’d be tempted to heat it up and solder it to see if that holds. I’ve always wondered how they actually fit the carbide insert.

[Cap'n Morgan]

Carbide has a lower expansion rate than does steel, and is normally shrunk in place by heating the steel part. Steel and carbide can be brazed together, but it takes a special solder (or pure cobber, which needs a high temperature to work)

I vaguely remember someone telling me, that the 45 ACP could be sized by pushing the case all the way through the sizing die - one after the other. It would probably require a special shell "holder".
If used as a push-through die, your carbide ring should stay in place with Loctite only.

[Winger Ed.]

I’ve always wondered how they actually fit the carbide insert.

It's called an 'interference fit' like they do the hardened valve seat rings in a engine.

The ring is .001 or so bigger than the hole ya want to put it in.
Ya heat the die to expand it, chill the insert with liquid Nitrogen, or maybe dry ice to shrink it,
and then press them together real quick.

When the temp. stabilizes, the die body shrinks, and the ring expands.
Then they're stuck to each other like poop on a baby blanket.

If the ring pops out, they might just be pressing the parts together at the same temp.
and they are closer to being the same size when they do it, or one of the parts was out of spec.