Sticky Lee Expander

[archmaker]

When I am resizing my 45ACP and I am expanding the neck to set new bullets, the expander sticks during this process.

Not just a little bit, but hard enough that I am having to slam the handle up, to get the ram to pull the case down.

Not very often but enough to be a problem. New set, and have only loaded about 200, thought maybe it would "smooth" up some, but it has not yet.

Has anyone had the same problem?

I am thinking about taking some fitz and a dremel with a buffer pad to the expander. I can see machining marks on the plug.

[Bret4207]

Been there, done that. Go ahead and smooth it out. A little dry lube like Motor Mica or powdered graphite in the case neck helps too.

[canebreaker]

Do you have the steel set or carbide set?
How much expansion are you putting in the brass?
No more than 1/16" of boolit going into brass is needed.

I have the Lee 3 piece carbide set .38spl. I have a few brass that
will hang, but not that much, to the point of slamming the handle down.
You could lube the brass before expanding.
Stand them all up, against each other and spray lightly with an oil spray.
NOT WD-40.

[stubshaft]

Go ahead and polish the expander button. Usually it is the machine marks that the brass hangs up on. I have had this problem on alot of the Lee dies. If you want butter smooth release you can also use graphite or motor mica on the INSIDE of the case mouth. Just dip about 1/16" and expand.