OKAY......I think I broke it...

[DrNick]

First of all....Merry Cristmas!!!!!!

Rightt.

So I got a new sizing die for the Lyman 450 (.266) and I managerd to forget to lube it or the first boolit I tried to run through it. Bottom line: It's stuck. The boolit is WDWW and it gets worse...it tried to twist it out and the top broke off...so I have a sizing die with 2/3 of a cruise missile stuck in it and I am stymied.

Do I try and heat it?

Bash it out?

I stuck it in the vise and I was afraid to damage the die...

HELP!!!!

Nick

[45nut]

drop it in the pot and melt it out.. would be my plan.

[StarMetal]

First of all....Merry Cristmas!!!!!!

Rightt.

So I got a new sizing die for the Lyman 450 (.266) and I managerd to forget to lube it or the first boolit I tried to run through it. Bottom line: It's stuck. The boolit is WDWW and it gets worse...it tried to twist it out and the top broke off...so I have a sizing die with 2/3 of a cruise missile stuck in it and I am stymied.

Do I try and heat it?

Bash it out?

I stuck it in the vise and I was afraid to damage the die...

HELP!!!!

Nick

Find a piece of pipe or deep socket that will fit over the bullet but not over the top of the die. Open your vice jaws wide and stick this arrangement in there horizontally. The merely close the vice jaws and they will press on the plunger rod pushing the bullet out into the tube or socket you used. If you don't understand what I'm saying ask questions.

Joe

[lwknight]

I would try taking the die out of the sizer and setting it upside down on the vise with the jaws open just enough to let the boolit pass through and drive it out with a flat tipped punch.

If you try to melt it out be sure to remove the rubber "O" ring first.

[scb]

45nut's plan has my vote. With the addition of removing the O ring if they use one. It's been so long since I've used them I don't remember if they do, but I seemed like they did.

[2Tite]

Please don't beat on the die or squeeze it in the vise while you try to pull or push the bullet out. It could easily wind up damaged or out of round. . 45nut was right, just drop it in the pot. A little patience will go along way here.

[lathesmith]

Please don't beat on the die or squeeze it in the vise while you try to pull or push the bullet out. It could easily wind up damaged or out of round. . 45nut was right, just drop it in the pot. A little patience will go along way here.

Amen. Just make sure the O-ring is removed, and the pin, and either drop it in the pot or gently melt out with a propane torch. The Lyman dies I've seen aren't heat-treated , so you shouldn't have to worry about de-tempering it.




lathesmith

[JIMinPHX]

I'd drill out about 3/4 of the lead from the center to relieve the pressure, then push the rest out using the socket & vice trick, like Joe said. Squirting a little Kroil in there first wouldn't hurt. After that, I'd clean out any remaining lead smear with Chore Boy or brass wool.

I'm not sure that I'd drop it into a pot of lead. The lube passages might get plugged up with lead & I'm not sure what alloy the dies are made out of, so I'm not sure how they would respond to 600+ degrees. Certain alloys might warp.

[Tazman1602]

Either drop it in the pot like the guys told you or take a piece of 2x4 and drill a hole big enough to accept the bullet but not big enough to let the die fall through, take a WOOD dowel and commence to poundin' and it will come out. The drill through the center technique does help........and don't ask me how I know this.........<GRIN>

Art

[KCSO]

How we do it in the shop. Set the die in the hydraulic press on a brass plate with appropriate size hole and using a brass drift just push it out. But in a pinch melting works just fine the lead pot won't be hot enough to warp it.

[crabo]

When are you sizing your WD boolits? If you wait to the next day, they are getting pretty hard. I always try not to cast more than I can go inside and size and lube at the same time I cast.

I hope by this time you have the slug out, and this might prevent you from sticking another one. It is also much easier on your equipment.

[Newtire]

A little Kroil and drilling the center out on the drill press gets my vote.

[StarMetal]

I know we're not all gifted the same mechanically, but getting this stuck bullet in a sizing die rates very low on the list of hard things to do. Amazing how it's been made such a big deal.

It was mentioned about sizing WD bullets right away. That is so very true. Size those things asap, besides if you let them age and size them you ruin some of hardening they achieved.

Joe

[HamGunner]

I really don't see why it can not be punched out of the die with the die's own plunger using a brass or heavy plastic hammer. If the die can be gotten out of the sizer. I know the bullet its long and the plunger is sticking out the bottom a long ways, but I think that one should be able to remove the plunger out the bottom and then the die from the sizer. At that point, I don't see a problem. The most that could happen, would be some lead shearing into some of the lube holes and that could be removed later. The long thin bullets have a lot of surface area and they will stick easily if the die is not completely full of lube on the first bullet. I have stuck a few myself, but removal is not nearly as difficult as a stuck case.

Just went back and re read the first post. I will bet he has it out by now. The hard part is getting it out of the 450.

[Wayne Smith]

I've done this so many times I've lost count! Just take it to the vice, open the vice enough to support the die but allow the boolit to fall, and tap the plunger to drive the boolit out. Nothing to it, takes longer to write this than to do it.

[WHITETAIL]

+1 on the vice idea.:redneck:

[TAWILDCATT]

no wonder people break their toys.take the die out put on plate, vise or what have you, I would put on vise with jaws open and hit the punch with a plastic hammer.
it will drive it right out.dont harden your bullets theres no need to.
I have a stanley plastic hammer I uuse for the molds.

[AZ-Stew]

I accidentally ran an 8mm (32 cal) boolit into a .30 die. Stuck like epoxy. Removed the die from the press and chucked it up in the lathe. Drilled out the middle of the boolit, put the die back in the Lyman 450 and raised the handle. Piece o' cake. Point is, a number of the above options will work, but they'll work more easily if you drill out some of the alloy from the center of the boolit first. The dies and center pins are precision fit to each other. Pounding on them or subjecting them to excess heat may not be the best option.

Regards,

Stew

[Billwnr]

A little Kroil and drilling the center out on the drill press gets my vote.

I like this idea best. I stuck a .377 bullet once with too little lube and used WD-40 to get it loose. Took a day or two of soaking but didn't damage the die.