What are these lines in brass after sizing?

[Mint]

This is my first time ever reloading, and I'm sizing the new brass one time before beginning. I'm using .357 magnum starline brass, Lee 3-die carbide dies.

1. What is this from? I would assume the die is dirty but I am just making sure

2. If that's what it is, how do I actually clean the die? Do I need to take the nut off at the top? What cleaning agent do I use?

3. Do I have to size all these cases again to fix it, or can I just load them up and then resize them the next go round after I fire them?

Lesson #1 learned.......... spot check things very often. I planned to inspect every case before priming, because I thought little could go wrong here. I thought wrong, and I think I did 100+ like this.

[fc60]

Greetings,

What you see is pressure galling. The new brass is chemically clean and it is welding small particles to the sizing die Carbide ring.

You need to find a way to clean the welded bits from the Carbide ring.

It may clean up with an oversize cleaning brush and a cordless drill. Use a little Hoppes; or, the like.

With new brass use some sort of case lube.

Your expander plug will show the same problem with new; or, extremely cleaned, brass.

Cheers,

Dave

[Bazoo]

Some 600 grit paper on a dowel rod will remove the galling. Roll the die on your leg with the paper and dowel in it. Course ya got to remove the decapping stem.

You can load the brass like that and it’ll be less each time you fire and load it for a few times then gone. To prevent in the futur you need a smudge of dust on your cases. Either run through a dry tumbler a few minutes, or put in a bag with a little flour and shake up. It’ll lube the die enough.

The flour will help the belling die too by the way.

[Minerat]

Take the decaping pin out and use any gun cleaning solvent on a patch and pistol rod to scrub the die. The run a couple dry patches thru to dry it. It is probably dirt in the die. I've also use break cleaner too and just flush and dry. I won't opine on the scratched cases because no matter what I say someone will disagree. I'll just say I'd load and shoot them.

[JimB..]

The dies are polished with diamond paste, sometimes it isn’t all removed. Suggestions above are all good, I tend to use 600 grit paper on a dowel thoroughly wetted with some hoppes or clp.

[Mint]

Some 600 grit paper on a dowel rod will remove the galling. Roll the die on your leg with the paper and dowel in it. Course ya got to remove the decapping stem.

You can load the brass like that and it’ll be less each time you fire and load it for a few times then gone. To prevent in the futur you need a smudge of dust on your cases. Either run through a dry tumbler a few minutes, or put in a bag with a little flour and shake up. It’ll lube the die enough.

The flour will help the belling die too by the way.

Hmm all these replies are very interesting..... Ok, thank you very much! I will definitely try the powder trick. I assume I use a very small amount.

[Mint]

I have a side question - how does this carbide ring work with regards to slight tapers on straight walled cases? I see it in there now that i have disassembled it. I didn't expect it to be quite like that, but that is cool.

If I remember right, some straight wall cases are actually just very slightly angled (9mm I think). How would this carbide ring actually work unless it is perfectly a 180.000 degree angle up and down

[HWooldridge]

The carbide ring doesn’t have to be perfectly square to the die body or shell holder - the smallest portion will establish the final size as the case passes through it, and the ring will iron out most imperfections.

[Harter66]

New Lee dies .
Step one unpack disassemble clean thoroughly and ensure the vent hole is clear .
Step two reassemble and prelube with whatever lube your using .
Step three when you think the decapping pin is locked in and tight put another 1/4 to half turn on it .
Step four over lube your cases and see what else needs to be polished adjusted .

Not a slam just how it is with Lee dies .

[Winger Ed.]

If I remember right, some straight wall cases are actually just very slightly angled (9mm I think).

They pretty much all are on new ammo.
It might make it easier to mass produce, maybe the factory's dies last longer,
or the ammo feeds into dirty chambers better.
There'll be a reason--- I just don't know what it is.

Yes, the ring does shrink the case in a even and straight line.
I just took it for granted handgun cal. chambers are bored straight.
Measuring up and down a full pressure load fired case will tell ya real quick if the chamber itself has a taper.

If so, the ring will shrink the case down to the diameter at the end of the taper.
The would leave it a little loose at the back, but it seems they got it figured out, and it isn't enough to matter.


I'd load & shoot the scratched ones, but clean the die to keep it from happening again.
They say you don't have to lube when using a carbide die, but I give it a quick mist anyway.
Not the full coating like for bottleneck cases, but a light mist, maybe 10% of what rifle brass gets.
The sizing process goes a lot easier.

[uscra112]

Pressure galling? That's a new one on me.

Wondering why you're sizing new brass. Does Starline deliver brass that's not already sized?

That sure looks to me like dirt in the die. Lee being Lee, it would not surprise me at all to find that a new die of theirs needed a thorough cleaning.

[Rapier]

Just clean your brass before reloading, clean new dies before use, then always lube the first case put into a carbide sizing die at the start off every reloading session. Never put dirty brass in your dies, carbon on fired brass is as bad as sand. Diamonds/Carbon, etc. Just takes a bit longer to ruin the dies. Great for the chamber of the gun also.

[243winxb]

Lines caused by- dirty die, defective die. Wrong die, burr on case mouth?

9mm Luger- RCBS sizing die has a carbide tapered insert. Sizing applies the taper to the case on sizing. The RCBS expander is the "M" type, a good thing. Comes with 2 seat plugs.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...9mm-luger.317/

[Mint]

Wondering why you're sizing new brass. Does Starline deliver brass that's not already sized?

That's just what I've read in one of the manuals, and have seen it on here several times, so I do it.

Thanks for the tips btw from others about lubing 1 case, that's a good idea. I can't proceed until I pick up some stuff from the hardware store lol (sandpaper, etc)

[country gent]

While they claim carbide dies dont need to be lubed. I do very lightly lube cases, a very light coat of imperial die wax really reduces the force to size. On new die sets I lube a little heavier, its amazing how much they smooth up in 1000 rds or so. Clean brass lightly lubed helps the process of breaking in.

When cleaning dies I disassemble and solvent clean with a nylon brush then patches. If there are hard build ups then a soaking is done. Remember once cleaned the die needs some lube applied to prevent rust and start it out on the next run.

The scratches look huge but the build ups causing them are very small

[HWooldridge]

I've had several lots of Starline brass in various calibers that needed sizing. The primary one was .45 Colt but I've also seen it on .45-70. I suspect the stamper just knocks out the cases to a nominal diameter and length then it's up to the user to determine whether they will work in their application with or without sizing.

[Soundguy]

The dies are polished with diamond paste, sometimes it isn’t all removed. Suggestions above are all good, I tend to use 600 grit paper on a dowel thoroughly wetted with some hoppes or clp.

Agreed.. I take apart any clean every die I get. Most of the time I will run a coton mop in there hooked to a drill using ultrafine polishing compound for a few seconds before a mineral spirits bath.. the a wipe down with a light oil.

You would be surprised the crud I've pulled out of new dies.. including leftover chips from reaming or threading. Also.. some dies internal finish is a hair rough... so lee dies arent the mirror polish I would like.

[gwpercle]

Super clean cases ... when run through a dry Carbide die ... just gall and leave dry steaks .

Everybody and their brother believes that carbide dies don't require lube ...but guess what ...

You put a little lube on them cases , clean the galling from the carbide ring and you won't have the streaks ... and sizing will be so much easier you just might start doing what I do ...
I lube all my cases carbide sizer or steel ... things just slide in and out easier when lube is used ...

Gary

[rcslotcar]

I spray a very lite coat of Hornady One Shot on all cases going thru Carbide dies.

[super6]

Carbide will cut most metals, Brass don't stand a chance, Lube em!