I have a problem...

[Joshuak12]

So last night the kids were in bed, my wife and I wanted to spend some time together, but she was watching a show I had no interest in. So, I thought I'd get out my Lee hand press and resize and clean up some brass at my end of the couch. Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic. Anyway, I was using a RCBS resizing die and the press was taking a little more effort than I thought it should. I was using a homemade lube my brother (who I trust with my life) gave me. On the 5th piece of brass, it REALLY got stuck. I pulled when I should've given up and went to plan B and stripped the extractor groove right off the cartridge. So here's my question - any bright ideas about how to get that cartridge out of the die? Also, does it sound like my homemade lube let me down here or is there a more serious problem?

 

[Sully2]

Your homemade lube isnt worth a crap. TOP NOTCH factory made lubes arent that $$$

Remove the guts from your die and stick a rod down from the top.....about 2 good smacks from a hammer ( ON THAT ROD!!) will knock that dead cartridge out the bottom

 

[thatguyshm]

Take the die apart. Not much else you can do. If you can smack it out with a wooden dowel, no harm done. If you can't, well, die's going in the garbage anyway, so try some other methods and let us know how it goes.

As for homemade lube.... Would you use it on that romantic night? Lubes cheap. I only use Imperial Wax, just coat your fingers with it, reapply every few cases. It stays on your fingers. Here it is at midway

Imperial Case Sizing Wax 2oz

I LOVE this stuff.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Take the die apart. Not much else you can do. If you can smack it out with a wooden dowel, no harm done. If you can't, well, die's going in the garbage anyway, so try some other methods and let us know how it goes.

As for homemade lube.... Would you use it on that romantic night? Lubes cheap. I only use Imperial Wax, just coat your fingers with it, reapply every few cases. It stays on your fingers. Here it is at midway

Imperial Case Sizing Wax 2oz

I LOVE this stuff.

Call RCBS they can help... And also a +1 for the Imperial sizing wax. I wouldn't trust homemade lube...

 

[Sully2]

"And also a +1 for the Imperial sizing wax."

Imperial is my preference also

 

[MTBULLET]

get a "stuck case remover" RCBS is ok. you'r gonna need it in the future.

 

[punxsutawn]

+1 on the RCBS stuck case remover. They work great. Question: what is in the home made lube? I've used several and lastly have used Dillon's lube with great success. I now make my own using lanolin and Isoporpyl Alcohol...which is all Dillon's is anyway.

 

[Joshuak12]

Thanks to all for the feedback. Imperial wax and RCBS Stuck Case Remover have officially been added to the shopping list. Now if I can just save this die...

As for the aforementioned homemade lube, punxsutawn, it is lanolin and alcohol. I'm wondering if the mixture was wrong, if it set too long, or what went wrong. Either way I will not be using this particular bottle again.

 

[25 Otter]

I made my own stuck case removal tools a few years ago and can vouch for needing one. Everyone will or has had a stuck case. If you reload enough it's almost a given.

Punxsutawn; Where are you from?

 

[Mikecr]

Always amazing to hear praise on wax for sizing.
I had stuck cases with Imperial sizing wax, that was in part resolved with RCBS case lube.

Guess my interference fitting monster was worse than normal. Ripped off rims, knocked the casehead clean off trying to drive one out, and finally had to send die off to maker for case removal. He suggested I toss the die off a bridge. Problem was it was a very expensive Tubbs die for 6XC.. And the cases sized were fresh from a Tubb T2K!
Anyway, toss the die, get real case lube, and another or better yet custom die.
JLC Precision is very reasonable on custom fitted dies, so are most factory die makers.

 

[geo4061]

One of the reasons I quit reloading was how nasty RCBS case lube is. Recently I have started reloading again. I found these two homemade recipes on the web. I have done 100 300 RUM cases so far and I really like this stuff.
Case Lube----1oz liquid Lanolin and 12 oz of Isopropyl Alcohol
Case cleaner ----- hot water 2 quarts, Vinegar 2 cups, dish soap 2 tablespoons, and salt 2 tablespoons(cut in half and add stainless media if you like) add to your tumbler
I tumbled these for 5 hours without the ss. They look pretty darn good.
I t

 

[LoneTraveler]

What Shell Case do you have stuck? A stuck 22-250 or 264 win mag. The punch you have to use is so small it can tear its way through the primer pocket. A case in the 30 cal.or larger allows bigger punch use. Here is my mountain mechanic cure. Remove the die from press. Clamp die in Drill Press Vice or vice with padded jaws. Drill the primer hole out with a NUMBER 3 numbered drill. Tap the hole with a 1/4-28 tap. Go through your tool box and fit a socket wrench over the shell case. Put a couple washers on the drive end of the socket and a 1/4 -28 Allen head or class 8 bolt down and into the threaded case head. Tighten the bolt pull the case out. Used this since about 1967. Looking at todays case removal kits, the same principal. Good Luck

 

[AZShooter]

How to remove a stuck case showed up on Accurate shooter today:

Daily Bulletin

 

[Dosh]

There are two kinds of reloaders, the ones that have had a stuck case and the ones that are going to get one. Get the Imperial and a stuck case remover. Some reloader tumble twice, once before sizing and once after all case prep is done. Good luck