lee die scraping case

[frankenstein406]

My lee powder through expanding die is scraping or marking the case. I tryed two cases and it did it on both. Its not deep or severe but you do notice it on the cases. Do I have to polish it and if so is toothpaste or mothers mag polish okay?

Two more things the lee wood ball handle sometimes pops off should I call them or just glue it on?

Is lanolin cream okay to use to make the home case lube?



Thanks didn't want to make a bunch of posts.

 

[gamestalker]

Does it feel like the case is dragging when you pull it back out of the die, or on the down stroke, in other words? If so, are you using new brass that has never been fired? I'm asking because, I just had the same experience the other day with .357 mag brass that was new. First time in many years of reloading that I ever had anything like this happen, apparently this brass was very bare and dry. I polished my expander plug on that die twice, but it continued to drag across only the new brass.
GS

 

[winchester1886]

Lee Dies

Are you referring to a rifle case or pistol case?
I would just glue it back on.
I would not use Lanolin you should use a case lube made for sizing cases.

 

[Josh45]

Quite a few lubes are made with lanolin and work very well...But if your in hurry, Grab some Mink Oil from walmart. It will do the job just fine.
As for your dies leaving streaks on your cases, It may need to be polished. My father RCBS 308 dies did the same thing more or less in the sizing die and had to send them in.

Once we got them back, They worked like new. No more scratches or ugly streak marks. And yes, We used different head stamps to make sure it was the die and not the brass.
I would call LEE and see what they would have to say about it.

As for the ball, Man do I hate that thing. Glue it back on or something. It will do that. I have had the displeasure of that.

 

[frankenstein406]

All is 40 cal range brass that was de-bulged. I will have to check on the up or down stroke it seemed to only do it on one spot on the case.

thanks

 

[david_r]

I'm really curious where this scraping is coming from. By design, the inside of the die has to be a larger diameter than the case. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be able to withdraw a flared case.

 

[frankenstein406]

I think it was a bur or chatter marks from when it was machined. They told me to try some sand paper on a wood dowel and 1000 grit worked great! Must have just needed some polishing since the cases measured the same and that fixed it. Thanks everyone!

 

[Walkalong]

I have polished the expander plug on all my Lee expanders. Thy tend to be roughly machined (Correct diameter, just rough) on the outside, which grabs at the inside of the case when being pulled back out. They work just fine though, even if you leave them rough. Just polish them with some 600 grit. You don't have to remove the machine marks, just polish the tops of the ridges.

 

[dickttx]

For the wooden ball, just tap it lightly with a small hammer. It is a tapered force fit. Wears off much smoother than any other I have used.
Keep in mind that the Lee powder through/expander/flare die is meant to be used with the Auto Disk powder measure. The instructions say it is left rough in order to jiggle the last little bit of powder down into the case.

 

[Hondo 60]

1. If I were you, I'd contact Lee.
They can check the die & see if there's an imperfection.

2. Tap the ball on "lightly" with a mallet.
If that doesn't do it, glue or what ever should work.
Since you may be contacting Lee all ready, maybe aske them.

3. Many reloaders use a mix of Lanolin & alcohol.
The alcohol helps thin the Lanolin & dry out.