Lines in the brass

You sizing die is scratched. It's not especially important. If it bothers you, you can polish it, using something like Flitz on a patch, wrapped around a brush and spun with a drill motor.

That happens from not cleaning a sizing die. Any dust or grit gets on your lubed cases, that can happen.

Sounds like a country music song title.

Lines in the brass
A dirty sizing die
Flitz on a patch
A cordless drill and my
Case necks will soon be smooooooth

Scratches from grit or brass galling in the die. Perhaps transfer of grit/gunk from a "dirty" case or brass deposits, galling from poorly lubed case. Use any of the above polishing methods and the scratches will lessen or go away...

FWIW; for some polishing where I don't want to remove any metal I make a paste of Comet cleanser and oil. I often use this to clean up an aluminum mold (using a "lap") or cleaning a barrel.

Yankee1986 said:

What causes these? Does the sizing die need cleaned, adjusted, replaced?
They started showing up after about 500rds today.
The die probably has 10,000rds through it.
View attachment 1077391

Click to expand...

Deja Vu... https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/would-you-replace-this-die.905411/#post-12291110

In a couple of my dies, that was caused by burrs left over from the die manufacturing process.

LOL!

barnfrog said:

Sounds like a country music song title.

Lines in the brass
A dirty sizing die
Flitz on a patch
A cordless drill and my
Case necks will soon be smooooooth

Click to expand...

First, how clean do you get your brass? May want to think about that.
Try getting a wad of 0000 steel wool and spin that with an electric drill.

Try some copper remover also, it may be your dies are just picking up brass from not enough lube. I use Montana Extreme Copper Killer. It's pretty strong, 10% Ammonia, so don't smell it. Clean it just like cleaning your barrel. Just make sure to put some kind of lube in when your done or it will rust.

tightgroup tiger said:

Try some copper remover also, it may be your dies are just picking up brass from not enough lube. I use Montana Extreme Copper Killer. It's pretty strong, 10% Ammonia, so don't smell it. Clean it just like cleaning your barrel. Just make sure to put some kind of lube in when your done or it will rust.

Click to expand...

I think Tightgroup tiger has the right of it, brass galling buildup is more likely than scratched dies.

Yankee1986 said:

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I will clean the die and clean up and rethink/fine tune my way I lube the brass.



How about mineral spirits or acetone?
I have no problem buying what you recommended but I have these on hand.

Click to expand...

A strong copper remover is what you want, acetone doesn't work on copper. ( I think) You want one of the ones with high ammonia content. Shooters Choice Copper Remover, Montana Extreme Copper Remover. You'll know you have good stuff when you sniff the open bottle and you feel pain.

I didn't have much luck with copper solvents (Sweet's primarily) but JB bore paste on a .30 cal bore mop chucked in a drill always cleans it up for me.

tightgroup tiger said:

Try some copper remover also, it may be your dies are just picking up brass from not enough lube. I use Montana Extreme Copper Killer. It's pretty strong, 10% Ammonia, so don't smell it. Clean it just like cleaning your barrel. Just make sure to put some kind of lube in when your done or it will rust.

Click to expand...

My thoughts as well. Had this happen on a 308 die. I pulled the expander and packed a few patches into it and poured in some BoreTech copper remover and let it sit a day or 3.

How about mineral spirits or acetone?
I have no problem buying what you recommended but I have these on hand.

Click to expand...

A strong copper remover is what you want, acetone doesn't work on copper. ( I think) You want one of the ones with high ammonia content. Shooters Choice Copper Remover, Montana Extreme Copper Remover. You'll know you have good stuff when you sniff the open bottle and you feel pain.

Click to expand...

Yes, it has to have ammonia in it, that's what dissolves the copper in copper removers. Be careful with the Montana Extreme, it's 10% ammonia.
Hold your breath when applying it. It works the best of any I've used yet.
Sweet's is another one but not as strong as Montana Extreme.
It should work well if copper fouling is the problem.

barnfrog said:

Sounds like a country music song title.

Lines in the brass
A dirty sizing die
Flitz on a patch
A cordless drill and my
Case necks will soon be smooooooth

Click to expand...

Barnfrog could be a song writer! I can just hear Tom T Hall singing "The Ballard of the Dirty Sizing Die"!

Yankee1986 said:

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I will clean the die and clean up and rethink/fine tune my way I lube the brass.



How about mineral spirits or acetone?
I have no problem buying what you recommended but I have these on hand.

Click to expand...

I use carb cleaner and or brake cleaner.

Question asked, question answered. I will only add it is really nice to have a well taken image of the problem, great picture with fine detail. Makes for getting good help.

Ron