.223 Question

[mighty2]

Need some advise, when I am resizing .223 Rem. the brass keeps getting stuck in the die.

I have tried everything that I know about.

I am currently using a Lyman die, but I have tried Lee and Hornady.

 

[rcmodel]

You have to use Case Lube.

RCBS case lube & a lube pad.
Imperial Sizing Die Wax applied with the fingers.
Or just about anyones spray case lube.

It is also a good practice to very lightly lube the inside of the case mouth so the expander button doesn't drag & squeek.

Also, make absolutely certain you are using the correct # shell holder for .223. Some others are close, but no cigar! SOme others are just made pretty sloppy and won't work.
I suggest RCBS or Redding for the best fit.

How are you getting the stuck cases out of the die, if I may ask?

rcmodel

 

[Remo-99]

Are the cases lubed? the correct shellholder being used? Just what I can think of atm.

rc was quicker to the punch. lol.

 

[rfwobbly]

When I use Imperial case lube, I like to roll the case on a large stamp pad that's soaked in the lube. That way the complete exterior of the case gets lightly and evenly covered. You have to do each and every case this way before sizing.

You can get a large, un-inked stamp pad at you local office supply store. Or, RCBS sells a greasing pad.

 

[robsc]

Your resizing die may need to be cleaned. Remove the decapper rod and clean wash out the die with hot water. Keep it hot and blow dry the die with a hair dryer to blow out and dry out all the water.
If you are shooting a bolt action rifle you only need to neck size your brass. No lube is needed. Brass cases don`t get stuck in the die. Only the neck is resized. Neck sizing increases brass life 5x.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I suggest a good manual might be of further help if lubeing cures the problem.

 

[ilike223s]

I looked for the un-inked stamp pads, no one sells the kind Im looking for,I had one of the old style.It was about 6 in long,maybe 3 in wide,and it was metal.all I could find now were tiny,plasic ones with a thin spong,I looked at the craft stores,

I need to get one from rcbs,,

But if the cases are lubed,,there shouldnt be any reason for stuck cases other then,wrong shell holder.or no case lube, on the cases, if your using the right dies.

 

[rfwobbly]

Since the advent of the office computer, ink and rubber stamps aren't as popular as they once were. My son, who works at Office Depot, tells me they still make large un-inked pads, but they have to order them.

 

[wcwhitey]

The ink pads will deposit garbage on the casings, felt, black die, etc. when used with RCBS lube. Ask me how I know. Get the RCBS Pad, keep it clean and it will last 30 years like mine.

 

[Steve in PA]

Ditto on the RCBS pad.....but mine is only about 18 years old

 

[cracked butt]

Just use Imperial sizing wax.
Rub the tip of your index finger across the wax, rub it around the case body once, then across the casemouth- a tiny little goes a long way. For .223 I only lube every other case, never stuck any case with Imperial Sizing wax. Period.
Edit: the RCBS case lube pad is very good, I used it for about a decade. Imperial is better and less messy, I'll never go back to the lube pad.

 

[ants]

I agree with Ol' Joe

mighty1, if in fact you did not know how to use case lube, I have a little concern about getting you up to speed on know-how.

If you are unfamiliar with the procedures and requirements of reloading rifle cartridges, be sure to get a book and read it. The information on how to do it right will turn your new hobby into a fabulously fun hobby, rather than a frustrating exercise that you soon give up.

 

[rcmodel]

I think Mighty1 is MIA!

rcmodel

 

[ants]

mighty1, mighty2, mighty mouse. How am I supposed to keep track?

Thanks for the catch, rc.

 

[rcmodel]

Actually I didn't catch it.
I read & typed it wrong.

I was just commenting that he hasn't been back since the OP.

I do see now it is Mighty2 not Mighty1!

rc

 

[mighty2]

Thanks for all the feed back.

I am familiar with reloading, but these 223 are just not working for me to well.

I have reloaded .308, 44, 45 with no problems like this.

I will try these and see what happens.

 

[GooseGestapo]

WCWhitey; I got you beat!, mines 36yrs old !!! Bought it in 1972 at Wayne's Gunshop in Anniston, AL where I worked sweeping floors, writing in the 4473's into the ledger, ect. after school and all day Saturday. I was in the 11th grade in highschool. Even though the top case is cracked and missing a sliver along the side, the pad still works!

However, I use STP for case lube. Just like the RCBS lube, only MUCH cheaper.

Yes, I've stuck .223's, but it was due to insufficient lube. I also use a little Midway Mica and a Hoppe's nylon cleaning brush to inside lube the necks to eliminate the friction. (A little "white" graphite from Ace Hardware will do the same trick. It's for brass lock tumblers.......).

The extra lube is needed on the case body near the head. The small diameter and thichness of the brass case contributes to this. I ususally encounter this when loading with a progressive loader and I get in too big of a hurry.........

 

[Ky Larry]

I've used Imperial,Lee Case Lube, One Shot, and RCBS Lube Pad, All worked fine as long as I lubed the inside of the case neck. I use a Q-Tip to lube the inside of the case neck. Very tedious and time consuming but no stuck cases.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, you won't get stuck cases from not lubing inside the case neck.
The worst that can happen is squeaky squawker noises when you pull the case over the expander, and possibly pulling the shoulder foreword.

Stuck cases are always the result of not enough lube on the outside of the case.

An easier faster way then a Q-Tip is with a nylon bore brush rolled on your lube pad. Or just dab a case neck down on the pad occasionally.

You only need to do every 4th. - 5th. one or so, as enough lube carries over on the expander ball to do several cases.

rcmodel

 

[Highway_Star]

I use One Shot spray lube on my .223 and 30.06 cases. The only ones I've stuck so far are the 30.06 cases, and going over their necks on the inside with a q tip fixed that. I've only been loading rifle cartridges for about 10 years now.

 

[Floppy_D]

I use the same RCBS lube pad, and truth be told, it is superior. I also use Hornady One Shot, which works quite well, but sometimes makes for a bit more effort. Never a stuck case though.

 

[mighty2]

I am back up and running.

I was using One Shot Spray Lube and switched back over to the bad. Working great now.

Thanks