Brass sticking Dillon 550B

[CopperFouling]

I've loaded cartridges on my 550B for about two years now, and I've developed a slight problem that I've not experienced before. I'm loading .45 ACP using new Starline brass and Berry's 230 gr. plated RN, running them through Dillon dies.

On the downstroke, the case at the crimp die sticks just slightly as I start the stroke. I hear a small pop (not really a pop but not sure how to describe it), and the rest of the stroke is smooth. When I look very closely at the brass, there are some vertical scratch marks ever so slightly present near the top of the case, where the cartridge is crimped.

I've checked the other stations to make sure that it's not the brass sticking on the powder funnel (that's happened to me once before), and it's definitely happening on the crimp die. And I cleaned it with a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip, drying it afterward, but that hasn't had an effect.

Any ideas? I called Dillon, but the queue was 36 people deep. Must be a lot of snowbound reloaders right now.

 

[tubguy]

When using new brass or brass cleaned with stainless steel pins, there is no lube on the cases. They were sticking on me as well. If you have a vibrating case cleaner with your favorite media, try put a little new finish polishing compound in there with the problem brass. This fixed my problem.
Also you can just trying put some bullet lube or furniture polish lightly on a few cases and try it on the suspect die.

 

[me26245]

it could be that your belling the case mouth to much. What kind of dies are you using?

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

I agree, it sounds like the bell is a little big. I also suggest you the lube cases with Dillons spray lube. Things go much smoother with the cases lubed, especially on the Square Deal machines.

 

[CopperFouling]

They were sticking on me as well. If you have a vibrating case cleaner with your favorite media, try put a little new finish polishing compound in there with the problem brass. This fixed my problem.

I'll try that first. Thanks.

it could be that your belling the case mouth to much. What kind of dies are you using?

I thought that at first two, but I adjusted until there's almost no bell in the case mouths. Now there's just barely enough room to get the bullets into the cases, but the problem's still there. And I am using Dillon dies.

I also suggest you the lube cases with Dillons spray lube.

I'll try that second. Thanks.

 

[SWThomas]

Mine does that too and I use very minimal flare. It's normal.

 

[chiltech500]

Not to hijack thread but maybe someone could pm me,

How many of you use lubes for 45 and 9mm with carbide dies - I keep reading its unnecessary but maybe would save my shoulder some whear and tear?

 

[Master Blaster]

I keep a tin of imperial sizing wax handy and while its not needed, a little smear of my index finger and a brief rotation of the case between my finger and thumb on every fourth or fifth case makes the amount of effort needed decrease by 80%. Dillon carbide sizing die and Hornady LNL and Dillon 550 press.

 

[sellersm]

I put my cases in a ziplock and shoot a quick shot of case lube and roll them around a bit before loading them. Makes a world of difference!

 

[jmorris]

If you only have problems with new starline brass, this may help.



From starline.

There are two situations that create this problem. The first is one we have just recently identified. It seems to be associated with the dillon powder funnel and only a couple of calibers (45 Auto and 40 S&W). The land for expanding case mouth is too long and when you begin to bell mouth the bottom of expander gets into the thicker taper of case and wedges causing it to be very hard to get back out. We have modified several by increasing radius on end and slightly shortening expanding land and this eliminated the problem completely. Call Starline and we will take care of it if you wish. One other cause can be a burr at case mouth created by the final trim operation, which grabs onto expander as it comes back up. This situation does not often appear and can be fixed by deburring case mouth or inside lubing cases.

I noticed you are sure that it is not happening on the powder die expander but you might check for the burs they are talking about.

 

[noylj]

Normally, the "problem" exists at the expander die. I have never had a problem with the Dillon cartridge-specific powder funnels (any more than I have had a problem with Hornady's PTXs). Yours might need polishing if you have any problems with the expander, though I have only had one Lee PTE expander plug be rough enough to require polishing. The main thing is--there is no real problem, just a bad "feel."
Scratches on the case means something (like small bits of nickel plating) have gotten into a die and the die needs to be cleaned.