My first stuck case

[kmw1954]

I guess it's not a case of if but more of when will it happen. In this instance not quite sure how it happened or why. Using Hornady Universal Lube as normal. The case went into the die normally. No excessive force, everything felt fine. Then upon extraction from the die once again not a lot of pressure as I do this on an RCBS JR3 press that has simple leverage. There was a POP and the ram came down, shell holder intact. The case just pulled free from the shell holder! The case rim was stripped!

Took the dies and case out of the press and then unscrewed the decapping pin. With the nut off the stem still would not extract but it was loose. So I removed the shell holder and placed the die into the press on the ram with the stem up. Placed a piece of steel between the press and the stem and then used the press to push the stem and case from out of the die. Worked great! Case still stuck on the stem. So next O took a pair of dykes and snipped the case in half and recovered the stem.

The brass in this instance was G.F.L. 223 once fired. Will add that in this batch of brass I have also already discarded 5 pcs. with split necks after just one resizing.

 

[ms6852]

It sounds like maybe the shell holder is worn out or you could accidentally have placed the wrong one or just a bad case. I have had to use my Dremel to cut the brass more than once to recover the stem. If you reload this is what you can expect, totally worth it though.

 

[kmw1954]

I am inclined to believe it was the brass. After clearing that mess I resized another 50 cases, all went normal.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

I feel your pain. Stuck a 264 Win Mag this evening, it happens. I swear certain brass doesn't work with some lubes. That was using a new shell holder.

 

[AJC1]

I feel your pain. Stuck a 264 Win Mag this evening, it happens. I swear certain brass doesn't work with some lubes. That was using a new shell holder.
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If you size with the expander removed a stuck case is a 5 second issue. I open necks and set tension with a mandrel, just like in pistol minus flare unless I'm loading lead then they are exactly the same.

 

[kmw1954]

ouch! At least I was able to remove the stem nut and then press the stuck brass back out. Guess Lee Precision did something right!

 

[sparkyv]

I hate it when that happens.

 

[kmw1954]

If you size with the expander removed a stuck case is a 5 second issue. .

So if you size with the expander removed how are you expanding the case mouths on rifle brass? Two Steps?

 

[kmw1954]

I hate it when that happens.

I have told myself, "it will never happen to me!", I have pulled an thrown away brass that I felt was too stiff for my liking.

 

[AJC1]

So if you size with the expander removed how are you expanding the case mouths on rifle brass? Two Steps?

Yes. If I'm loading lead I'm using a noe expander plug that has a step. If a normal jacketed bullet I use a 21st expander.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

If you size with the expander removed a stuck case is a 5 second issue. I open necks and set tension with a mandrel, just like in pistol minus flare unless I'm loading lead then they are exactly the same.

I may try that approach next time. It's an old Pacific die set that was my grandfather's. Luckily I only load about 50 of that caliber a year.

 

[AJC1]

I may try that approach next time. It's an old Pacific die set that was my grandfather's. Luckily I only load about 50 of that caliber a year.

I like this path for a lot of reasons over the new bushing dies. Dinged necks are a lot easier to deal with. And I can use all of my old dies and still be using modern techniques.

 

[Riomouse911]

Over the years I ruined a RCBS .243 and a Hornady .454 Casull resizing trying to remove stuck cases myself. Last one was about 10 years ago.

Many good, but pricy, lessons were learned!

Since then I guess I have been lucky and haven't had a stuck case since.

Stay safe.

 

[AK Hunter]

If you reload long enough it will happen. I'm glad you found the fix fast & didn't let it stop you from reloading more.

 

[Herman B]

Stuck a 264 Win Mag this evening, it happens. I swear certain brass doesn't work with some lubes.

Perhaps a Larry Willis Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die would help with that (link).

 

[kmw1954]

If you reload long enough it will happen. I'm glad you found the fix fast & didn't let it stop you from reloading more.

Fore certain, I have read many of the horror stories and have a couple friends that have experienced it and I swore I was going to do everything in my power to prevent it from happening. Once again, the reason I reject all cases that need what I feel as unnecessary force to get them into the die. Never expected on to pull out of the shell holder like this one did or as easily as it did.

 

[AJC1]

Fore certain, I have read many of the horror stories and have a couple friends that have experienced it and I swore I was going to do everything in my power to prevent it from happening. Once again, the reason I reject all cases that need what I feel as unnecessary force to get them into the die. Never expected on to pull out of the shell holder like this one did or as easily as it did.

If you used the decaping and expander rod to help drive the case out I highly recommend you replace it. The part is cheap and as much as I dont chase consentricity, any small bend isn't going to help.

 

[FROGO207]

I think the OP used Lee dies. The expand/decap stem is designed to do this without bending.

 

[kmw1954]

I think the OP used Lee dies. The expand/decap stem is designed to do this without bending.

Correct, see post #6

 

[milsurpguy]

Rcbs stuck shell remover. Everyone should have one, no matter what you load.

 

[KentM]

Had a couple of .223 cartridges that wouldn't chamber due to headspace problems, so I pulled the bullets and figured I'd resize the the cases with the decapping pin removed. Primers are hard to find you know. Obviously that's when you get a stuck case - with a live primer in it...

As a last resort, I applied some WD-40 to it and let it sit awhile. Then I rotated the die and the casing 90 degrees, raised the empty ram up and slid the shell holder onto the casing and the ram together. With the 90 degree rotation there was now enough undamaged rim for the shell holder to grip, and a second chance to remove it. I then lowered the ram and (wait for it...)
...the casing came out. Whew!

 

[milsurpguy]

You can decap live primers.

 

[Blue68f100]

I generally just back the expander/deprimer pin up so it does not deprime. So if you happen to stick a case you can still run the deprimer pin/expander down to remove the primer.