Round stuck in Lee FCD...help

[Flintknapper]

Without seeing a side view...I can't really tell, but it looks to me as if you might have enough room to slowly hacksaw the base of the case off. That way you would be rid of the primer (the main concern).

You could then remove the bullet and remaining case any number of ways.

Brass will not spark (though the die itself could) and you are not going to generate enough heat to set anything off, but DON'T use a dremel with a cut-off disc.

If you don't have enough case sticking out...disregard.

 

[jmorris]

I seat and crimp in two steps so I never have had anything like that happen. Could be done several ways but I wouldn't post that you should hammer on any part of a round that is live. You got where you are by doing something you shouldnt, really want to risk escalating your problems?

 

[918v]

You could remove the bullet with a slidehammer, then punch out the case with a rod.

 

[superbee922]

I just now got a 303 Savage cartridge unstuck from a 30-30 LFC die. It had not occurred to me that the 303 Savage case would be bigger in diameter than 30-30 cases.

After removing the adjustment screw, I put the die in a vice and tapped on the cast lead bullet with a punch pin. This drove the bullet down into the case but did not budge the case from the die.

Then I inserted the handle of the punch pin into the die body. It was a very snug fit, and when I tapped on the pin with a hammer the cartridge finally dropped out.

I have since learned that the 308 Win LFC die can be used to crimp 303 Savage rounds.

 

[Otto]

Ding Ding...we have a winner.

Do you live near a really deep lake or the Ocean???

After reading 54 posts, I was curious to hear what Lee Precision had to say about this.
The official response from Lee's technical advisor "Bill", was to 'throw it in the nearest lake'.
Those were his exact words.
I asked about pounding it out and he said absolutely not.
I asked about mailing the FCD back to Lee and he said 'No! It was a hand grenade at this point'.
He said the only safe way to remove the round was pulling it out by the rim using the proper shellholder and single stage press.

 

[Flintknapper]

He said the only safe way to remove the round was pulling it out by the rim using the proper shellholder and single stage press.

And he would be wrong of course, but I understand his constraints (liability to company if he gave any other answer).

 

[Sam1911]

Hmmm...that is a heaping helping of hyperbole. Shame he has to cover his employer's butt quite to that degree, but I guess it is what it is.

A "hand grenade" it is NOT. Sheesh, run for the hills, boys!

 

[Flintknapper]

A "hand grenade" it is NOT. Sheesh, run for the hills, boys!

Yeah, and don't forget the serpentine fashion......!

We're all gonna DIE...!

 

[38riverrat]

I wonder if you could "pull" the bullet kinetically. The die would need a handle, like a kinetic puller. Maybe a piece of bar stock with a hole. You would need a second adjusting nut, from another die. Slam the top of the die on a block of hard wood. Repeat! "Deal" with primer!
In my case, I have a boat, and frequently cruise in 100 fathom deep water.


Rick

 

[wingman]

Never seen anything that kroil oil would not loosen,this has been an interesting thread to say the least.

 

[steve4102]

Put it in the freezer.

 

[JSmith]

I wouldn't give up until I had it out of there either, even though I would probably get a new die in the meantime (because if it happened once...)

In #35, it looks like you have enough rim sticking out to saw it off - I'd probably use a ceramic hacksaw blade and make a fast, dirty job of it. Once that's done, how heavy is your ball-peen? I have a 5-pounder; that, and a short piece of #3 rebar for a punch, WOULD get it out.

 

[gamestalker]

I don't know how it happened, but I would never drill or hammer on a live round, and one that is confined inside of a die is a hand grenade if it detonates. If anything, I would try and devise a puller of sort. Making a puller of the type used for pulling bearings is really easy to do, and very effective. A shell holder, 1/4" bolt and 3 pieces of metal with a small jaw edge filed into them will do it. Or devise a slide hamer using the shell holder and a 1/4" threaded bolt long enough to provide some room for necessary inertia force.

GS

 

[GLOOB]

The Lee engineer gave the right advice.

There's plenty of rim left on that round to pull it out in a single stage press. I think your shell plate fit is marginal, if it couldn't pull a round out of an FCD. In fact, the rim looks barely mangled, at all.