Something is still not Kosher

[Epicurean]

I posted this newbie question last night http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=505734 . The thread that ir linked resolved my concerns.

Tonight I continued my decapping process. I've done maybe 300 or so and have had three cases stick in the die! The rim is ripping out of the shellholder at the beginning of the down stroke. Fortunately Lee dies are not that hard to get a stuck case out of. All three cases have been Blazer.

Is this normal? My arm is killing me.

 

[Walkalong]

Is this normal?

Nope. Carbide? Steel?

 

[FROGO207]

Is your die carbide? If not you will need to lube them. Is your shellholder the correct one? If not it might not hold the shell securely when removing it from the die. The clue is the force that you are using to size. Should not be twice as hard as the 38 SPL to size.

 

[Epicurean]

Brand new Lee 4 die set. Should be carbide.

 

[hogshead]

They are brass cases right.

 

[Epicurean]

Yep. Brass cases - mixed headstamp. No rhyme of reason to which headstamp is tougher. Some cases are easier than others but that is not brand specific.

 

[FROGO207]

I have some mil spec brass and PMC all these were harder to size than commercial but not as hard as say 44 MAG or 30 carbine. Try lubing some and see if it works better. Does your decapping die have a ring of different colored metal inside the bottom? This would look like my carbide die, if not you might not have a carbide one. I have ones from them in 380, 9mm,45acp, 357, and all are easier than my rifle dies when decapping.

 

[Walkalong]

Can you see the carbide ring insert in the die, like these?

 

[ir3e971]

Epicurean,

Sorry if this questions sounds silly. But are these 9x19 (9mm luger) dies, not another variant of 9mm such as makarov?

I have never had this happen, and I have sized a lot of 9mm luger with my Lee dies.

 

[Epicurean]

Walkalong - yes I can see it and the literature with the die set specifically says carbide sizing die.

 

[jfh]

What headstamps?

Jim H.

 

[Epicurean]

ir - literature says "9mm Luger."

 

[Epicurean]

jfh - mixed headstamp but the 3 stuck cases were Blazer.

 

[rfwobbly]

Case lube makes sizing go easier. Are you using any lube? While carbide may mean you don't HAVE to lube, it does not preclude the use of lube.

 

[ir3e971]

Epicurean,

You are right, something is not Kosher. You may want to give the lube suggestion a try and see if the problem still occurs.

If it does not re-occur, You may have a bad carbide ring and a bum die, and would definitely follow up with a call to Lee.

If the problem re-occurs with lube, perhaps there is some other issue. A shell holder out of spec, perhaps the decapping pin getting stuck in the flash hole. I don't know, kind of just throwing out random guesses. Probably again follow up with a call to Lee.

I am sorry to hear your early attempts are meeting with frustration.

 

[jcwit]

Are you getting an marks such as scratches or gouging on the cases? Do these 9mm cases have a bulge on them as if maybe fired in an unsupported chamber Glock?

 

[Epicurean]

I'll have to round up some spray lube - all I have is the Hornady case sizing wax. How long should I tumble the finished rounds to remove the lube? I use Lizard Litter.

 

[Epicurean]

jc - No scratches, etc. Some of this brass was range pick up so it's possible I'm running into some Glock fired brass. I've calipered before and after sizing and everything is very close to spec. The resizing is decreasing OD 0.002" to 0.004".

 

[ir3e971]

Your Hornady case sizing wax should be fine as a lube. I think you just rub some on the case with a finger. You shouldn't need to slather it on. Give that a try unless you just want to use spray lube. I have never used any of the spray lubes, and have resized large rifle cases just fine with the finger or pad applied lubes.

The few times I put case lube (Lyman I believe, may have been Lee) on 357 cases, I applied just a little with the tip of my finger and ran it around the outside of the case.

I tumble for about thirty or 40 minutes after sizing rifle cases. It has always removed all the lube for me. Should not make a difference if it is corn cob or walnut.

 

[LiveLife]

I am really curious. I have set up several new reloaders with brand new Lee carbide dies in the recent years for 9/40/45 and have not run into this problem.

Specific to 9mm cases, new Lee carbide dies with no lube sizing mixed headstamp - no issues with case ever being stuck in the die or having the case rim ripped (This includes known Glocked cases with bulges). Our range sells a lot of Blazer ammo for range guns and they size like any other headstamp case.

I am assuming that since you sized/decapped 300 other cases, there is no issue with decapping pin getting stuck?

I agree with ir3e971, a call to Lee may be in order unless you have access to another die set to try out.

Just as a note, I tumble all of my range brass in walnut for 20-30 minutes before I size/deprime - found to make the sizing easier.

 

[Walkalong]

My Lee 9MM sizer in the pic has sized 1000's of brass and no problems. No lube, no excess effort. Something is wrong.

 

[GaryL]

I'll have to round up some spray lube - all I have is the Hornady case sizing wax. How long should I tumble the finished rounds to remove the lube? I use Lizard Litter.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a can of Imperial Sizing Wax. I saw it recommended so many times on here that I figured it must be worth a try. Haven't used spray lube since.

Anyway, you can use a very small amount on every 5th-10th case for pistol cases. I don't even bother to wipe it off, but I suppose you should.

 

[FROGO207]

It is possible that it is a 9mm die with a 380 size ring by mistake. I forgot to change my decapping die once and a 9mm brass did get stuck in my 380 die. It sized but almost not.Then got ripped out of shellholder.

 

[1SOW]

I use the Lee resizing wax-based lube thinned with alcohol and sprayed on with a plant mister. because it's 'smoother', not because of any sticking problems. I haven't had any troubles with 'glocked' brass or Blazer brass.

Either the die or the die set-up must be off.

 

[jcwit]

I'm almost of the opinion to send these back to Lee for them to look over, sure seems something is amiss, and I believe they will make it good with no charge or problem. After all they are the final experts on their own products.

Its very obvious something is amiss.

As the old saying goes xxxx happens, and this stands for everything. I'm sure Toyota did not plan for their huge recall.