Stuck cases in Lee 223

[tyeo098]

Back story: Having my new (used) single stage Lee Challenger press and feeling pretty comfortable loading 9mm loads (Ive loaded probably 500 now) I decided it was time to get to my main purpose of buying the press: Loading cheap .223 for trigger-happy family members to shoot.

Thinking the process was the same, and it would be easy enough, I've been saving brass, and ordered some Lee 223 die kits off of amazon. I stopped by the LGS and picked up some 1k SRP and 1lb of Varget. Got home, chucked the sizing die in the press and after the first 2 or 3 rounds, I started getting stuck cases and ripping the rims off my cases! Being a 21-year old with frustration at the die, I was glad the solution was to take a hammer to it to get the stuck case out.

So I figure I need some sort of lube. Stopped by the local Home Depot and picked up some spray-silicon lube. Get back home and fire up the press. Here is how it went:

Use a little: Stuck cases
Use a lot: Stuck cases
SLATHER IT: Cases only stick if I stop moving the ram.

So I think I found the problem, the static friction coefficient of the silicon is waaay higher than its kinetic friction coefficient. That means, if I stop the case from moving in the high pressure die, it'll act like glue as I cant get the case moving again. Only thing is, now there are wrench marks everywhere (this is after about 20 or so suck cases out of 60 I saved...) and I feel as if my dies are getting torn up.

Tried dish soap: Stuck cases.

I'm at a loss here. I cant seem to find Lanolin at the local stores, and I don't want to keep destroying my perfectly good brass.

What do you all use for lube that I can find locally? I'm thinking of trying Mink Oil boot waterproofer. Its a mixture of Mink Oil (good) Lanolin (also good) and Silicon (uh oh..)

Help me...

 

[Certaindeaf]

It took Thomas Edison about four million manhours to find the tungsten filament. You can do it!

 

[chris in va]

You really need to get a reloading manual ASAP before hurting yourself or others. You would have known to use a dedicated case lube such as Hornady Unique as it states clearly in the manual to do so.

Also, what dies did you get...hopefully not the neck sizing die.

 

[Sport45]

Frogs Pad Homemade Firearm Products

Good luck!

I use an old school lube pad. If you have a Wal-Mart nearby you can get Kiwi Mink Oil polish in the shoe dept. That stuff works well too.

Bag balm (or something like that) from the local feed store should have enough lanolin to work as well.

 

[T Bran]

I use STP engine oil treatment on a regular basis a little dab will do lots of cases. Just get some on the fingers of one hand I call it the dirty hand and rub a bit on the case avoiding the shoulders.
First clean all of that other stuff out of your die.
There should be very little resistance resizing .223 so be sure your die is set up corectly. A thumb over the case mouth with the dirty hand will also help to lube the expander button on the way out, a little dab will do it if you can see it it is to much.
There are many fine lubes on the market but this will get you by in a pinch.

 

[Ritchie]

The dies should have had an instruction sheet in the package. Read that and believe it, then get a real reloading manual-Speer, Lyman, and Hornady make good, comprehensive books. Lee also makes a perfectly good case sizing lube, wipe a thin film all over the case except the base of course, and after sizing wipe it off with a damp cloth/paper towel. You're going to need a few more tools, but the books will cover that. Rifles are a different order of thing to reload for than pistols, so study up. The process is not the same, details matter a lot.

 

[jim243]

You are a gulton for punishment, 60 cases?? You should have stopped after the 3rd at least.

A. Buy a stuck case removeal kit.
B. Go on line to Midway USA and have them send you some "case lube", Frankfort Arsonel, Lee, Hornady, Imperal Sizing Wax, SOMEONE's!!
C. Bottle neck rifle cases REQUIRE case lube to not stick in the resizing die.
D. Pistol case dies come with a carbide ring in the base, rifle do not.

Do not over lube your cases, but make sure they are lubed. 223 cases are the easyest to get stuck in your dies, but all other rifle cases will stick also if not lubed.

Good Luck and stay safe.
Jim

 

[Josh45]

Mink Oil.
I FL resize 30-06 cases with this lube. No pproblems. I also do 30-30 and .308 and no issues there.

Honestly, You need to read the manual and get a loading manual and read about how to reload rifle rounds. Anytime you FL a rifle case, You must lube it. I use the Lee Collet Neck sizing die which does not require lubing but FL sizing is a must to lube.

And don't forget to remove the lube off the cases after your done sizing them.
Either wipe them off with a rag or throw them in the tumbler and let them tumble for about 20-30 min in there. Obviously you will need to trim after wards. Don't forget! Mink Oil can be bought at CVS/Walgreens/Wal-Mart ETC.

 

[zxcvbob]

Mink oil (shoe dressing), or castor oil (laxative).

I've heard that Alberto VO5 Original Hairdressing works well too.

Regular motor oil doesn't work, but 2-cycle oil might, or hypoid gear oil.

 

[Joe_556]

One-shot spray lube. Follow the instructions.

 

[243winxb]

Your going to need this a LOT > http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

 

[jaguarxk120]

What you need is a lube that has a high film strength. Something like the STP, or a heavy gear lube. Wax based lubes work great but you have to apply it with the fingers. There are spray lubes, but they need a drying time so the solvent can evaporate.

Everybody has their own pet lube and for them it works, one that many like is imperial sizing wax.

Thin oils like silicone, WD40, and PB Blaster are for light jobs and won't hold up in sizing operations.

 

[Col]

stuck cases

Lanolin, STP, mink oil, VO5 shampoo,WD40 Guys why not tell the guy to get
a proper case lube as stated in every reloading manual, RCBS, Lee or whatever he prefers

 

[Slamfire]

I can't tell the difference between Mink Oil and Imperial Sizing wax. They both work fine.

My favorite is RCBS water soluble, because it will wash off in the sink.

 

[LiveLife]

BTW, be sure to keep the vent hole in the die body clear - it's there to help release the vacuum and allow the sized case to slide out.

 

[medalguy]

I've been using Imperial for about ten years I guess, but I've been reloading nearly 45 years now, and I've loaded many, many thousands of rounds of rifle ammo since I started using Imperial. I finally used most of the first tin of Imperial last year and decided to buy another before I completely ran out.

Imperial is by far the finest sizing lube available. You guys can use STP, mink oil, shoe polish, sixteen year old virgin's spit, whatever you want. All I can tell you is, I haven't stuck a case in over 150,000 rounds of reloading using Imperial. It works for me. And it's really cheap.

And to the OP: Second the idea of getting and reading a GOOD reloading manual. Any of them will more than adequately answer your questions about what equipment works best. And of course there's always the forum here.

 

[zxcvbob]

Lanolin, STP, mink oil, VO5 shampoo,WD40 Guys why not tell the guy to get
a proper case lube as stated in every reloading manual, RCBS, Lee or whatever he prefers

Because lanolin and mink oil (and castor oil) are proper lubricants, and VO5 hairdressing (not shampoo) has lanolin in it.

WD40 will pretty much guarantee you get a stuck case. I'm not sure about STP.

I use Dillon Spray Lube for .223's. It's just lanolin thinned with alcohol.

 

[wingman]

[/ Being a 21-year old with frustration at the die,QUOTE]

I slightly remember being 21, thought I could fix everything with a hammer and really big screw driver,hang in there this too shall pass.

 

[jmorris]

It may be a good thing that you stuck so many if you didnt read anything that told you to lube rifle cases you likely didn't read that you also have to trim them also. Bottle neck cases are not the same as the others. Press pause on reloading and do a little more reading.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It almost goes without saying that if you ever decide to lay wrench etc upon an automobile etc, they have these nevermind. Good luck.

 

[TheCracker]

Is this post even real? Seriously. If it is, some people just aren't cut out for reloading. A little research goes a long way

 

[Swampman]

It's relatively quick and easy to remove a stuck case from a die, removing them from a family members eyeball or face (along with tbe associated mangled rifle parts) ... Not so much.
Even a properly loaded rifle round can generate upwards of SIXTY THOUSAND POUNDS of pressure per square inch (that's more than 30 Volkswagen beetles weigh). How many PSI can an improperly loaded round generate?
Please do yourself a favor, buy, read and study at least two good reloading manuals. After you've studied them for a while, ask questions, then when you actually start loading, SHOOT THE ROUNDS YOURSELF. You will know what to look for regarding problems, your family members won't.
When you've built a successful track record, THEN you can allow family members to fire your loads, keeping in mind that what is safe in one rifle may not be safe in another.
Lastly, I have a question; if your LGS carries powder and primers, why don't they carry case lube?

 

[tyeo098]

It may be a good thing that you stuck so many if you didnt read anything that told you to lube rifle cases you likely didn't read that you also have to trim them also. Bottle neck cases are not the same as the others. Press pause on reloading and do a little more reading.

Edited my post for a more chronological order. After the 3rd stuck case I bought the silicon lube. The rest got stuck AFTER/WITH lubing. I've done lots of reading, thanks. I figured I could get by with 1 load (10 rds) with the oil the dies came slathered in.

I was asking for lube advise. I have a case trimmer, thanks.

Is this post even real? Seriously. If it is, some people just aren't cut out for reloading. A little research goes a long way

I love how this thread went from helpful at around 2am to what seems like people trying to increase their post count.

After you've studied them for a while, ask questions, then when you actually start loading, SHOOT THE ROUNDS YOURSELF.

Asking questions is what this forum is for, no? I do shoot all the rounds I've loaded myself. Thanks. Each round has started 10% below the recommended starting load from the books (in my case 22.5gr)

You will know what to look for regarding problems, your family members won't.

Flattened primers, split necks, etc. I know what to look for and I do (see above)

Lastly, I have a question; if your LGS carries powder and primers, why don't they carry case lube?

Probably the same reason they only stock Kahr and Para Ordinance. Only God knows why.
Even if they did, 70$ for a lb of varget and 1000 primers is rich enough for my blood. I'd hate to see what they charged for lube.

Let me try this again: Does anyone have any non-traditional case resizing lube recommendations? I can do without the insults to my intelligence.
Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

Pure Anhydrous Lanolin from any pharmacy is as good as it gets.

But real case lube is way cheaper.

However, the Anhydrous Lanolin will make your hands soft and silky.
And make you smell like a wet sheep.

Some folks like the one, or the other.

rc

 

[Swampman]

By the way, if you spray on the silicone lube and let the carrier solvent evaporate before you try and size the cases, it'll probably work, not well, but it would probably work (at least some of the time). Kinda like Hornady One Shot... ;-)