uh-oh, stuck shell!

[snuffy]

RC is right, there's no way in h--- you can pull an expander up through a case while inside the die. To say otherwise is admitting you don't understand how the expander works in bottle necked rifle FL dies.

Well, there's two ways, if the expander is WAY too small, or the case necks are way too thin.

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

To each their own way. You have yours, I have mine. I am pretty good at doing things the hard way.

 

[rcmodel]

The whole point I was trying to make is:

You don't have to get the expander out of the die to drill & tap for a stuck case remover anyway.

It simply isn't necessary to remove it until after you get the case out of the die!
All you need to do is un-screw it until it is loose to get it out of the way.

rcmodel

 

[coloradokevin]

The whole point I was trying to make is:

You don't have to get the expander out of the die to drill & tap for a stuck case remover anyway.

It simply isn't necessary to remove it until after you get the case out of the die!
All you need to do is un-screw it until it is loose to get it out of the way.

Obviously I'm not the expert on this subject, hence the original question.

But, your reply did raise a question for me...

I tried unscrewing the collet on top of the decap pin (at the top of the die). I can raise the decap pin some, but it is still visible in the flash hole when I finish. There doesn't seem to be a way to pull it further out (that I can tell), so would that pretty much leave me between a stuck case and hard place as far as the drill/tap method is concerned?

I am thinking of running over to the local hardwear store and buying a punch to try the hammer technique with, but would still love to figure out the alternative methods!

 

[Schleprok62]

Just run a coarse thread wood screw into a drilled out flash hole, then hook a claw hammer onto the screw, and smack it a couple good ones with another hammer (or reasonable facsimile)...

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

I tried unscrewing the collet on top of the decap pin (at the top of the die). I can raise the decap pin some, but it is still visible in the flash hole when I finish. There doesn't seem to be a way to pull it further out (that I can tell), so would that pretty much leave me between a stuck case and hard place as far as the drill/tap method is concerned?

Which is exactly why I recommended getting the spindle out of the case so that you don't ruin it by drilling into it or hitting it while threading the drilled out flash hole.

No need for a war here. There are many different ways to get there.

 

[rcmodel]

I tried unscrewing the collet on top of the decap pin (at the top of the die). I can raise the decap pin some, but it is still visible in the flash hole when I finish.

I thought you said you have a Lee die.

If you do have a Lee die, all you need to do is loosen the collet and drive the case out with the expander rod & a punch.
It is designed & made to do that.

It says so in the instructions.
Also here:

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

rcmodel

 

[RustyFN]

It's very easy to remove a stuck case from a Lee die. Check out this video http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/videos/Case%20prep/remove%20stuck%20case-1.wmv, I have done it and it works very well.
Rusty

 

[coloradokevin]

Thanks for all of the help guys...

A trip to ACE Hardware for a 3/16" punch and a little hammer action was all it took (darn punches are up to $5.79/ea now... should have shopped around, but I wanted to get the job done).

Didn't like the idea of pounding on my die with a hammer, but Lee recommended it, so I went for it. Took about 10 whacks and less than 30 seconds... Decapper piece was still stuck in the casing afterwards (thanks to the flaring piece of this decapper), but I just cut the casing in half with a pipe cutter, and retrieved my decapper (the brass was obviously already ruined anyway, so I didn't mind cutting it in half).

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE HELP!!!

If you are looking for me, I'll be in the basement finding something else to screw up!