What are your thoughts on stuck case problem with die

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FloriDave

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Curious problem that I thought I would get some other ideas on. A long post coming, but I'm sharing all the things I've tried and thought about, to see if anyone has any ideas.
I'm a 30+ year reloader, rifle and pistol calibers, so I'm not brand new to this. I know what I'm doing, or think I do by this point. But loading some 30/30 for the first time, my son and I are going to load up a bunch of plinking loads for a 30/30 Winchester trapper we've been having fun with lately.

My step-father gave me an old set of Lyman dies, along with about 100 once fired, polished brass( fired in his Marlin). I've also got about 200 once fired brass from the trapper.

I CANNOT get a full length resize. Cases will not even go all the way in and are stuck, about 2/3 to 3/4 in the die. I've pulled the rim off a few, and had to knock them out with a metal rod from the top. I'm pretty sure at this point I just need to just buy a new set of dies, but I can't help but wonder what could make these not work at all.

Here's a few things I've tried already.
1) Removed the neck expander, primer punch, and tried resizing without that in there at all. No difference.
2) Thoroughly cleaned the die with brake cleaner and a brush and gave it a shot of lube. It looks ok as far as I can tell.
3) I've changed the dies in the press to 30/06 and 444 marlin and resized some of those calibers once fired and had absolutely no problem. It's not my press or lube.

4) I checked about 20 times that I was in fact using a 30/30 die, that is how it's marked.

5) As a last resort, I even pulled the bullet on a brand new Winchester 30/30 round, and tried to run that unfired case through the die, it stuck and I pulled the rim off with the press! SO I can't resize brass shot from two different guns, or even unfired brass.

I'm using Lyman one shot, but that's not it, I've run thousands of 30/06, 7mm, 444, 338 using the same, and proved it's ok today with a couple other calibers this evening.

Press is a very old Herters single stage, about as heavy duty as anything, mounted well and will rip the rim right off any of these cases, so it's not the problem.

What could be causing this? Any thoughts or anyone seen a problem this bad? I'm about certain I'll just buy new dies, unless someone has a fix.

Thanks for reading this long post!
 
Rifle dies, make sure the old die is clean and rust free. A little polishing with some steel fine wool warped around a pore brush chucked in a electric drill or screw driver can knock out most rust. Clean well after then lube the inside of the die.

I assume you checked the die marking to make sure it was for the ammo you are resizing and a full lenght sizing die.

Try some Imperial Die Wax, it really helps with are to size cases.
 
Definately a defective die of some sort.

Make sure there isn't a broken case pulled off and stuck inside it.

The 30-30 is very easy to resize, and there is no logical reason to pull one off unless the die is bad, or marked wrong, or has a broken case body stuck in it.

That would be my first guess.

rc
 
I have never tried it, but I believe I could resize 30-30 cases using the oil off my nose without sticking one in a die.

Cases will not even go all the way in and are stuck, about 2/3 to 3/4 in the die
Click to expand...

I still think there is a broken case in the die.



rc
 
Change to RCBS Lube, ...
Click to expand...

+several. If RCBS case lube doesn't work, chuck the die**

... apply using a pad.
Click to expand...
Naaaaah. Put a small dab on thumb/forefinger and hand lube the case sides lightly as you pick them up.

I'm using Lyman one shot,...
Click to expand...
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but chuck it now and use the RCBS (or Imperial) from now on.




**
ps: `You sure there isn't a broken case up in the die?
 
I would spend he $20 or so for a new die set, RCBS has always been good to me. 30-30 should be one of the least problem cartridges for sticking. But then again, this is coming from someone who has never stuck a case in 30+ years of reloading, using RCBS lube, Lee dry, and now I use Dillon spray on.

I had a simular problem a few years back with a set of very old RCBS 38 spcl. dies. They weren't carbide so I had to lube the cases, but there was no way the brass would go in the die with any amount of force. And that resizing die was clearly stamped 38 spcl.. I didn't stick a case, but I came pretty close to it.

GS
 
Thanks for the ideas guys. I have tried polishing the inside of the die with steel wool on a bore brush in a drill. Using a light I sure don't see anything in there, no broken case that I can see. It looks to me like the die is too small but it says 30/30. I'm gonna get a new set tomorrow and try it. I've used rcbs lube and agree it works well but I've never had this problem with any of my other cartridges. I know these dies are VERY old and don't know for sure if my stepfather actually used them or not. For it to not accept an unfired case tells me something is vrry wromg. I'll update tomorrow after trying a new die set.

Thanks!

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
You do have the primer punch pin assy set down where it belongs don't you? If it is up in the die to high it could cause problems like that by trying to resize the outside and inside at the same time.
 
I've picked up some old "used" .30-30 dies (RCBS) and they work fine. If you are confident your lube is all right and there is not any foreign objects (broken case) inside the die I'd pick up a new set.

Spending a few bucks for a new .30-30 die set is nothing compared to the inability to FL resize the brass. :(
 
Bought a new set of dies today and sized 100 cases just as easy as it should be. I don't know what is going on with the lyman dies.

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
 
I tried spray lubes ONCE, they worked ok with pistol stuff but got several stuck cases with rifle. I've used rcbs and lee liquid lubes but my favorite is imperial sizing wax. A little goes a long way but I have never had a stuck case with it.
 
AMEN to that rugerman! I've never had a stuck case either { saying this now I probably will } using the spray crap, however, Imperial Wax is on the bench now. I ran some revolver cases through the resizing die the other day, .38's, never had a smoother throw than with the IW, Hornady spray now waiting at the curb for trash day! Hope my rifle cases zip through like the 38's !
 
I have a resizing die that I got as part of a package deal (15 assorted, complete die sets for $75) many years ago. The die is marked "8mm Mauser", but to this day, despite taking a Cerrosafe cast of the dies interior, measuring the cast, and comparing it to every 8mm that I've been able to find dimensions for, I still have no idea WHAT chamber the cases sized by this thing are actually supposed to fit.
Granted mine is, literally, a No-Name die, not a Lyman, but mistakes can happen anywhere.
If you still care, take a set of calipers and measure the inside diameter of the old die at the base, if its not fairly close to .415", it's not a 30-30 Winchester die regardless of what's stamped on it. Measuring the die can't hurt and maybe it'll at least point out the path toward solving your little mystery.
Swampman
 
Yea I'm sure I'll get it back out and try to figure it out at some point. When I couldnt even get an unfired case to fit in the dieI knew it was pretty hopeless. The new set has worked fine.

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Now that I have the right easy load dies I would send the old dies to Lyman and see what they do. I bet it will come in a nice new Orange box.

Greg
 
All these posts and nobody suggests he calls Lyman? If the die is defective, they will replace it for free I bet. If there is a piece of old case stuck in there they will probably remove it for free. They have a good customer service.
 
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