Help with sizing issue...stuck cases.

[Tenntrapper]

I've only been reloading a couple years, but I've never had this problem before. I purchased some "once fired" 243 brass and am trying to process it. I ran it in the tumbler for a few hours to remove any grit. Hit it with One Shot (about 6 times now) and tried to start sizing. About one in three are getting stuck in sizer. Most of the time, it's the case that's stuck, however sometimes the decapper gets stuck in the case. Before someone says it's the "one shot", I've been using it for over a year with zero stuck cases. I'm open to that possibility, but I feel it's something else. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would hate to have to ditch this brass just to avoid the frustration. Thanks

 

[fairchaser]

The inside of the case is not getting lubricated thus the expander ball is probably getting stuck. You might try a neck brush with a little lube and running it in the mouth a few times. My .02.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Imperial sizing wax for the case body, mica or graphite on a brush for the inside of the case neck

 

[DaveB]

The spray on lubricant tends to accumulate in the die body. I would wager your dry media for tumbling is walnut and this leaves a very light residue that over time builds up.

Take the die apart. get some acetone if you have it and clean the body. No acetone, Hoppes #9 will work. Using an old t-shrt or .50 cal smokeless cleaning patch get it soaked and run it into the die. Change patch. Repeat until the patch is clean.

Have you noticed vertical lines on your 243 case necks?

Try Lyman quick slick if you want to use sprays. I found the one-shot to be much more prone to stuck cases.

 

[MUP]

The spray on lubricant tends to accumulate in the die body. I would wager your dry media for tumbling is walnut and this leaves a very light residue that over time builds up.

Take the die apart. get some acetone if you have it and clean the body. No acetone, Hoppes #9 will work. Using an old t-shrt or .50 cal smokeless cleaning patch get it soaked and run it into the die. Change patch. Repeat until the patch is clean.

Have you noticed vertical lines on your 243 case necks?

Try Lyman quick slick if you want to use sprays. I found the one-shot to be much more prone to stuck cases.

This was my first thought as well. Along with EastTnHunter's recommendation for Imperial Sizing Wax. I had A .223 case get stuck when using One Shot Lube, once, went to Imperial Sizing Wax and haven't had one stick again. Lube the inside of the neck as well with a cotton swab.

 

[Jcalder]

I use one shot and never had a problem with it. I'll agree your die could be dirty and you need some lube inside the case neck. Something I do that I rarely see mentioned is when you lube your cases turn your die upside down and give it a squirt too.


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[DaveB]

As a note to all, RCBS sold its spray lube business to I think Brownells.


Now why would they do that?

 

[Deer Assassin]

The inside of the case is not getting lubricated thus the expander ball is probably getting stuck. You might try a neck brush with a little lube and running it in the mouth a few times. My .02.

ditto

 

[Tenntrapper]

Thanks for the suggestions. Just ordered some of the imperial sizing wax, will give it a try. I assume the graphite suggestion was the powder type. I will also try that. For what it's worth, I did clean the inside of die, as well as lube it. It didn't help. Although I lubed the inside of neck, that still might explain the decapper getting stuck, but it doesn't explain the case getting stuck in die.(I can take decapper out, and case is still stuck). I will try what's been suggested and let you know. Thanks again.

 

[user 14220]

No doubt it is a lube issue. I tried about every lube on the market and came to the conclusion the best are RCBS case lube, STP, or Imperial sizing wax. As others said, make sure the inside of the case neck gets a light coating and make sure your die is clean. My method is to use a Q tip with a little lube on it and lube the inside of the neck every 3 cases or so.


The bad news is, who ever fired the brass first MIGHT of fired it in a rifle with an oversized chamber making the issue worse. Examine the brass carefully in the future to make sure it does not suffer from any type of case stretching. Check the length of the brass after sizing as well.

 

[Tenntrapper]

Ironically, I was thinking the same thing...oversize chamber. I measured the ones I had done, rather I set my caliper at 2.045 to just see what would fit. The ones that got stuck wouldn't fit. The rest went right through.

 

[Omega]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, and might not apply here, is the shell holder. I've used Lee dies for decades, with little to no problems, until I started messing with 5.56 cases. When converting them to 300Blk, I got a few stuck. Since I was forming 1k cases, I attributed it to the extra pressure and One-shot, so when I started getting more cases stuck doing my 277 wolverine, with Hornady dies, and imperial wax, I noticed the Lee shell holder was a bit loose. I got an RCBS shell holder and haven't had a case stuck since. I switched all my shell holders to RCBS, seems they are of a bit tighter tolerance as some Lee shell holders list multiple calibers, RCBS only one. I made the switch because when using my universal deprimer die, I also sort the strays out, when doing 9mm, the stray .40s won't fit, and when doing .40s, the .45 won't fit,

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I have a theory. I used one-shot exclusively when I started out. One random day all my stuff started sticking. Not stuck, just getting harder to operate. I broke everything down and sonic cleaned it. No improvement. Friend of mine said same thing happened to him half way through a can: no problems then one day it just started sticking so he changed lubes, problem solved. So... I went and bought a new can of one shot. Problem went away. I'm convinced the stuff either breaks down in the can over time or the "lube" part of the solution is separating from the propellant and fillers, and comes out of the can first, leaving you a half full can of useless lube. I mostly use unique now, but one shot sure is fast and easy... when it works!

 

[Tenntrapper]

*UPDATE*
You may be on to something. I was just using one shot earlier this week. It worked great. Tried yesterday with the brass I just got, nothing but problems. I hunted down the tube of Lee case lube that came with my kit. Just ran 20 through with no problems at all...except being alot slower. I guess all you guys that said it was the lube were right. I never would have believed it could be good one day, junk the next. I don't think milk goes bad that fast, wow. Guess I'm back to doing it the slow way. Anyway, thanks for all the help, I never would have guessed the lube. Thanks again

 

[brass magnet]

Swap out the .243 decapper for a 223, carry on.


half of one, six dozen of the other

 

[TiminTN]

Before retirement I worked as a purchaser for a store and was in charge of reloading completely. I kept the stuck case removers in stock. Whenever I had a customer come in wanting one, I guess it was mean but I always asked what kind of lube, already thinking it was One Shot. I was right 99% of the time....lol. Carry On!!

 

[FTG-05]

Change lube. I like Dillon's Case Lube. Lotsa articles/YTs on how to make your own for cheap.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I've never used any lube except the RCBS thick stuff in the plastic tube originally then the little plastic bottle. It works so I never saw a need to experiment.

 

[megalomaniac]

I'm almost through my 4th can of 1 shot lube, probably 4000 rifle rounds reloaded with it. Never had a problem yet. OFC, I make sure to roll the cases in between light sprays to get a full 360 coverage as well as spraying at an angle to lightly lube the inside of the neck as well.

I'd say you either didnt have enough lube or the rounds were fired in an oversize chamber.

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[Tenntrapper]

I'm almost through my 4th can of 1 shot lube, probably 4000 rifle rounds reloaded with it. Never had a problem yet. OFC, I make sure to roll the cases in between light sprays to get a full 360 coverage as well as spraying at an angle to lightly lube the inside of the neck as well.

I'd say you either didnt have enough lube or the rounds were fired in an oversize chamber.

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I stand my brass up in a plastic pail and hit it from an angle and from above. I would hope that after 6 good soakings, it would be lubed. (I would hit it again after another stuck case). I just now finished 100 rounds with the Lee lube. The brass was still wet with the one shot...had to dry it off first. With the one shot, I was getting a stuck case every third case. Not one in a hundred with the Lee. I would love to use the one shot, it's so much faster. Like I said, earlier in the week it was working great....then it apparently stopped. Not positive what the problem was but it sure appears to be the one shot.

 

[brass magnet]

I use Unique, and "bootleg case lube" depending on caliber, used RCBS Case lube before I got carbide dies for 44 and 45. Reloading is a rabbit hole you dig from the bottom u
p, and, you always "need" that. Ain't guns fun? :super:

Edit to add, stuck cases get to meet the dremel and go away.