.223 case stuck in RCBS sizing die....the last hurdle?

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.22LRGUY

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Hey guys, I know a die set is only about $36, so I'm faced with either a home-grown case extraction (drill/tap) or a new set of dies...as the RCBS kit isn't readily available on short notice. "Short notice" being key...because if I hit one more road block with my new reloading hobby before even getting powder in a case, I may throw in the towel! :( Tomorrow, I'll be grabbing my tools from work and taking a stab at this and whether or not I succeed, I'm wondering about LEE dies..as I hear they're WAY less prone to getting stuck. Also easier to extract stuck cases. Why is that? ON the drill/tap extraction method (kit or no kit) how do you prevent damaging the decapping rod?

Will Lee dies work in an RCBS press, and are the tolerances tighter in the RCBS dies? Why else would they be more prone to sticking?

Thanks for taking a moment to respond guys....enthusiasm and debit card are both suffering on this end...

EDIT~before anyone asks, I did NOT use lube on this case, but had been lubing about 1/3 with good results.
 
I was going to ask if you lubed the case before your edit.

yes lube all your cases. I use lee sizing lube and have run 6-700 cases and not even one has givin me grief on its way out.
you should be able to remove the decapping rod out of the top of your die, might be a b!tch to get out though.
 
you will have to unscrew the decapping rod, and it should com out of the die. i assume your die looks like this?, Link

once that happens, you should be able to turn the die upside down and thread it into the press and get a stick/brass rod small enough to fit into the case and use the press to push it out.

that's how i would go about it.


yes lee dies are the same thread, 7/8-14" most dies are that size.
 
Before you do anything, soak it good with a good penetrating fluid. I suppose you have already pulled the rim off, so you can't try it again after lubricating well with penetrating fluid, like Kroil, or ATF thinned out.
After this, maybe a small pipe wrench, or even vise grips on the base of it, with the die in a vise, may turn it loose.
If you have to drill, turn the decapping rod out as far as you can and hope there is room for the drill and tap.
I guess after this you will lightly lube every case with a good lubricant. If you do, no others should stick, regardless what die you use.
I have never heard of Lee dies having less tendancy to stick.
 
Lee dies works will work in your RCBS press almost all standard dies use the same 7/8" thread and are compatible. That said no need to buy new dies. (If you said a Lee die stuck a case people would be saying to buy new dies lol). You can make your own stuck case remover cheap.

You need a tap and drill bit a bit bigger than your primer pocket but still smaller than your case, you also need a bolt the same size as your tap and socket/driver for the bolt (I'm thinking 1/4"). Also another socket (5/8") and a washer the same size as the base of your die and with a center hole your bolt will fit through.

Back decapping rod offaway from base of case
Drill bottom of case and tap
Put bolt through a short socket and washer and thread into case
Tighten bolt with wrench/ratchet and it will draw the case out of the die and up into the socket/washer assembly
Once the case pulls out a bit it should just fall out with the whole assembly.

Be carefull and lube cases well in future. (Redding's Imperial Sizing die wax is a great lube)

edited Surplus Rifles site is back up again with the better photo version http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/shellextractor/index.asp
 
Spawn-Inc said:
you will have to unscrew the decapping rod, and it should com out of the die. i assume your die looks like this?, Link

once that happens, you should be able to turn the die upside down and thread it into the press and get a stick/brass rod small enough to fit into the case and use the press to push it out.

that's how i would go about it.


yes lee dies are the same thread, 7/8-14" most dies are that size.
Click to expand...

Hey guys, thanks a ton for the input...and for not giving me the gears too bad. Clearly, I have allot to learn...lesson 1 complete. As for the link^ Spawn-Inc~that is the one, but you can only back it out so far. The black knurled knob backs-out completely, I can remove it, but the rod is still attached. Here is a photo;

RCBSsizingdie.jpg


If there is a way to clear the threaded rod beyond that, I'm not sure what it is. I think it's at risk of getting damaged if the tap can't get deep enough.
 
Order yourself a Redding stuck case removal kit. It has saved my behind a few times rather than having to come up with some sort of voodoo fix in the middle of the night.
 
Hi, Post #5 and #6 above gave sound advice. Mine is the same but with a bit more details, taken from my RSA Reloading Manual. Hope it helps. I have been using Lee lube for many years and it works well.

Case gets stuck in the sizer die.

You probably forgot to lubricate the case, or used too much pressure to force the case into the die. If you pull harder on the case the shell holder merely rips the rim off the case, leaving the case tightly stuck inside the resizer die. Whatever you do now, your case is already ruined, so try to protect your die from any damage.

You could buy a “Stuck case remover” set, such as those made by RCBS. You could also take the die to your local gunsmith to have the case removed. Alternatively you can make your own “Stuck Case Remover Kit”, as described below.
1. Obtain a socket from your socket spanner set. Use one of about 11-12mm for 223 Rem and 357 Mag sized cases, about 13-15mm for 308 Win and “magnum“ sized cases (e.g. 300 Win Mag, 300 RUM, 375 Ruger) and 18-20mm for 416 Rigby- and 500 Jeffery sized cases. You will also need a metal drill bit of about 6-8mm, a thick washer 1-2mm larger than the drill bit, and a steel nuts made to “cut-and-tap“ into metal. These nuts must be 1-2mm larger in diameter than the drill bit and about 25-30mm long.
2. Start by removing the lock nut of the decapping rod, and then the main die lock-nut from the die with the stuck case in it.
3. Now remove the die from the press.
4. Pull the decapping rod back so that the decapping pin is moved away from the flash hole in the case. You cannot at this time pull the decapping rod from the die, because it will get stuck in the case mouth.
5. If your press is large enough (such as my RCBS Rock Chucker), screw the die into the pres from inside the press, or just upside down from the top. If you cannot do this, tightly clamp the die upside down in a vice, protecting the thread by using hard wood such as oak, or two big lead wheel weights, or two strips of aluminium.
6. Drill a suitable hole through the primer and flash hole. This hole will be about 1-2mm smaller than the size of the “cut-and-tap“ nut that you will be screwing into this hole. Do not go into the case too far, as the drill will then damage the decapping pin or the decapping unit with its expander ball.
7. Place the socket over the case head.
8. Now place a washer onto the “cut-and-tap“ nut and screw this nut into the drilled hole in the case head. Keep on turning the nut until the case pulls free from the sizer die.
9. Now remove the die from the vice. Pull out the decapping rod out of the case mouth and recycle the damaged case.


Hope this helps.

RSA1
 
A die is a die,If you dry ball a case you are hooped. The investment in a stuck case puller saves a lot of frustration,And when you start hearing that the brand lube cased it or the brand of dies that is only someone voicing preference to a product. I have the one that was built by my father @ 40 to 50 years ago out of a 3/8 pipe cap center drilled to 1/4 inch and a 1/4 tap and a bit ,And at some time you may have a oops and have to use it.
 
Thanks again guys, greatly appreciated. Going to try the home-grown case puller idea, 1/4"-20 tap is at work in my tool box, have a socket set/drill here at home. I'll post with the results tomorrow night. Hopefully, the only thing I'll have managed to damage is my pride!

Appreciate you all taking the time to reply. If I'd seen the fruit of all this effort and expense on the range, I might be a little less discouraged...but I haven't even opened the powder yet!
 
don't worry...
I am reloading since 25 years at least, and the same thing happened to me as well, not too long ago. :redface:
Coincidentally it happened with 223 brass too, and I believe that 223 brass is prone to getting stuck, if you don't lube every single case.
 
UPDATE~mission accomplished! Got the #7 drill bit today, rounded-up my 1/4"-20 tap, socket, machine screw and had at it~easier than I thought it might be. Sure, the die wanted to turn in the press, the decapping rod came apart (didn't realize it was in so many pcs. to begin with) but one thing is for sure~I know allot more about that sizing die than I did before! I think I need a small vise on my bench too (holding the case for the hack saw work) and a few other details that will make it easier next time. ANYHOW~patience paid-off, as did all of your input~thanks again guys! Now, I need to figure-out how to determine the case overall length for the 3 bullets I have.
 
Most of us have had this problem. In fact I have a 223 case stuck in a die at this moment. Been there for 4 years. Every once in a while I give it another squirt of Kroil and wack it with a hammer.

I put 50 cases in a plastic pail and smear a one inch worm of Lee case lube inside the pail, then swirl the cases. Takes about 30 seconds to lube ALL the cases.
 
I'm wondering about LEE dies..as I hear they're WAY less prone to getting stuck. Also easier to extract stuck cases. Why is that?
Click to expand...

Nonsense, if you don't use lube, you will stick a case, regardless of the brand. As well, some lubes are not as good as others.
 
I'm wondering about LEE dies..as I hear they're WAY less prone to getting stuck. Also easier to extract stuck cases. Why is that?

stubblejumper said:
Nonsense, if you don't use lube, you will stick a case, regardless of the brand. As well, some lubes are not as good as others.
Click to expand...

LEE dies have a built in stuck case remover. Loosen off the collet nut and drive out accordingly.
It's in their instruction's.
 
the decapping rod won't come out because the neck sizing plug is threaded on.you might try threading it in the other way and using the plug to try to help force the stuck case out.get some penetrating fluid and turn the die so the case head is on top and spray the fluid so gravity pulls it down into the between the die and case.next thing to do is thread the die back into the press.take a hammer and chisel and tap on the base of the case at a 90 degree angle or perpendicular to the die.in other words attempt to loosen the case with a side to side tapping with the hammer.don't try to excessively force it,just a firm tapping.at the same time put as much pressure as you can by turning in the decapping rod to force the case out.make sure when threading it in that the pin comes through the primer pocket or you will break off the decapping pin.this method may work if you are patient,keep adding fluid and try to work the case from one side to the other with the hammer and chisel.if the case isn't super stuck it may eventually pop free.
 
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