9MM sticking in die....

rick'o'shea

rick'o'shea

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So I blew the dust off my loadmaster and was pushing some cases thru it to check alignment and stuff
(no primers or powder yet). The cases I was using had been sitting in the feeder tubes for at least 4 months.
After about 6 cases were thru one stuck in the sizer die, broke the rim off the case. Got that one out, cleaned
the die, reassembled and tried again.... same thing!? I tried another die, same lee carbide, same thing... 5
cases and one stuck in. At one point I put some case lube on a couple to try that but still stuck.
Any ideas?
 
Do you have the correct shell plate installed? Is there a buildup of brass in the sizing die? Brass details?
 
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I had a similar issue just recently with my Lee dies in my pro 1000 press, I had loaded several 1000 rounds thru it with no lube and no major sticking issues, could obviously feel more resistance with nickel brass, then one day kinda out of the blue I started getting really sticky brass, didn't really pay much attention to the first couple times, I even broke my shell carrier plate prying it down to get cases unstuck. Every time it was an IMI brass that I collected from the range. I have a big plastic jug that I throw in mixed headstamp range brass after I tumble, the only variable that has changed for me was I switched from Lyman corn cob media to lizzard bedding which I like better than what I was using, brass comes out much cleaner in a shorter period of time IMO and doesn't plug flash holes, so now I just lightly roll a handful at a time on an RCBS lube pad, wow what a difference, wish I would have lubed from the beginning lol, only takes a couple minutes in the tumbler to get the lite lube off.
 
I dry tumble with lizard bedding, brass was my own once fired blaser brass, the shell plate is correct.
I've never had to lube 9 before...? I'm going to re tumble a batch and try again, I'm wondering if
there was some sort of corrosion on these from sitting?
 
Put some dillon media brass polish in your media
Will make the casing a bit slippery, you don’t need to lube afterwards
I personally hate lubing pistol cases, as reloading volume, you either got to wipe them off afterwards or end up with gummy brass
I like it as easy as possible and media polish will accomplish this
On another note, also rumoured to make your media less dusty, reducing airborne lead when seperating media
 
I was ultrasonic cleaning when I shot 9mm and the cases frequently got stuck in my Lee carbide die. It's like they were getting "too clean."

A little lube and they sized effortlessly. I think the idea that carbide dies don't need any lube whatsoever is a little overstated.
 
rick'o'shea said:
I dry tumble with lizard bedding, brass was my own once fired blaser brass, the shell plate is correct.
I've never had to lube 9 before...? I'm going to re tumble a batch and try again, I'm wondering if
there was some sort of corrosion on these from sitting?
Click to expand...
That's what I'm thinking and I think MartyK2500 has the right idea. I've loaded many, many thousands of 9mm cases on my Loadmaster and never had a single cases stick like you're describing. Given the nature of carbide dies (especially with short cases like 9mm) only two or three factors could cause the sticking you describe:
1. some sort of corrosion or coating on the cases
2. a dirty die
3. cases grossly bulged at the base from previous firing

While lube will obviously make the cases easier to size that defeats the whole purpose of carbide dies which is to eliminate the need for lube.

I do find that while I really like wet tumbling because it cleans the cases inside and out (plus the primer pockets) the cases do not come out as 'slick' as when I dry tumble using fine corn cob and a polish like Flitz brass polish or jewellers rouge. It's not so much the cleanliness of the case that determines how easily the die will size it as how 'slick' the surface of the case is. I'm guessing that if you have cleaned the die and the cases are not extremely bulged if you give them a good run in your dry tumbler with some sort of polish they will size without difficulty.
 
Pencilneck said:
Try a cap full of NU-Finish in your media once in a while
Click to expand...

Good advice, the Nu-Finish will leave a protective coating on the brass and keep the cases from tarnishing. Meaning easier to size with no oxidization on the brass.

My old vibratory tumbler died and last week I bought a Lyman 1200 tumbler that works better than the two tumblers I had in the past.

I also bought some Lizard Litter walnut media and some Nu-Finish car polish and was very impressed vs treated walnut with the reddish polishing compound.

I have been reloading for over 47 years and wish after reading the Nu-Finish advice postings I had tried it sooner. (old dogs and new tricks) :bangHead:
 
This happens on my loadmaster sometimes. Major pain in the a$$.
The loadmaster uses the same shell plate for 9 and 40. This makes the 9mm a bit sloppy in the shell plate, I find that if I get a case that was a bit harder to resize (9 Major?) And I jerk the handle a bit too hard, this can happen.
 
Even with carbide dies I give my cases a spray with 1:12 lanolin/91% alcohol, after tumbling with corncob/crushed walnut spiked with Nu-Finish car polish.
 
Check the inside of the die for corrosion or dust. Sometimes bits of polishing media get up in there and stay. I add McGuires car polish to my media and the brass comes out slippery but I don't have to remove that like you do lube.
 
Or you can keep a candle close by and just rub your index and thumb on it before picking up an empty casing once in a while (you will know when it's time to do it again) and rub the wax residue on the casing from your fingers. You can barely feel the wax when on your fingers but it will work on the casing and die
I just reloaded half a case of 9mm and had a few sticking to the resizing die to the point where you would have to chew the base of the casing off with plyers to remove it (not what I did, I used a piece of steel rod through the decapping pin hole and tapped it out with a hammer) and the wax helped.
 
I find since I started adding a little Nufinish, brass goes through the carbide die much easier. Only thing I have wondered if the residue from the Nufinish would have any affect on the powder inside the case? Never had an issue, just wondering if it could be. I only use a slight amount, so maybe moderation is the answer.
 
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