Advice on dealing with a frozen seating stem

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stickhunter

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Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice on how to tackle a problem with my RCBS 284 Win seating die. After removing the lock nut, I was unable to budge the seating steam, and I noticed that the exposed threads had some light grey corrosion. I doused the stem with Kroil, let it sit for 24hrs, and gave it a soak from a heat gun --- there's still no movement. I was afraid the slotted head might snap off, so I used a pair of lock nuts and a wrench, but those eventually started slipping.

After this failed attempt, I flipped the die over and noticed some rust on the inside. I've squirted some more Kroil inside the die and will let it sit another 24hrs, but I'm not that hopeful. There's a lot of thread engaged in the die, so a light bit of corrosion may have locked it up well, and I don't think a soak in Evaporust will matter (although I will try that next).

These are new dies to me, and are earlier 60s vintage RCBS, so may have been sitting for quite some time. Any advice/tips on what I could do that won't cause any damage?

Here are some pictures:

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I'd throw the whole thing in a jar of 50/50 atf and diesel, and let it soak for a few days if kroil on the inside doesn't get it free. Atf/acetone is popular too.
 
try heating the stem and then letting it cool. You could also just email RCBS they'd probably warranty it.
 
Put it in a container and cover it up with some vinegar for a couple days...I've seen it free up some pipe wrenches and adjusta8le wrench wheels that were totally seized with salt water corrosion...a gallon for 250..don't get much cheaper...lol..worth a try
 
SLAVEX...

Don't know...Thinking, Likely not any more since the the 8ig Czech takeover of Vista Outdoor group. My RC8S scale is now showing error...I emailed them a8out it...got a reply from 8ushnell !!...Sorry...one yr warranty only ! Once upon a time...any issues with RC8S stuff...you needed to smash it..send a pic...they'd replace it no questions asked. Thinking that's all come to an end now.

Sorry for the "8's"...my letter after A is not working on my key8oard...lol
 
take it to a good store ...get 2 nuts that fit the thread...screw on and lock them together ...put booster cables on car battery and one end on die then touch the other end of cable to the nuts ..just for a touch ...yes it will spark but just a good firm hold on for a second...do this in a padded vise...the idea is to heat the stem...then hit it with kroil let it cool just a little then go on the nuts with proper wrench try to work it ...donot twist it off or your done....then there is the freeze it and then 1000 degree torch around die and not on the stem then work on the nuts..both these methods need to be done fast ,,,do your prep work well .... safety glasses,,,, good luck don
 
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Turn die upside down, pour in Kroil, and let soak at least 24 hours. Heat die body , rapiidly , but don't overheat. Then use two nuts locked together and try to turn again. This may sound silly, but make sure that you are turning the right direction, I have seen people try to turn the stem the wrong way, when the seating plug was bottomed in the die.
 
find a screwdriver that fits tightly in the slot and give it a couple of sharp but forceful taps straight down as if you were driving a nail. then try working the screwdriver one way or the other. repeat until you get some movement. when it shows a bit of movement find the loosest part of screw movement and give it a healthy shot of kroil and leave it for a day. you are going to need some patience to tease that seating stem out.

ps. be careful not to bend that stem
 
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OP - you mentioned using a heat gun - I presume you mean the hot air blower type - I have a Black and Decker version here - not capable to get iron/steel hot enough to accomplish much - you would likely want to get it up to soft solder heat - say 450 F - I doubt a "heat gun" would get it to 180 F. Dropping entire thing into vial of 50/50 Acetone / ATF mix for a day is likely going to deal with corrosion in threads. And, as mentioned above - turn the correct way - might be jammed up against inside of die. Keep in mind that a used bullet seater die for 284 Win might sell for $20 to $25 - so might be better plan just to chuck what you have and get a replacement - that often depends on where you are and what you have access to.

I am going through similar - on a 2001 Sierra 1500 truck - brake line rusted through and burst - means that I will have to open and bleed each wheel's brake line "bleed valve", after I replace that piece - I doubt they have been turned in 20 years - visibly much corrosion - no clue if they are made of steel, brass or some mystery alloy - and is four of them to do - so they have been soaking for a while in spray-on Deep Creep penetrating oil from NAPA store - I do not think that is as good a penetrant as ATF / Acetone mix, but is what I had handy at the time. Is yet to see if that worked or not.
 
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Another vote for atf/acetone, it works wonders on rusty parts. I’ve seen a rusty seized lawnmower be unstuck from it after a couple days of pouring the mixture into the spark plug hole and soaking.

Vinegar has worked well for me also but you have to neutralize the acid of the vinegar once you’re done, I use baking soda in warm water as an alkali bath. Vinegar soaks are my go to for getting rust out of motorcycle tanks, it works amazing.
 
congrats for have some restraint and having not fkd up that screw top already
That shows patience too, so repeated hot/cold cycles with Deep Creep and the most important ingredient...time
 
LUCK12 said:
Bit of time in an ultrasonic cleaner ?
Click to expand...

I never tried to "unstick" rusted together parts in an U/S cleaner, but I did dismantle an elderly Stevens Favourite and put the parts in for several cycles - loosened up a ton of crap and rust - also cleaned off most all exterior "patina" (rust) and not much for colour case harden colours left - if there was any to start with under the crap.

The first cycles were just tap water and Dawn dish soap - last cycle was the parts in a freezer part - about 1/2 full of Ed's Red mix.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. It doesn't seem like I'm too far off with my attempts. I had shied away from using a torch as RCBS claims the dies are case hardened and I didn't want to affect the temper etc. If more soaking and some vibrations from a hammer don't move things along, I will try a bit more intense heat.

Like an earlier poster mentioned, this die isn't worth putting too much effort/$$$ into solutions --- but I'm frugal and stubborn, so want to give it a best effort.

Good to call out the pitfall of trying to unscrew it and just jamming the seater plug tighter --- I do know to be screwing it down into the die as I try to loosen it.

If I have no luck, I'll give RCBS a call, but I wouldn't expect them to cover this under a manufacturing defect... I do know their warranty is good, so we'll see.
 
If you can source a second nut that will fit the stem threads you can lock them together and get a small wrench to exert a bit more torque on it after you soak it and loosen the rust up, I find the screwdriver only give you so much force. Careful not to shear it right off though, don’t ask me how I know this lol.
 
stickhunter said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. It doesn't seem like I'm too far off with my attempts. I had shied away from using a torch as RCBS claims the dies are case hardened and I didn't want to affect the temper etc. If more soaking and some vibrations from a hammer don't move things along, I will try a bit more intense heat.

Like an earlier poster mentioned, this die isn't worth putting too much effort/$$$ into solutions --- but I'm frugal and stubborn, so want to give it a best effort.

Good to call out the pitfall of trying to unscrew it and just jamming the seater plug tighter --- I do know to be screwing it down into the die as I try to loosen it.

If I have no luck, I'll give RCBS a call, but I wouldn't expect them to cover this under a manufacturing defect... I do know their warranty is good, so we'll see.
Click to expand...

Sometimes its not a matter of the cost of replacement. I'm sure we've all been in situations where we're thinking this shouldn't be too hard to get fixed, and end up spending waaaaaaayyyyyy more time than replacement cost would dictate we should... But that feeling when you finally get it fixed is priceless.
 
Suther said:
Sometimes its not a matter of the cost of replacement. I'm sure we've all been in situations where we're thinking this shouldn't be too hard to get fixed, and end up spending waaaaaaayyyyyy more time than replacement cost would dictate we should... But that feeling when you finally get it fixed is priceless.
Click to expand...

Yes, but counter that with the other feeling you get with you severely mess things up. I know, first hand, that feeling of having a bolt sheer off when working on my vehicle ;)
 
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