Reloading stovepiped brass

[chemo]

Altough I always inspect each and every case before reloading, I let one go that had been an horizontal stovepipe.

The case mouth had 2 dents that I thought would go away with sizing and expanding, it didn't. I tried to shoot it anyway, cause after sizing, expanding and seating the bumps didnt look so bad. Had trouble chambering it though, racked the slide back and forth with some ammount of force a couple of tiems, in the end it did chamber and hit the bullseye.

My pistol never stovepipes with my reloads so it must've been one of the casings I got from someone else.

Is there a way to fix these dents? pliers anyone?

 

[Cerdan]

What kinda dies are you using? I've loaded some severely deformed/dented brass with a set of 4 Lee dies and never had a problem.

If they're dents at the mouth, the sizer won't iron them out entirely, but expanding the mouth a bit more will usually force them out, and then the factory crimp die does the rest.

 

[chemo]

lyman carbide 3 die set, 2nd hole on my 550 is obviously used for the powder dispenser
I did resize and expand a couple of times too, to no extent

 

[HKMark23]

, in the end it did chamber and hit the bullseye.

Did firing not eliminate the dent ?

I haven't any direct experience with this but I'm surprised firing didn't work.

 

[chemo]

oh it sure did, but it was a tough job to chamber in the first place, that's why I'm asking

 

[tigrr]

Cases with a folded over piece of brass is hard to fix. I usually keep them for outdoor ranges or shooting in snow, where I might lose them. I have found if you want all rounds to chamber you should buy a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die. They work beautifully! I have 4 holes in My Dillon 650 and the last stage is the carbide crimp die.

 

[chemo]

you mean you have five holes, or 4 + the powder funnel on your 650...

I'd need a single stage press or to switch a die just for a couple of cases i pick up, not worth it, I'll just ditch the brass next time

 

[R. Pennock]

Just throw the buggers away if they are dented that bad. Is it really worth farting around with? I would'nt waste my time with it unless it was some real odd caliber with hard to find brass.

 

[Cerdan]

ANY brass is priceless, especially these days...

 

[Craig67]

Throw good brass away

Being frugal (ie. cheap) is what reloading is all about

Craig

 

[chemo]

ANY brass is priceless, especially these days...

yep, I felt awefully bad when I left one at the range last week. upon ejection it had hit my right wall then the little table and went too far to pickup even with the provided shovel.

I didn't have the guts to call a cease fire for 1 casing, but when I got home, I almost cried.