What is wrong with my die ?

You got a headscratcher there tactical.
The striations are too wide and uniform to have come from scoring inside the neck of the die, IMO.
Yet, that abrupt edge down at the shoulder suggests that it`s the die neck`s leading edge that is to blame.
A blocked vent is possible, though shoulder denting has aways happened as well, when mine get overlubed or blocked up.

Maybe wash it in brake cleaner, poke the vent clean, polish the neck area with 0000 steel wool on a slotted dowel.

If that doesn`t fix it, return it or toss it, and get yourself a Lee Collet, set up to two thou. neck tension. ;):D
 
Is this a NEW die or old?

IF it is old it likely got dirty and case neck area got scored.


I have heard of this problem before.

Lee's response.


We do not put a high polish on the shoulder or neck areas of our dies as
this would lead to excessive case lengthening during the full length
sizing process. It sounds like your neck area is too rough. If you wish
you may send the die to my attention at the address below along with a
note explaining the problem and a case that has been scratched. I will
either repair or replace the die for you.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks,

Peter
Customer Service
Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway U
Hartford, WI
phone: (262) 673-3075
fax: (262) 673-9273
 
After the comp die started doing this I pulled out the brand new regular sizer I had and the first to cases didn't scratch and I figured all was good but the 3rd one scratched and it started all over again.
 
After the comp die started doing this I pulled out the brand new regular sizer I had and the first to cases didn't scratch and I figured all was good but the 3rd one scratched and it started all over again.

I wonder if the necks are too thick on this lapua brass... Odd that its happening on more than one die, and new ones also.

Can't blame Lee for this one...
 
Without thinking about it, I resized some nickel 357mag cases in my old Lyman die: Remembered not to do that when I resized some brass cases and they came out scratched. Ultra fine abrasive smoothed out the problem, and with ten thousandths of an inch gone, in resizing, brass still fit easily into revolver. My carbide dies remain very smooth so no scratches except by dirt.

Probably repeating what others have said, but if the die was fine, but now scratches cases, something very hard was rubbed inside the neck: Nickel case?
 
There must be some kind of fine dust on Lapua brass. I tried cleaning the dies with cloths, bore solvent and patches and nothing changed. Last night I cut a piece of green 3M pad, stuffed it in the die and caught the other end with my drill and went to town. The dies looked like a mirror but some black residue came out. No more scratches!!!!
 
As per Lapua recommendation ;)
Dies are Lee
I just tried to set the die deeper so the mark touches the shoulder: no change
Maybe I'm just crazy but I never notice those marks before. They appear on all the brass I re-size, when ammo reloaded last week doesn't show them.
I took the die apart and clean it, no change.

My standard reply; throw lee junk dies in trash or give to Goodwill, buy quality dies and live happily ever after!
 
Back
Top Bottom