Noob question

muleyboy · September 14, 2012, 12:07 PM

Sorry if this is a repeat question but I couldn't find the right question in the forum history. I just started reloading for my .223 and things were going good until I got a case stuck. I pulled out the primer removal pin in fear that I might hit it with the drill bit...well I got the case out and put it back together and started FL sizing again. After a few cases I inspected one and noticed a bulge in the case where the neck meets the shoulder and it kinda looks like the mouth is smaller then the cases that I resized before the case got stuck! Any ideas on what I screwed up?

TheNatureBoy · September 14, 2012, 01:57 PM

A bulge in the case or an indention? If its an indention it could be the result of too much case lube. Case mouth smaller? Did you set the die again after putting it back together? Thinking out loud

muleyboy · September 14, 2012, 04:04 PM

Im gonna try to post a picture of it, but need to figure out how to post pics...its a bulge cause I tried putting one of the cases in my AR and the bolt wouldn't go all the way forward...Im using the least amount of case lube as I can...its hard to actually see the lube on the case. Is there a certain distance the de-capper pin needs to be in the die? Could it be that I need to lube inside the mouth?

noylj · September 14, 2012, 05:52 PM

You don't need much lube, but trying to use as little as possible can lead to NOT using enough. I use a light spray coating and don't worry about removing it--Never have in 40 years of reloading and I figure it almost all comes off with all the handling the case/round undergoes.
Lube only needs to be on the body of the case, not the shoulder or neck.
I assume the stuck case came out in one piece and didn't leave any parts in the die? I assume the removal of the stuck case did not damage the die?
You haven't reset the depriming pin so high that the expander plug is interfering with the case sizing section of the die?
There just aren't that many things happening in a sizing die and an inspection of the inside should show any problem.
I have never needed to lube a case neck, but many people seem to. If I was lubing the case neck, I would use graphite or mica--certainly not any oil/grease.

mikld · September 15, 2012, 01:34 PM

I would think a "buldge" at the base of the neck would indicate the sizing die hasn't sized that portion of the case...

PA-Joe · September 15, 2012, 02:13 PM

Too much lube.

jcwit · September 15, 2012, 03:53 PM

What kind of lube are you using?

muleyboy · September 15, 2012, 06:12 PM

Okay so I figured it out! When I took the decapping pin put the expander ball got unscrewed from the pin and was still in the stuck case! Trying to extract it now....thanks for the i put y'all! Definitely things that I need to watch out for in the future!

September 14, 2012, 12:07 PM	#1
muleyboy Junior Member Join Date: September 14, 2012 Location: Tollhouse California Posts: 3	Noob question Sorry if this is a repeat question but I couldn't find the right question in the forum history. I just started reloading for my .223 and things were going good until I got a case stuck. I pulled out the primer removal pin in fear that I might hit it with the drill bit...well I got the case out and put it back together and started FL sizing again. After a few cases I inspected one and noticed a bulge in the case where the neck meets the shoulder and it kinda looks like the mouth is smaller then the cases that I resized before the case got stuck! Any ideas on what I screwed up? Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; September 14, 2012 at 01:08 PM.

September 15, 2012, 01:34 PM	#5
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I would think a "buldge" at the base of the neck would indicate the sizing die hasn't sized that portion of the case... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

September 15, 2012, 03:53 PM	#7
jcwit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2007 Location: Upper Indiana Posts: 609	What kind of lube are you using? __________________ U.S. Army Veteran NRA Certified Range Officer

September 14, 2012, 01:57 PM	#2
TheNatureBoy Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Posts: 1,204	A bulge in the case or an indention? If its an indention it could be the result of too much case lube. Case mouth smaller? Did you set the die again after putting it back together? Thinking out loud

September 14, 2012, 04:04 PM	#3
muleyboy Junior Member Join Date: September 14, 2012 Location: Tollhouse California Posts: 3	Im gonna try to post a picture of it, but need to figure out how to post pics...its a bulge cause I tried putting one of the cases in my AR and the bolt wouldn't go all the way forward...Im using the least amount of case lube as I can...its hard to actually see the lube on the case. Is there a certain distance the de-capper pin needs to be in the die? Could it be that I need to lube inside the mouth?

September 14, 2012, 05:52 PM	#4
noylj Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: Between CA and NM Posts: 858	You don't need much lube, but trying to use as little as possible can lead to NOT using enough. I use a light spray coating and don't worry about removing it--Never have in 40 years of reloading and I figure it almost all comes off with all the handling the case/round undergoes. Lube only needs to be on the body of the case, not the shoulder or neck. I assume the stuck case came out in one piece and didn't leave any parts in the die? I assume the removal of the stuck case did not damage the die? You haven't reset the depriming pin so high that the expander plug is interfering with the case sizing section of the die? There just aren't that many things happening in a sizing die and an inspection of the inside should show any problem. I have never needed to lube a case neck, but many people seem to. If I was lubing the case neck, I would use graphite or mica--certainly not any oil/grease.

September 15, 2012, 02:13 PM	#6
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	Too much lube.

September 15, 2012, 06:12 PM	#8
muleyboy Junior Member Join Date: September 14, 2012 Location: Tollhouse California Posts: 3	Okay so I figured it out! When I took the decapping pin put the expander ball got unscrewed from the pin and was still in the stuck case! Trying to extract it now....thanks for the i put y'all! Definitely things that I need to watch out for in the future!