.223 rem keep getting stuck in sizing die

Madball6 · February 27, 2012, 09:12 PM

Fairly new to reloading, just started reloading my first rifle caliber, .223 rem. Using a set of Lee Factory Crimp dies, I keep getting cases stuck in my resizing die.

This happened 3 times in my first 50 rounds. I'm getting good at unsticking them but im not sure why it keeps happening. I'm using my own once-fired brass and Hornady One-Shot lube. Only the first time it happened did i notice an increase in resistance as i drove the ram up into the die and i knew right away i didnt have enough lube (I had been pretty sparing with it, normally i just load pistol calibers with carbide dies). The other 2 times the stroke felt consistent all the way thru, but as i pulled the ram down, the shellholder strips the case rim and im left with another 10 minute case extraction job after which i need to reset my die again. Really slowing down my efforts to efficiently reload this caliber.

After the first time i stuck the case I began to lube the heck out of the brass, maybe im using too much? Also, some of the brass has slightly deformed necks, could it be my neck sizer getting stuck because of that? Wondering if i should only resize brass with no dings on the case mouth.

Again, im totally new to this caliber and rifle reloading in general.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

-madball

edit: The brass has all been tumbled in corn cob with polish are look VERY clean and shiny prior to lubing

10 acre woods · February 27, 2012, 09:21 PM

I use the same lube and you have to lube the 223 up pretty good before you push through die. I have stuck 4 cases in about 2,000.

scsov509 · February 27, 2012, 09:24 PM

As far as quick tips go, make sure you're being generous with the lube and also getting the inside of the necks. I also spray lube into the sizing die to make sure everything is good to go, and then reapply lube to the die whenever it feels like the resistance is increasing. I've had best results with One Shot when I stand all the cases up prior to lubing and spray them down at about a 45 degree angle on all sides and also in the case as well.

That said, though I've used it with great success, One Shot isn't the greatest of sizing lubricants and is commonly associated with stuck cases. So you might also look into something different, especially if you plan to move to bigger rifle cases than 223 down the road. Imperial Sizing die wax works great for me.

Eazmo · February 27, 2012, 09:26 PM

also follow the directions .
it has to dry before you size them. good stuff tho.
i used it on a recent run of 5000 rounds of .223 brass i just prepped and not one stuck.

Arizona Smithshooter · February 27, 2012, 09:27 PM

What brand is your resizing die? How much lube are you spraying on your brass? Did you clean your dies before use? Did you verify that the die is in fact a .223 die and not a .222?

I also use Hornady One-Shot lube. I just use a quick spray before sizing...not a heavy coating. My full length sizer die is RCBS and I clean all my dies after use so that they are clean for my next reloading session. Could be a possibility that you are over lubing your cases, case neck denting is usually the result of over lubing. I NEVER spray the lube into the case neck or inside the case because it can mess up your powder charge. I also never spray the lube into the die itself. I have never had a case get stuck in a die in 3 years of reloading...knock on wood!

Madball6 · February 27, 2012, 09:37 PM

Sizing Die is a Lee, also it seems i fail in reading directions, did not realize you were supposed to let the stuff dry before sizing.... Maybe thats my whole problem. In fact I made sure that the case was WET with lube before using it. Will re-read directions and try again

thanks for the input, hopeful this solves my problem. Was starting to get turned off to the idea of reloading shouldered cartridges, its extremely frustrating to stick 3 cases in an hour!

-Madball

scsov509 · February 27, 2012, 09:43 PM

Quote:

I NEVER spray the lube into the case neck or inside the case because it can mess up your powder charge.

Lube is DESIGNED to go in the case neck and will most certainly not mess up your powder charge. I've loaded thousands of rounds with One Shot and never had any problems with it "messing up my powder". If you don't want to believe me then read it from Hornady for yourself.

hounddawg · February 27, 2012, 09:54 PM

I used to have the exact same problem. Seemed like every other round would stick sometimes. I switched to Imperial sizing wax, I have done several K rounds now and never has a problem since. A 2 oz tin lasts forever and costs less than 10 dollars

MADISON · February 28, 2012, 08:08 AM

I had a set of Hornady dies where, I had more stuck cases than came out.
I sent the dies baack to Hornady and they polished their insides.
Problem solved. No more stuck cases...

Goatwhiskers · February 28, 2012, 08:28 AM

I use STP oil treatment for case lube and have never had a stuck case. In fact, I moistened my lube pad over 30 years ago and have never had to re-wet it. Don't even know whether they still make the stuff. You do definitely have to clean your cases after resizing to get the tacky stuff off. Goat

Jim Watson · February 28, 2012, 08:52 AM

I use One Shot lube on:
About every fourth pistol case going into a carbide sizing die.
Same brass going back into a target configured AR.
BPCR brass where some fouling clearance is desirable.

Any other full length sizing gets Imperial because I had a couple of stuck cases with One Shot, too.

oneounceload · February 28, 2012, 09:33 AM

Quote:

I used to have the exact same problem. Seemed like every other round would stick sometimes. I switched to Imperial sizing wax, I have done several K rounds now and never has a problem since. A 2 oz tin lasts forever and costs less than 10 dollars

How do you get the Imperial inside the case neck? Are you using a nylon brush?

I stopped using Hornady's stuff after several cans malfed on me and then I read about the not-so-nice chemicals in the mix

hounddawg · February 28, 2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

How do you get the Imperial inside the case neck? Are you using a nylon brush?

nope I just run my finger across the wax then wipe it around the outside of the neck and scrape my finger, scrape is the best word that I know to describe it, across the top of the neck which deposits a small amount on the inside. A very small amount is all that is needed. I have done about a thousand or so 223's and still have 75% or 80% of the tin left. I do my 223's on the LnL and it takes me maybe 5 to 10 min to get 100 ready for decapping and sizing

uncyboo · February 29, 2012, 12:34 AM

Quote:

nope I just run my finger across the wax then wipe it around the outside of the neck and scrape my finger, scrape is the best word that I know to describe it, across the top of the neck which deposits a small amount on the inside. A very small amount is all that is needed.

Yep that works for me too.

Edward429451 · February 29, 2012, 10:13 AM

I have loaded thousands upon thousands of 223's and never have stuck one in a die. Did I mention that I've never used one shot either?

Why do you guys lube the case necks? I've never lubed a case neck and have not had any problems to indicate that I should.

Mike40-11 · February 29, 2012, 12:55 PM

I've used One Shot on .223, worked okay as long as I was generous. 30-aught, not so much. Switched to Unique and had no trouble since. I hit the inside of the necks with a nylon brush. Or a worn out bore brush if I can't find the other.

m&p45acp10+1 · February 29, 2012, 04:20 PM

I use RCBS lube. I put a good sized dab on a cleaning patch. It then roll the patch on the pad of my thumb, and forefinger. I then use my fingers to lube the body of the cases. I use a bit of lube on a pipe cleaner to lube the insides of the necks. I do about 10 or 15 cases then pick up the lubed patch and roll it again. I started doing this after I stick 3 cases in 3 dies, in 2 days.

I have not stuck a case since. I have literaly sized tousands of them since. After sizing I usualy trim them, and then run the brass for a 3 minute cycle in the sonic cleaner, and then rinse them. I put them on a towell to dry. If it is warm and sunny outside I put them in the sun. If I am in a hurry and do not have the time to wait for them to dry I have a tumbler with fine walnut media. I run them for about 30 or 45 minutes, and they are ready for the rest of the operation.

scsov509 · February 29, 2012, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Why do you guys lube the case necks? I've never lubed a case neck and have not had any problems to indicate that I should.

The primary reason I lube necks is that it prevents the expander from stretching the shoulder of the case when you remove it from the die.

roc1 · February 29, 2012, 04:50 PM

I had a ton of trouble with Privi brass. I quit using it altogether. My die would pull the head off every few rounds other brass works great.
roc1

Edward429451 · February 29, 2012, 05:21 PM

Quote:

The primary reason I lube necks is that it prevents the expander from stretching the shoulder of the case when you remove it from the die.

How do I know if that's happening? I understand how the expanders work and I always try to ease it into contact on the down stroke, and as far as I can tell it does not cause a problem. I load 223, 308, 30/30...nada.

Jerry45 · February 29, 2012, 06:12 PM

You can measure shoulder length with a mike. If you aren’t having feeding problems in semi auto and the bolt isn’t hard to close on bolt gun you’re probably not stretching the shoulder. I’ve used both RCBS and Lee dies. I don’t lube the inside of the neck on any of my brass and I’ve never had any shoulders stretch.

wncchester · February 29, 2012, 08:09 PM

I've tried to measure case shoulder or neck stretch due to a dry expander plug but have not found it to be so. And that was with several bottle neck cartridges using mulipule sizers of different brands while working with three or four brands of cases. I do prefer to use mica or graphite powder lubes on necks simply to ease extraction and reduce neck/jacket metal welding over time but that's the only reason I do it.

I can't imagine anyone ever getting a 'stuck case' due to a lack of inside neck lube, case sticking occurs due to a lack of exterior lube, primarily on the thick part down near the head.

Edward429451 · March 1, 2012, 09:21 AM

That was me hijacking the thread because of the inside neck lube talk which made me curious. Sorry about the hijack, we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...

I actually found a better case lube than Imperial! It is a blue goo that is homemade by a guy in Alaska. He hangs out on the castboolit forum and 8 bucks got me about 110 years worth of it. I tested his against Imperial side by side when resizing some 45/70 brass, and the blue goo reduced the amount of force needed to size them vs the Imperial.

30Cal · March 1, 2012, 08:56 PM

About 90% of internet posts asking about stuck cases involve One Shot. Get a better lube.

You should NEVER have stuck cases. Never.

JKP · March 3, 2012, 09:38 AM

I started lubing the inside of case necks on .223 because I was having to trim after each reload. Just a little lube on a neck cleaning brush works great. After sizing I tumble again for 60 minutes to get all the lube off (Lymen water based lube.)

February 27, 2012, 09:12 PM	#1
Madball6 Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2011 Posts: 211	.223 rem keep getting stuck in sizing die Fairly new to reloading, just started reloading my first rifle caliber, .223 rem. Using a set of Lee Factory Crimp dies, I keep getting cases stuck in my resizing die. This happened 3 times in my first 50 rounds. I'm getting good at unsticking them but im not sure why it keeps happening. I'm using my own once-fired brass and Hornady One-Shot lube. Only the first time it happened did i notice an increase in resistance as i drove the ram up into the die and i knew right away i didnt have enough lube (I had been pretty sparing with it, normally i just load pistol calibers with carbide dies). The other 2 times the stroke felt consistent all the way thru, but as i pulled the ram down, the shellholder strips the case rim and im left with another 10 minute case extraction job after which i need to reset my die again. Really slowing down my efforts to efficiently reload this caliber. After the first time i stuck the case I began to lube the heck out of the brass, maybe im using too much? Also, some of the brass has slightly deformed necks, could it be my neck sizer getting stuck because of that? Wondering if i should only resize brass with no dings on the case mouth. Again, im totally new to this caliber and rifle reloading in general. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated! -madball edit: The brass has all been tumbled in corn cob with polish are look VERY clean and shiny prior to lubing

February 27, 2012, 09:21 PM	#2
10 acre woods Member Join Date: December 1, 2011 Location: the commie state of il Posts: 73	I use the same lube and you have to lube the 223 up pretty good before you push through die. I have stuck 4 cases in about 2,000. __________________ 9 out of 10 armed robbers agree that you should not own guns or conceal them. The other 10% stole the survey. Some times heaven is knowing you can send someone straight to hell.

February 27, 2012, 09:26 PM	#4
Eazmo Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 164	also follow the directions . it has to dry before you size them. good stuff tho. i used it on a recent run of 5000 rounds of .223 brass i just prepped and not one stuck. __________________ I'm just an average man I drive a average van My dog ain't got no pedigree!

February 27, 2012, 09:27 PM	#5
Arizona Smithshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2011 Location: Western Arizona Posts: 176	What brand is your resizing die? How much lube are you spraying on your brass? Did you clean your dies before use? Did you verify that the die is in fact a .223 die and not a .222? I also use Hornady One-Shot lube. I just use a quick spray before sizing...not a heavy coating. My full length sizer die is RCBS and I clean all my dies after use so that they are clean for my next reloading session. Could be a possibility that you are over lubing your cases, case neck denting is usually the result of over lubing. I NEVER spray the lube into the case neck or inside the case because it can mess up your powder charge. I also never spray the lube into the die itself. I have never had a case get stuck in a die in 3 years of reloading...knock on wood! Last edited by Arizona Smithshooter; February 27, 2012 at 09:33 PM.

February 27, 2012, 09:54 PM	#8
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	I used to have the exact same problem. Seemed like every other round would stick sometimes. I switched to Imperial sizing wax, I have done several K rounds now and never has a problem since. A 2 oz tin lasts forever and costs less than 10 dollars __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

February 27, 2012, 09:24 PM	#3
scsov509 Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 819	As far as quick tips go, make sure you're being generous with the lube and also getting the inside of the necks. I also spray lube into the sizing die to make sure everything is good to go, and then reapply lube to the die whenever it feels like the resistance is increasing. I've had best results with One Shot when I stand all the cases up prior to lubing and spray them down at about a 45 degree angle on all sides and also in the case as well. That said, though I've used it with great success, One Shot isn't the greatest of sizing lubricants and is commonly associated with stuck cases. So you might also look into something different, especially if you plan to move to bigger rifle cases than 223 down the road. Imperial Sizing die wax works great for me.

February 27, 2012, 09:37 PM	#6
Madball6 Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2011 Posts: 211	Sizing Die is a Lee, also it seems i fail in reading directions, did not realize you were supposed to let the stuff dry before sizing.... Maybe thats my whole problem. In fact I made sure that the case was WET with lube before using it. Will re-read directions and try again thanks for the input, hopeful this solves my problem. Was starting to get turned off to the idea of reloading shouldered cartridges, its extremely frustrating to stick 3 cases in an hour! -Madball

February 28, 2012, 08:08 AM	#9
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	.223 getting stuck in die I had a set of Hornady dies where, I had more stuck cases than came out. I sent the dies baack to Hornady and they polished their insides. Problem solved. No more stuck cases...

February 28, 2012, 08:28 AM	#10
Goatwhiskers Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2009 Location: Batchelor, La. Posts: 579	I use STP oil treatment for case lube and have never had a stuck case. In fact, I moistened my lube pad over 30 years ago and have never had to re-wet it. Don't even know whether they still make the stuff. You do definitely have to clean your cases after resizing to get the tacky stuff off. Goat

February 28, 2012, 08:52 AM	#11
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,539	I use One Shot lube on: About every fourth pistol case going into a carbide sizing die. Same brass going back into a target configured AR. BPCR brass where some fouling clearance is desirable. Any other full length sizing gets Imperial because I had a couple of stuck cases with One Shot, too.

February 29, 2012, 10:13 AM	#15
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	I have loaded thousands upon thousands of 223's and never have stuck one in a die. Did I mention that I've never used one shot either? Why do you guys lube the case necks? I've never lubed a case neck and have not had any problems to indicate that I should.

February 29, 2012, 12:55 PM	#16
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	I've used One Shot on .223, worked okay as long as I was generous. 30-aught, not so much. Switched to Unique and had no trouble since. I hit the inside of the necks with a nylon brush. Or a worn out bore brush if I can't find the other.

February 29, 2012, 04:20 PM	#17
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I use RCBS lube. I put a good sized dab on a cleaning patch. It then roll the patch on the pad of my thumb, and forefinger. I then use my fingers to lube the body of the cases. I use a bit of lube on a pipe cleaner to lube the insides of the necks. I do about 10 or 15 cases then pick up the lubed patch and roll it again. I started doing this after I stick 3 cases in 3 dies, in 2 days. I have not stuck a case since. I have literaly sized tousands of them since. After sizing I usualy trim them, and then run the brass for a 3 minute cycle in the sonic cleaner, and then rinse them. I put them on a towell to dry. If it is warm and sunny outside I put them in the sun. If I am in a hurry and do not have the time to wait for them to dry I have a tumbler with fine walnut media. I run them for about 30 or 45 minutes, and they are ready for the rest of the operation. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 29, 2012, 04:50 PM	#19
roc1 Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 560	I had a ton of trouble with Privi brass. I quit using it altogether. My die would pull the head off every few rounds other brass works great. roc1

February 29, 2012, 06:12 PM	#21
Jerry45 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2000 Location: Metairie, Louisiana Posts: 890	You can measure shoulder length with a mike. If you aren’t having feeding problems in semi auto and the bolt isn’t hard to close on bolt gun you’re probably not stretching the shoulder. I’ve used both RCBS and Lee dies. I don’t lube the inside of the neck on any of my brass and I’ve never had any shoulders stretch. __________________ Guns are not dangerous! People are! RKBA!

February 29, 2012, 08:09 PM	#22
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	I've tried to measure case shoulder or neck stretch due to a dry expander plug but have not found it to be so. And that was with several bottle neck cartridges using mulipule sizers of different brands while working with three or four brands of cases. I do prefer to use mica or graphite powder lubes on necks simply to ease extraction and reduce neck/jacket metal welding over time but that's the only reason I do it. I can't imagine anyone ever getting a 'stuck case' due to a lack of inside neck lube, case sticking occurs due to a lack of exterior lube, primarily on the thick part down near the head.

March 1, 2012, 09:21 AM	#23
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	That was me hijacking the thread because of the inside neck lube talk which made me curious. Sorry about the hijack, we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread... I actually found a better case lube than Imperial! It is a blue goo that is homemade by a guy in Alaska. He hangs out on the castboolit forum and 8 bucks got me about 110 years worth of it. I tested his against Imperial side by side when resizing some 45/70 brass, and the blue goo reduced the amount of force needed to size them vs the Imperial.

March 1, 2012, 08:56 PM	#24
30Cal Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2002 Posts: 1,264	About 90% of internet posts asking about stuck cases involve One Shot. Get a better lube. You should NEVER have stuck cases. Never.

March 3, 2012, 09:38 AM	#25
JKP Member Join Date: May 3, 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 90	I started lubing the inside of case necks on .223 because I was having to trim after each reload. Just a little lube on a neck cleaning brush works great. After sizing I tumble again for 60 minutes to get all the lube off (Lymen water based lube.)