|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
December 9, 2017, 08:00 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Offset Primer and a Bad Day for my Dies (not for faint of heart)
So I purchased 1,000 FN 5.56 rounds, headstamped "FNB". I tried de-priming this evening. The first one stuck in the die, thanks One-Shot. I gave them all another GOOD shot of One-Shot since it's what I have on hand. Second one ... stuck in the die and I can't get it out. I guess this will go back to Lee to see if they can fix it. Might be cheaper to just buy a new die.
So aside from that I noticed it took a LOT of pressure to get the primer out. They don't seem to be swaged or staked (or are they?). If they are swaged, I've done swaged brass before and don't remember them being this tough. They are sealed with some green sealant. Anyone ever seen/experienced that? Finally, and this might contribute to them being hard to de-prime: I noticed that the flash hole is off-center. This is not Berdan primed but a Boxer primer visibly offset. I only had the chance to check two since the sizing/de-priming die is now otherwise encumbered, but that seems very strange to me that they are off-center. Anyone else seen this? So whenever I do get a die back, should I even attempt this FN brass again?
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
December 9, 2017, 08:16 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 8, 2016
Location: Cleveland, Ohio Suburbs
Posts: 1,750
|
Well you are what? Two for two with stuck cases. I have seen the primer sealant used and it is normal to feel more resistance. I have had decapping pins actually drive through the primers. Me? I would likely just shoot them and trash them but I have more 223 brass than I will likely ever shoot during my lifetime. As to the One Shot? I have heard it is great if you follow the directions to the letter and also heard horror stories of stuck cases and since I have never used it I can't comment. Again, if I am having stuck case followed by stuck case I am going to find out why or simply trash the brass.
Ron |
December 9, 2017, 08:25 PM | #3 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Quote:
I just packaged up my die and sent it off to Lee. I'm also going to thing very seriously about some of that Lanolin-based (homemade) case lube. Oh, the pic of the trashed case head is after I lost my temper and used a vice-grip to try to get it out. It worked the first time, not so much the second.
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
|
December 9, 2017, 08:30 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: East shore of Lake Michigan.
Posts: 714
|
LBussy, I'm not bashing you, but are you aware that you can get (stuck case) removers
and remove these on you're own ?
__________________
Sent from my Tandy 1000 |
December 9, 2017, 08:34 PM | #5 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Quote:
I however damaged the pin as well trying to get the darned thing out so the die and pin are damaged as well as having a stuck case. I'm hoping the folks at Lee will take pity on me. At worst I think they will charge me half for a new die.
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
|
December 9, 2017, 08:34 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: East shore of Lake Michigan.
Posts: 714
|
Oh, and RBCS case lube works great, a simple roll on the pad is all it takes. And yes, I have seen several flash holes off center but it's not a problem with the Lee Universal
depriming die.
__________________
Sent from my Tandy 1000 |
December 9, 2017, 08:38 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
I may have to pick one of those up, thanks for the tip.
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
December 9, 2017, 08:45 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: East shore of Lake Michigan.
Posts: 714
|
@ LBussy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hornady-050...MAAOSwdSRaC~Mb https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lee-Univers...kAAOSwK~RaFyfL
__________________
Sent from my Tandy 1000 |
December 9, 2017, 08:46 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 30, 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Posts: 1,752
|
The best way to handle sealed and/or crimped in primer cases is to use a Lee Universal Decapping Die ( Lee #90292) this die is used in the press but only decaps ...it does not size and is made to decap military/crimped/sealed cases. Since you are not sizing , only decapping , you can feel the pin stop if it is not in the hole, turn the case until the pin drops into the hole and deprime.
Option #2 is the Lee Decapper and Base (Lee #90103-22 cal.) it is a steel rod with a fixed decapping pin and steel base. The primer is removed with a mallet. May seem crude but offset primer holes do not matter, you slip the pin into the hole and knock it out. Using the sizing/depriming die only works with factory non crimped , non sealed primered cases. Since I got a decapping die I now do all my cases with it before sizing, just makes sizing easier. Sorry about stuck cases, we all do them until we learn the good case lubes from the OK case lubes....One Shot is only OK in my experience. I don't like it...a little dab of STP oil treatment is greasy and messy but I've never stuck a case with it. 303 British crimped/sealed military cases fired in a machine gun with a generous WWII chamber were the ultimate test and STP worked....nothing else did. I full length resized them but decapped them first with the Lee Universal Decapping Die , those cases were a son of a gun to resize even lubed with STP Oil Treatment. Gary |
December 9, 2017, 09:10 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 26, 2016
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 1,636
|
The thing is folks, universal decapping dies won't help off center flash holes.
I ran into some of those cases myself in some range brass and broke 2 decapping pins on them. I don't think that they are worth the trouble, even if you do figure out a way to decap them without busting pins. Mainly because you will be in the same boat again next time. You can get once fired 223 brass for cheap online, or free doing range pickup. I use only LC once fired brass because I KNOW if it is truly once fired given how long they are once resized and the crimp on the primer. Anyway, I think I would put them in the ol scrap brass bin. |
December 9, 2017, 09:16 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: East shore of Lake Michigan.
Posts: 714
|
The Lee #90292 is a great depriming die as the decapping pin pushes up to avoid
breaking the pin, if it press' up, you just reset it and run again.
__________________
Sent from my Tandy 1000 |
December 9, 2017, 09:24 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
|
If it makes you feel better my buddy helped me load today by breaking a primer punch and wrecking my primer system, how I have no idea.
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing. |
December 10, 2017, 12:06 AM | #13 |
Junior member
Join Date: February 27, 2015
Posts: 1,768
|
The primer is most certainly staked into place, in three places.
Might check to see if the flash hole is undersized, I had that issue with some FNB brass just about a month ago. Off center flash holes is fairly common with European NATO brass, but usually not that far! I think I would use a universal decapper, moving the brass around a little to make sure the pin hits the flash hole before you bear down to decap, or scrap the brass entirely. A third option would be set the brass aside for shortage times. |
December 10, 2017, 07:07 AM | #14 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Quote:
Okay I went to Cabella's last night and got the Universal Decapping Die. I did a few more before bed and had absolutely no issues so my working theory is that I'll never use One Shot again and the brass was dirty/gritty enough to stick. I'll de-prime the rest of these and wet process them before doing anything else.
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. Last edited by LBussy; December 10, 2017 at 07:57 AM. |
|
December 10, 2017, 07:20 AM | #15 | |
Staff
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,992
|
Quote:
Interestingly enough, they are not centered on the primer pocket AND, based on the second picture posted, they are offset in the same direction as the primer hole. That suggests that batch of brass was created on machinery that wasn't aligned properly.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
|
|
December 10, 2017, 07:55 AM | #16 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Quote:
I am going to borrow a friend's Dillon Swager to see if I like it. This will be a good batch to try it on.
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
|
December 10, 2017, 08:04 AM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 23, 2008
Location: East shore of Lake Michigan.
Posts: 714
|
To lube the inside of the case mouth, I just swirl the case mouth on the lube
pad, a little go's a long way. Some people use a bristle brush...roll the bristles on the lube pad and push/pull into the case mouth. Again, a little go's a long way.
__________________
Sent from my Tandy 1000 |
December 10, 2017, 09:37 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 29, 2015
Posts: 387
|
I just "dab" the case neck on the pad lightly when using RCBS lube & pad, every 3-5 cases or when I feel it starting to drag too much.
|
December 10, 2017, 09:50 AM | #19 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
|
Quote:
__________________
-- Lee Bad decisions make good stories. |
|
December 10, 2017, 10:10 AM | #20 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 13, 2006
Posts: 8,288
|
Quote:
The grit will press into the brass.Its harder than the steel in the dies,and it has sharp teeth. Not so good for dies or chambers.Now,try to have a cartoon like vision of what happens on a microscopic level.The grit is forced into the brass by the hard steel die.The drag of going in orients the grit in a trailing fashion. I'm saying your grit creates condition resembling pushing a bore brush partly through a bore,then trying to reverse and pull t back out.The glass hard grit bites into the steel of the die. The universal decap die or the knockout punch are excellent ideas. If you can visually sort the flasholes you can see first,IMO,they aren't worth the trouble. Now take your decapped brass and get it clean. This process has evolved some.I still use a vibratory bowl and media.Only run clean brass into your sizing die.Onceagain,visuaally cull offcenter flash holes. I loathe the RCBS lube pad!! Though it does work. I have not used the Hornady lube,No comment,good or bad. You do have to apply spray lube right for it to work.I like spray lube. RCBS and Dillon work. I'm pretty sure they are lanolin in a volatile carrier. Put your brass in a plastic bin or bucket,and not more than an inch or so of brass. Spray over it ,fairly generously. Now shake it around.Repeat twice. Now you must wait,at least 15 min.30is better. The volatile carrier must evaporate before sizing,or you will stick cases..Traces of lube will get inside the necks. The expander pug friction should not be a problem. Feel the brass. You don't wantit sloppy with lube,but you want to be able to feel it is there. Now,your troubles are not over with this brass. You will have a horrible time trying to prime the crimped cases. There is more than one way to remove crimps. Rather than me writing about it,try reading loading manuals on the subject. In my experience,the Dillon bench tool ($100) works really well. Last edited by HiBC; December 10, 2017 at 12:01 PM. |
|
December 10, 2017, 10:53 AM | #21 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 20, 2017
Posts: 197
|
I have never had a stuck case, maybe because of my sequence of operations. I decap everything and then use an ultrasonic cleaner before the brass touches my dies.
|
December 10, 2017, 11:10 AM | #22 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 6, 2006
Location: Great state of Texas
Posts: 1,077
|
Quote:
Like one of the other posters mentioned, read the directions on the OneShot. I stuck about 4 cases before I actually read and followed the directions, now I don't have that problem. True story. And I'm talking some big cases like .30-06 and .348.
__________________
_______________ "I have this pistol pointed at your heart!" "That is my least vulnerable spot." |
|
December 10, 2017, 11:13 AM | #23 |
Staff
Join Date: March 4, 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 21,063
|
That's my first thought, too. Let the carrier evaporate. I use a number of case lubes, both wipe-on and spray. I've had stuck cases with both. The only system that seems to work flawlessly for spray is I dilute Lee case lube about 10:1 in rubbing alcohol (70%) and spray it on and let it dry, and then spray on the canned lube and let it set an hour or two as well. Two layers seems to work better than one. For rub-on, I've become partial to Hornady Unique. I used Imperial Sizing Wax for a long time, but Unique seems to work as well and is considerably more economical. It is easier to get too much on, though, and wind up with neck indentations.
The off-center flash holes are caused either by drilling without adequate support for the drill to stop if from walking, or by not centering the case over the drill. I believe all mil spec case brass is drilled. As the others commented, you have a form of what is called a staked crimp on that case. If the cases are gritty, they should be cleaned with a rag or even tumbled in dry corncob for a bit to remove that.
__________________
Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle |
December 10, 2017, 11:15 AM | #24 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 28, 2014
Posts: 442
|
On using Ohe Shot. I've used it since it came out. It works well for me and has never given me a stuck case.
Before using it, shake it well and spray the cases. Don't let those cases sit very long and resize them. Before applying it to the next cases shake it again and follow the above. Whatever is in that can separates so you have to constantly shake it before applying it to brass. The stuff works great as long as you shake the can first.
__________________
The 6 gun was once as common as the cellphone is today, and just as annoying when it went off in the theater. |
December 10, 2017, 11:20 AM | #25 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 10, 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 7,014
|
Well when it says 5.56 you can be sure its military ammo and its going to be staked.
That is a NATO symbol on the left. It may have stuff on the case as well. FNB is noted for the off center holes, its a one fire and done thing. NATO does note care. I would not touch it, you can pick up good brass all day long at the range (or buy it second hand) One shot has some issues if not used right, I over spray it and does fine. I did not know about stuck case remover either, I actually drilled a case out of a die one time. Case remover more better.
__________________
Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not |
|
|