Sizing die shaves brass off neck

[tangolima]

Got a brand new Lyman die set for 6.5mm creedmore. It is part of a deal with some lightly used Hornady brass.

First use I found the brass hard to go into the sizer, even it was amply lubed. It is the sizing down of the brass neck that is rough and scratchy. The brass neck came out with thin shavings and scratch marks. I thought it was the brass. Its neck wall thickness was indeed on the thick side. Turning it down to 0.0115" helps but it is still more difficult than other calibers.

Perhaps the die's neck is undersized or not properly polished? Should I send it back to have it reworked?

Thanks.

-TL

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[jag2]

Any time I want to really clean a die I remove the depriming stem, wrap some 0000 steel wool around a bit in my power drill and scrub away. I relube it with Hornady One Shot. May not fix your problem but I would try a few ideas before I would send it back.

[mehavey]

^^^ THIS ^^^ (1st)
I can't think of anything that would cause neck scratches/shaving except for
a (very) rough/sharp circular edge as the shoulder transitions to the neck.

[tangolima]

Good point on the edge. Will try polish myself.

Haven't deal with Lyman's customer service. But their website is very sluggish at the moment. Doesn't infuse a lot confidence there. Thanks.

-TL

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[GeauxTide]

Are you using some dry lube on the inside/outside of the neck? I have used every die manufacturer and haven't had this problem in 50 years of loading.

[tangolima]

The shaving is on the outside. It is lubed. I haven't met this problem either. Something is off about that die. I will honed it and see whether it helps.

-TL

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[44 AMP]

After the holidays, CALL Lyman, speak to a person, explain the problem and ask what you should do. My guess is, they'll ask you to send it to them. Don't expect instant turn around this time of year, weather does delay shipping, despite our 21st century technology.

I don't know if Lyman does, but many places shut down over the holidays as well, so allow for that, too.

If you polish the die it might cure your problem, BUT if it doesn't or if something screws up, I wouldn't expect that to be covered under their warranty.

Lyman is one of, if not the oldest operating maker of reloading tools, and their name is, I think, the most respected in the industry. I've been using Lymand tools dies, manuals for over half a century. Started out with a Lyman press, dies and scale and never had any trouble with any of it that didn't turn out to be my own fault.

If you've gotta have it tomorrow, do it yourself, and remember if you go just a tiny bit too far, you can't put it back.

If you can wait a bit, let Lyman take care of it, I'm sure they will do you right.

[Unclenick]

If you have access to a bore scope or an endoscope, a visual inspection can tell you more. Cleaning the die makes sense as a first step. Take the decapping rod out and use a copper-dissolving bore cleaner to get brass traces out, then take a look. If it looks OK, try sizing another piece of brass in it. Size it without the expander in place to be sure that it isn't causing part of the problem. From the standpoint of preserving neck concentricity, it is better to resize without the expander on the decapping rod and then to remount the expander and put it into the die, and then run the case into the die and just far enough to go over the expander and back out again afterward. This puts the expanding force downward, which has less tendency to pull the neck off its axis than pulling it outward over the expander. Even better, get a separate Lyman M-die for the expanding step.

If the die is still shaving brass after cleaning and removing the expander, then your best move is to take 44 AMP's advice and send it to Lyman, as the sharp shoulder indicates the inside of the die missed their final polishing step somehow, and that means other parts of the inside may be unfinished, too. If you still want to polish the corner in the die yourself, understanding the warranty will likely be voided, you can do it by taking a 3/8" wood dowel and spinning it against a file with a drill to sharpen it like a pencil. Ideally, you want to produce half the angle of the shoulder on the sharpened tip, so it doesn't favor either side of the sharp corner when you use it as a lap. You then spin it against a small block of fast-cutting white polishing compound and run that up into the die to dress the sharp corner.

[mehavey]

Originally Posted by UNick

...taking a 3/8" wood dowel and spinning it against a file with a drill to sharpen
it like a pencil -- half the angle of the shoulder -- use it as a lap. You then spin
it against a small block of fast-cutting white polishing compound and run that up
into the die to dress the sharp corner.

Mahvelous (as usual)

And I'd sure do that before [rather than] sending back to Lyman.

But then I never learned to let well-enough alone as a boy.
(.... and that has made all the difference)

[tangolima]

The honing works. It still shaves a tiny little bit, but it is much better. It is indeed the edge being too sharp.

I used my usual honing method for holes. A strip of 800 grit sand paper attached to a split arbor on foredom. It spins like a windmill and the abrasive side of the sand paper slaps inside the hole. It just took the edge off very so slightly.

Thanks guys. Merry Christmas.

-TL

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[tangolima]

It took Lyman more than a week to reply my email. They are willing to replace the die body. But they need me to produce receipt. I don't have it. The die set was part of a rifle deal.

A bit disappointed. They make pretty good stuff. My first die set and press were Lyman, bought from my friend with Remington 700.

I had similar product issue with rcbs. They never asked for receipt. Oh well.

Just ordered Hornady bushing die.

-TL

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[olduser]

Why don't you follow that 800 grit with some JB Bore Paste on a tight fitting patch? I bet it would help too. Might get the last if the sharp edge.

[tangolima]

I actually resolved the shaving issue with honing. Unclenick had a good point. The die may have other issues, so I emailed them anyway. I don't really need the die body replaced. But I would be much happier if they do.

No biggie. Next time I buy Lyman, I just need to make sure I have the receipt.

-TL

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[GeauxTide]

Shame on Lyman. I lost a couple of pieces to an RCBS Primer Tool and they sent me a complete rifle/pistol set of tubes, rams, and springs at no charge with shipping. I didn't have a receipt and the CSR said: "our concern is your delight with our products".

[jetinteriorguy]

I’m surprised they required a receipt. I’ve only ever dealt with them once on a warranty issue and they resolved it free of charge, no questions asked. Prompt service as well.

[Unclenick]

...Or, they could have asked to have the die returned. That's proof of ownership, if not of purchase. Sometimes it just depends on which person you get on the phone, I suppose.

I'd still be curious to look at it through a borescope to see if there is anything else rough about it on the inside. It certainly sounds as if a production step was missed.

[tangolima]

Lyman replied. Now they don't need the receipt (perhaps they are on this forum). They are to send me a new die body for free. Now that's what we expect from such an old brand. I'm much happier.

Unclenick. I will try to find my borescope. Most probably I won't be able to tell anyway, especially after the honing I have done.

Thank you guys.

-TL

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[tangolima]

Received the replacement die body from Lyman. Tried it. Much better. All normal now. The original die body must have missed a step, or two, in the manufacturing process.

Now I have a new dilemma. What am I going to do with the old die body? Paper weight, or some other better use? A waste to toss it in the bin.

-TL

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[Rimfire5]

I experienced that problem.
It went away when I chamfered the interior and exterior lips of my cases.