Scratched brass question

J

jonnefudge

New member
Hi,
I'm new to reloading and shooting and have another question.
My resizing die leaves vertical scratches on the brass. I'v tried cleaning the die and it removes the scratches temporarily but when I use the die they come back. The marks the die leaves on the brass is not that deep but you can feel them with your fingernail. The question is, would you shoot the brass or is there a risk of them damaging the rifle? i Have already shot brass with these scratches on them and they seemed fine.

So, I am not asking you to give me any guarantees but would you worry about it?

/Jonnefudge, Sweden


IMG_11971.jpg

IMG_11931.jpg

IMG_11941.jpg
 
I certainly wouldn't like it.

I would try to clean the resizing die with bore cleaner, specifically copper cleaner. The dies may be picking up brass from the case due to lack of lubrication. Once a bit of brass has embedded itself into the steel die it will continue to scratch the cases until it's cleaned out.

I would try a different lube like Hornady Unique or some of the other better lubes. Some of us here even make our own lube but I don't.

I'm a little concerned with the 3rd picture down and the circular ring around the case below the shoulder. What is that? It's almost to high for case separation but it sure looks suspicious.

The scratches won't hurt the rifle by the way but they aren't good for the cases.
 
I would conclude that something hard has embedded itself in your die or some hard particle has scored the die. Perhaps from sizing cases that have not been cleaned after striking the ground when ejected after firing. Normal gun cleaning solutions will not remove such embedded particles/scoring most of the time. You may have to resort to spinning some steel wool or even some fine abrasive cloth in the sizing die to get the hard particles to break free (or smooth out the scoring),...just do not over-do it.
 
It could also be the die itself.
Maybe poor machining or something.
The temporary cure after cleaning might be due to the cleaning compound filling the imperfections for awhile.
If so, the only cure is a new die.
Why mess around, dies aren't expensive.
 
I had a problem similar to the problem you describe; my problem became a problem with Winchester. I purchased a rifle with the ugliest chamber I have ever seen.

Your problem: I do not know but there is a chance your scratches are coming from the chamber and not the die. My dies have a mirror like finish, if my dies have scratches I can see the scratches. I am the only one that likes a mirror finish on the chamber wall; I want 100% contact between the case body and chamber because when it comes to grip 100% is better than anything less.

And then comes the 'SO' moment. So, I would suggest you index the case when sizing to determine if the scratches move when the case is rotated to a different index. Same when firing. I see scratches in your pictures, the scratches look small, that could be caused by the small picture.

F. Guffey
 
Last edited:
A few years ago I bought a set of dies at a gun show.
Had the same problem you've got.
I called rcbs hoping they could polish it cheaper than I could buy another.
The lady told me to send it in and they'd look at it.
A week later I had a new die at no cost other than postage to send it to them.
 
Forgive: My Winchester chamber did not have scratches, it had gouges; the gouges were long, deep and continues. Winchester said they would hone, polish and ream the chamber and I said the chamber was also too long and the diameter was to large; SO! What part of honing, polishing and reaming reduces the length, and diameter of the chamber. Sure enough; they honed, polished and reamed the chamber and it got larger in diameter and longer. It was about that time I told them I would settle for a set of Winchester dies that would match their chamber or a barrel with a chamber that would match my dies.

F. Guffey
 
Last edited:
*IF* cleaning the dies stops the scratching,
Then you are introducing something WITH the brass causing the scratches to return.

Cleaning media, dirty brass, something else is getting into the die during operation...
Dirty lube pad? Tumbling media on the brass? Resizing ball dragging crud out of the neck?
 
Those 'Look' like magazine scratches for the most part...
Magazine scratches are usually apparent after cleaning, before lubing.

If you have magazine scratches or feed ramp scratches, use a little extra fine emery
Cloth on sharp edges in the firearm, gets rid of them forever.

Circular 'ring' gouges always get culled. Good place for a case seperation to happen.
 
*IF* cleaning the dies stops the scratching,
Then you are introducing something WITH the brass causing the scratches to return.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. But I would make sure first the scratches only appear after resizing. As for them being harmful to the brass, I doubt it, if they are as shallow as you claim.
 
Ok thanks for the info! I'm gonna buy a new die and some new brass. Is those full length carbide dies good? No lube required?

Those circular scratches that LE-28 noticed is actually from holding the the lee dechamfer tool wrong so it touches the brass body. Sharp eyes and good question but nothing to worry about.
 
Last edited:
All sizing dies for tapered or bottle neck cases need lube.
If you try it without lube, best make up a hydraulic stuck case remover, you will be removing a LOT of stuck cases.

Carbide dies are for longevity, they are harder so they simply last longer.

All bets are out the window if you aren't getting brass good & clean,
Even carbide dies will fail eventually if the brass carries abrasives into them.
 
I picked up some range brass that had the same circular scratches like on your 3rd picture, somebody out there has the same problem as you.... most likely a bad die.
 
Last edited:
Something I ran into one time, after building a new shop building, was cement dust. The floor had been 'sealed', but no matter what, I'd have problems with dies being scratched, then carrying the scratches on and on. Polishing the die was a temporary fix, until the cement dust problem was discovered. Keeping your brass absolutely clean should eliminate scratches.
 
Pistol carbide dies size with a ring of carbide that slides down over the case, so the amount of contact area with the brass is very small. A carbide rifle die makes contact over the whole brass surface, same as a steel rifle die does, and that large contact area has too much friction to work without lube.

I actually had one .223 case get stuck in a Dillon carbide rifle die, and it stuck so badly that the head ripped off when I tried to extract it, so I had to send it back to the maker, as I couldn't find a way to do it myself. I had a similar thing happen with a steel die once and used bore cleaner to eat the brass out, but the carbide is dust in a metal matrix, and I didn't trust that I could avoid a galvanic reaction damaging the polished die surface removing it that way. None of the cleaners have been tested with carbide; just steel.

If, after cleaning the die, the scratches disappear but then reappear in the exact same place, you have a couple of gouges in the die surface that accumulate brass until they start marking the cases again visibly, and the die may need to be polished or even lightly honed to remove them. If the scratches appear in different places than they did originally, then fresh dirt or metal particles or grit are getting in somehow, and you need not only to clean the fired cases carefully, but check around the shop to see if there is some place that steel filings or some other source of the contamination is being acquired.
 
Thanks alot guys! I have cleaned out the reloading room and ordered a new die. Gonna take a couple of days to receive it from the U.S but then I'll post the results.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top