Trouble Resizing .223 Brass

M

M4Carbine503

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Ok my fellow reloaders I need your help. I have been loading for several years, but it has always been pistol calibers. I am new to reloading the .223 cartridge. I am sizing my Lake City brass with a Redding Full Length Sizing Die and then checking my length with a Dillon Case Length Gage. The sizing die is somehow placing a big dent on the shoulder of each and every piece of brass I run thru it. And although the pictures don't really show it, the rest of the shoulder has ripples going all the way around it. What am I doing wrong?? I set-up the die exactly as Redding's instructions say. Is it the die body causing this or is it the expander ball? It fits perfectly in my Dillon Case Gage so I'm pretty sure it will chamber properly. But I know it isn't right and it's ugly as all get up. I'm assuming that once it's fire formed it will return to normal.
 

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You're over-lubing the brass and it's accumulating in the shoulder area of the die.

Clean the die well with spray carburetor/brake cleaner and limit your lube on the case....Just a smidgen on the neck will do the job.

Check the [weep-hole] in the die up in the shoulder area for blockage, and clean it out if necessary.

Firing the case with the dent won't hurt anything...It'll push out on firing and return to normal.

WILL
 
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A classic "lube" dent.

What are you using for lube?

There should be no lube on the shoulder area of the case before sizing.
 
The sizing die is somehow placing a big dent on the shoulder of each and every piece of brass I run thru it. And although the pictures don't really show it, the rest of the shoulder has ripples going all the way around it. What am I doing wrong??
Click to expand...

I clean my dies with a towel on a dowel. I use white towels, it is much easier when determining when finished. The towel is embeddable, the towel does not remove the thin coating from the inside of the die but it does make the coating thin, and thin is what 'I' want. I do not want to start over by using chemicals that remove everything down to clean metal.

I want nothing between my chamber and case but air, I do not want a lot of air, I want a little air, air flows, air is fluid AND! air can be compressed.

Problem with fluid, it is fluid, it flows BUT! it can not be compressed. Meaning, when fluid/lube gets trapped between the case and die body it flows to slow to get out of the way. I suggest you use a towel on a dowel to clean the die. That requires you to remove the de-capping/neck sizer plug assemble.

F. Guffey
 
As Will-j say above, keep case lube off the shoulders/neck. None needed.
Lube is only needed on the case body, and even then mostly on the lower
half where the toughest sizing force is involved.

And... (as Steve asked) what lube are you using now ?
 
There should be no lube on the shoulder area of the case before sizing.
Click to expand...

Steve4102, yes, it is written, do not lube the outside of the neck or shoulder of the case.

But we both have seen it written about being generous with the lube as in 'not enough'. I no longer have a label on my lube bottle, that forces me to name it 'NO NAME LUBE'. It flows, it is fluid but it is not directional, when it attempts to get out of the way it flows in all directions, I do not know but suspect the air flows and gets out of the way but because the fluid flows slower some of it gets to the shoulder.

I formed some ugly cases with dents and creases on the shoulders. I was told the dents and creases would pop out like magic. I placed the ugly formed cases on the bench and got ready to fire them when the shooter told me to tell him I was not going to fire those ugly cases.

SO? I did, I told him I was not going to fire those ugly cases. The range went hot, then I shot those ugly cases. The shooter next to me said "I thought you said you were not going to shoot those ugly cases". I replied: "No, you told me to say I was not going to fire those cases so I followed you instructions".

Point? The dents and creases did not pop out. The dents and creases became very tight creases. I changed my methods and techniques and I use forming dies.

F. Guffey
 
Right on to all the above re: lube dents. I assume you are lubing on a lube pad and you can continue to lube the entire case that way as opposed to just trying to lube the cases below the shoulder. Then if you use your right hand to operate the press handle, give your left hand something to do by holding a handi-wipe or shop rag and then using it to remove the lube from the upper portion of the case, to include the shoulder and neck, before sizing. After sizing the remaining lube can be removed from the cases with the shop rag. The rippling effect that you described around the shoulder, like a coffee filter, may be partially due to something else, like an improperly sized die. I had that happen with one sizing die and had to get a replacement in order to eliminate the rippling.
 
I just lube the bottom third of the case. Instead of a lube pad, I have a nasty old folded up cotton cloth that's overly lubed from years of use. I hold the case neck and shoulder and just twirl the bottom third of the case on the pad. Faster than a regular lube pad. Haven't had a lube dent in decades, and never have had a stuck case (RCBS lube).
 
Ok guys. Thanks for the help. That is exactly what I have been doing wrong. I am using Imperial sizing wax and applying it to the neck and shoulder. I thought that's where I should apply it. Like I mentioned earlier, up until now I have only loaded pistol calibers and I have carbide dies for those, so lubing a case was never needed. Thanks again!!!
 
By "manuals" do you mean Load Data books and information? I have a Nosler book, but it doesn't give the best info. I am using date from the powder manufacturers website, specifically Western Powders, since I'm using Ramshot TAC.
 
"By "manuals" do you mean Load Data books and information? I have a Nosler book, but it doesn't give the best info. I am using date from the powder manufacturers website, specifically Western Powders, since I'm using Ramshot TAC."

That right there is the downfall of a whole generation of handloaders!!!!
There's a ton of information within the covers of a reloading manual in addition to the load data.

FYI Most sizing dies have a "vent" to release excess lube from the neck area. Yours may be plugged. I use spray on sizing lube so keeping the vent clean and working is important. The vent feature works fine with the thinner lubes but not so well with the thick lubes.
 
On my .223 brass I put about 50 or so cases in a plastic container and give them one spritz of the Dillon spray lube. Then put the lid on and shake them for a minute or so, remove the lid and let the alcohol evaporate, then size. Never a single problem and a bottle of the spray will last a long long time. To clean it off I just toss them in the vibrator with my usual walnut shells and a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and NuFinish plus I cut up a used dryer sheet to absorb the crud. I've been using the same walnut shells for four years now and still haven't changed them. After a couple hours they are nice and clean and shiny.
 
That right there is the downfall of a whole generation of handloaders!!!!
There's a ton of information within the covers of a reloading manual in addition to the load data.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Any one will work, although I would recommend a manual endorsed by either a maker of reloading equipment (such as Lyman or Lee) or a components manufacturer (Hornady, etc.).
 
M4Carbine503 said:
By "manuals" do you mean Load Data books and information? I have a Nosler book, but it doesn't give the best info. I am using date from the powder manufacturers website, specifically Western Powders, since I'm using Ramshot TAC.
Click to expand...

No, I mean reloading manuals like Lyman 48, Nosler, Hornady etc.

These manuals are all more than just "Load Data". They walk the handloader step-by-step though the handloading process.

They all have load data towards the back of the manual, this data should be used after a new handloader has read the front information section at least a couple of times.

Lyman 48 for example has a complete description with Photos on page 51 showing your exact dents and the cause.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...edition-reloading-manual?cm_vc=ProductFinding
 
M4Carbine:

I see you've got the problem figured out. Good on`ya. :D

HINT:
In addition to applying the Imperial sizing wax only to the case body (mostly toward the base),
make sure to start each loading session out by twisting a paper towel plug up into the die and
cleaning out the old wax residue. The leftover wax will harden over time and you'll stick
a case even if you've got fresh wax on the case itself. (Ask me how I know :mad: )

Read this string down through Post#10
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=484796
 
Use the one shot lube, have had no problems with hydrolocking or denting the brass with it. Beats the hell outta any of the other stuff I have used. Best of all, it is a dry lube (once it dries).
 
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