Do my brass necks look right?

JRBullock1987

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 8, 2023
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Washington
Do these brass tips look right? I just full length sized them and the tips look like the almost go in and then flare out at the top almost like its buckling but running the brass tyrough the die is smooth and not sticky and nothing feels like it shouldnt be doing that. I don't remember the brass necks being like that the last time I sized my brass. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention but I figured I'd ask what everyone else think and if they look normal or if there is something wrong. I use a redding small base fl sizing die on a forster coax I use imperial die wax for shoulder/body and dry neck lube for the neck. Everything goes smooth when I run the brass through the die and there aren't any weird things happening when sizing. I'd say I ise the correct amount of lube. This is some once fired lc brass I just ordered. If anyone could let me know if I've got something weird happening I'd be greatly appreciative.
Thanks
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Looks like a very slight buckling(?) that may be from hitting the top of the die? So check trim length. But regardless, an outside and inside neck mouth deburr/chamfer looks to be needed. (Do you use a tumbler with steel pins? < This can flatten out the mouth edge and create a lip inside and outside.)
 
"OMG STOP TUMBLING YOUR BRASS! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THAT?! HELL, I DON'T EVEN SIZE MY BRASS ANYMORE! I DON'T CLEAN MY RIFLES AND I KEEP MY THUMB OUTSIDE OF THE PISTOL GRIP TOO!"
 
Looks like a very slight buckling(?) that may be from hitting the top of the die? So check trim length. But regardless, an outside and inside neck mouth deburr/chamfer looks to be needed. (Do you use a tumbler with steel pins? < This can flatten out the mouth edge and create a lip inside and outside.)
Yeah I'll chamfer and deburr after I trim the brass. I use dry media.
 
How long to you tumble them?

It appears it's a pretty long time in order to get that much peening that I see. And I think you have a peening issue that's giving you what you see as a results of how your die interacts with those peened edges.
Like an hour to 1.5 hours. Most of the peening and dents were there when I bought the brass.
 
To me it looks like someone maybe wet tumbled those cases for too long..?

Chamfer/deburr them, load them, and after a couple/few firings the lip will probably disappear…

I don’t wet tumble anything besides blaster ammo anymore due to the peening and lip that eventually shows up.
 
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The longitudinal striations in the neck make me wonder if you have a bit of brass galled onto the neck portion of your FL die.

Yes, the neck of the die needs polished I think. Or more lube as stated above
^^^^All This^^^^ . You need to polish the neck area of your die. You have brass galled in the neck area. While you're at it, polish the entire inside of the die. Then fully wash out / clean any polishing residue out of the die using a solvent.

I've had this happen. Polishing took the galled brass out.

Tumble your brass after firing, especially if the brass has hit the ground. Dirt / sand will cause scratches in your die and cause galling. You only have to tumble for 30 min. or so to get the dirt off.
 
^^^^All This^^^^ . You need to polish the neck area of your die. You have brass galled in the neck area. While you're at it, polish the entire inside of the die. Then fully wash out / clean any polishing residue out of the die using a solvent.

I've had this happen. Polishing took the galled brass out.

Tumble your brass after firing, especially if the brass has hit the ground. Dirt / sand will cause scratches in your die and cause galling. You only have to tumble for 30 min. or so to get the dirt off.
I’ve used BT Copper Remover first then Semi-chrome on a mop in a drill to polish and that worked out pretty well.

What polish did you use?
 
^^^^All This^^^^ . You need to polish the neck area of your die. You have brass galled in the neck area. While you're at it, polish the entire inside of the die. Then fully wash out / clean any polishing residue out of the die using a solvent.

I've had this happen. Polishing took the galled brass out.

Tumble your brass after firing, especially if the brass has hit the ground. Dirt / sand will cause scratches in your die and cause galling. You only have to tumble for 30 min. or so to get the dirt off.

Agreed.
 
Just trim to length, then deburr inside, and outside...load and shoot...if your die is set correctly for your chamber with a slight shoulder bump....no worries or concerns at all. These crappy bulk once fired cases can shoot some pretty good groups. And always go bang...great for lots of shooting fun.
Example 1000 LC bulk 308 primed brass cases will shoot .3" and .4" 5 shot groups in AR 10 with a load the Proof barrel likes. And it only makes a .1"-.125" difference between Lapua and LC in a 5 shot group test, at 100 yds with a bolt target rifle. So for me it's a great value, and never concerned about losing a few LC cases.
 

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