First time sizing brass- neck sticking ?

[Freedomaintfree]

Maybe the answer is as simple as more lube in the neck. When I am removing the brass from the die the neck is sticking.

It’s once fired Nosler brass. I put RCBS lube in the neck with a brush.

How do I know if I am getting too much lube in the neck and on the outside?

Worries too much lube in the neck will cause issues with the powder or primer? Should I just tumble after sizing to remove excess lube.

Thanks for the help. This is all new to me so learning for the first time.

 

[ditter]

Next time, stand your brass upright and spray some lube inside the necks. I also spray a little in the die. I use Hornady one shot. Its safe on primers and powder.

 

[Snuby642]

I deprime on a universal die and then tumble. The brass is clean before going into dies.

Dies stay clean if nothing else.

If you are talking about sticking / jamming while the expander is being pulled up through the case you have possibly set your die to low.

Re-read setup instruction and try again.

Been there done that.
Edit: I tumble after sizing to get all that stuff off.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

I resize with a 50/50 mix of lanolin and 99% rubbing alcohol. Its cheap and it lasts a long time. I'll lay my brass on their sides on a clean rag and then spray in the necks and on the cases, then roll em around a bit. Haven't stuck a case in a long time since I started doing that way.

ETA: As pointed out, 50/50 is way to thick, I was writing this while tired and fucked up the ration... 1 part lanolin to roughly 10-12 parts alcohol.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

It should be a very thin coating with no visible buildup. A little mist from the spraw bottle or simply the case will usually lube the die enough. I usually end up using a qtip to wipe any residual build up out of the die.

 

[nealm66]

What caliber? What press? Brushing in a little case lube is fine. Then trim, clean pockets, and toss in the tumbler. It’s normal to have a decent amount of resistance . If you forget to lube, it can really feel stuck lol

 

[Freedomaintfree]

I have been wet tumbling and cases are already deprimed. It sticks on the neck while I am I am removing (lowering case) out of the die

7mm Rem mag
RCBS die - 1/4 turn past seated on press stem
RCBS supreme press

 

[Freedomaintfree]

Cases are about half way out of the die when they stick- assuming it’s on the neck and takes a good jerk on the press handle to overcome it.

 

[Snuby642]

I like sizing wax and dry lube.
I dip the clean dry neck in the dry lube to the shoulder first and tap it on the cap to make sure no media balls or excess grafite remain. Next a rub of wax on case body only, none on neck or shoulder, a small amount.

Quick tumble after sizing.

Have not stuck a single case since.
Loading 308, 223, 300blk, and 6.5g.

If you have high volume you will have to go to spray lube good luck.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Not exactly "Sticking a Case".
That usually refers to sticking the body.

A hard draw of the mandrel out of the case could be caused by:
Thick case necks being sized DOWN too much by the body die, then a slightly oversized mandrel being drawn out.

Oversizing the body, too short, too much head space, could be creating a DONUT at the neck to shoulder junction making it hard to draw out. Die to ram contact plus 1/4 per instructions might be TOO MUCH.

You might consider a lee collect die for the neck. and an extra mandrel, undersized, or a standard one to sand down just a tad.
Size with your body die, and neck size with the collet.

Lee Collet 7mm Remington Mag Neck Sizing Die

This die sizes only the neck to preserve the perfect fit of fire forming. A collet squeezes the case neck against a precision mandrel for a perfect...

www.midwayusa.com

Lee Collet Neck Sizer Die Undersize Mandrel 282 Diameter

The undersized mandrel is designed to work with the Lee collet dies. When delivered from the factory, the collet die will grip the bullet with a...

www.midwayusa.com

Midway is having $49 Free Shipping right now.

 

[straightshooter1]

Maybe the answer is as simple as more lube in the neck. When I am removing the brass from the die the neck is sticking.

It’s once fired Nosler brass. I put RCBS lube in the neck with a brush.

How do I know if I am getting too much lube in the neck and on the outside?

Worries too much lube in the neck will cause issues with the powder or primer? Should I just tumble after sizing to remove excess lube.

Thanks for the help. This is all new to me so learning for the first time.

Hmmmm??? I've heard of the case sticking, which suggests more lube. But I've not heard of a sticking neck. . . and, how do you know it's the neck rather than the body?

Or, are you using an expander ball and it's that expander ball that's sticking? If it's the expander ball, then the problem could be that the height of that ball needs adjusting.

I never use the expander ball as I have it completely removed and will expand the necks with an expander mandrel (a separate operation). I never have an issue with the neck sticking, not even when I only neck size without any lube.

 

[Rocketvapor]

The expander ball is probably in a free float position after the case has released from the body die. When the ball hits the neck it won't start through without a lot of pressure.
Measure loaded neck diameter and report back.
Problem goes away if you use a collet die.
El problema desaparece si utiliza las pinzas de morir.
Problem goes away if you use a collet die.

 

[Notevenonpaper]

I had that problem in .308 with RCBS dies when I started out, and I solved it by using redding dry lube on the necks and lee lube on the case instead of lee lube everywhere. Seems to work for me, and both products are supposedly powder safe but I sonic clean after I re size and de prime. Haven't had any issues.

 

[Mainer]

I solved the problem of expander ball drag on the case neck by the use of dry lube (graphite?) on the inside of the neck. I simply insert the case into a container of lube.

 

[jab00]

I’m relatively new to the reloading game but I was having similar issues with several cases sometimes getting to the verge of getting stuck in the resizing die until I switched over to using graphite on the necks and just a little sizing wax on the body of the shell.

 

[MtnCreek]

The best solution to pulling an expander ball through the neck is don't pull an expander ball through the neck. If it's hard to pull through you'll have a hard time keeping cartridge headspace consistent. Over lubing the inside of the neck is hard to remove in dry tumbling. Consider getting a mandrel die and carbide expander to set neck tension.

 

[Precision Underground]

I have been wet tumbling and cases are already deprimed. It sticks on the neck while I am I am removing (lowering case) out of the die

7mm Rem mag
RCBS die - 1/4 turn past seated on press stem
RCBS supreme press

1/4 turn from touching the shell plate is usually excessive. Take a case that has a tight bolt close and start your die just barely touching the shell plate. Run the brass through and test to see if the bolt closes easily now. Screw the die in 1/10 of a turn and try again. Keep doing this until the brass fits in the chamber with no resistance. This is prob not your sticking problem but will keep you from working your brass so much.

Wet tumbling IMO causes more problems than it fixes. The brass is squeaky clean and there is too much friction on the expander on the way out. Carbon would typically be there to reduce friction. Either don’t wet tumble or pick a method to make sure friction in the neck is low/consistent. This doesn’t end at sizing, you may have trouble with consistent seating depth and neck tension once you start loading them. Wet tumbling makes for pretty brass but also makes for extra annoying steps to get good ammo.

 

[supercorndogs]

I resize with a 50/50 mix of lanolin and 99% rubbing alcohol. Its cheap and it lasts a long time. I'll lay my brass on their sides on a clean rag and then spray in the necks and on the cases, then roll em around a bit. Haven't stuck a case in a long time since I started doing that way.

Seems pretty thick, i use 10 parts alcohol to 1 part lanolin. 1/1 is the highest ratio I have ever seen someone claim to use.

 

[Freedomaintfree]

Neck expander ball is 7.13mm.... shouldn’t it be 6.98mm?

 

[Freedomaintfree]

Sticking at this point on the way down. It’s not getting completely stuck. But just have to jerk in the press handle. I tried more lube and that didn’t help. Also tried backing the die out 1/8th a turn and that didn’t help.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I know where you run into drag.

The shape of the RCBS expander (I have a few) seems to take a lot more force to withdraw than say Lee, Redding, Hornady.
Your measurement of 7.13 mm is about 0.2807".
A 7mm bullet is about 7.21 mm, 0.284"
That gives a little more than 0.003" net tension (considering spring back it might even be 0.004" neck tension).
A corner inside the body die that is 'too sharp' at the arrow in the picture,
or brass that is a little thick at that point will make neck sizing difficult with your setup.

Measure a bullet, seat said bullet, measure loaded neck diameter.

Follow what Underground said.
You need to take a fired case and see if a partial sizing will chamber.
Then bring the body die down until you get desired (0.003" ?) headspace.
Lock or mark position.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

Seems pretty thick, i use 10 parts alcohol to 1 part lanolin. 1/1 is the highest ratio I have ever seen someone claim to use.

Fuck, I was writing that late at night (for me), while tired, and put the wrong ratio. Yea I do a 1:10-1:12 ratio.

 

[straightshooter1]

Neck expander ball is 7.13mm.... shouldn’t it be 6.98mm?

Though I don't use expander balls, keep in mind that the neck wall thickness is a factor with regards to your issue.

 

[Precision Underground]

What’s the inside diameter of the neck once you pull it through?

 

[Rocketvapor]

Measuring ID of neck at the neck shoulder junction takes some finesse
Full length sized diameter WITHOUT the mandrel tells you what the BODY die is doing.
How far the neck was sized DOWN.
Then mandrel in and out neck diameter tells you how much you worked the neck.
Then loaded diameter tells you neck tension.
You can do all that with the calipers with outside measurements. Accuracy doesn't matter much as all readings will be close to each other. Max SAAMI diameter of neck 0.315", Bullet usually 0.2840 (up to 0.2849).


I bet that once the flat, full size section of the mandrel passes the corner it pulls out easy.

 

[lightman]

I've helped this by chucking the expander ball up in a drill and polishing it with a piece of 1200 grit emory cloth. I also use carbide expander balls on the cases that I load in volume.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

What he said^^

 

[unclefreedom]

Use some Hornady one shot lube and if you start to see any denting on your cases you are going a little heavy on the lube but hands down the Hornady one shot is the best lube I have found and easiest to use. I line all mine up on a baking tray( make sure not to steal you wifes) and then hit them from all angles and spray across the neck openings

 

[Gee Kay]

as some others have mentioned, i also use the redding dry neck lube.

 

[Freedomaintfree]

Brass seems to chamber fine before running through the sizing die so guessing it is thicker brass that didn’t expand completely to the chamber??

 

[Mainer]

Brass seems to chamber fine before running through the sizing die so guessing it is thicker brass that didn’t expand completely to the chamber??

I think it expanded, but the neck is resized on the upstroke of your press. That is why the expander ball (or a mandrel die) is needed and why yours hangs up on the down stroke.