I AM F...D

[viking78]

NO help on YT, or anywhere.
The full shit of reloading just happen at once.....
I was reloading my older .260Rem Lapua cases, and then this one comes out.
These were the cases i did reloaded with the older RCBS Summit press, and the one who know, do know..
That case is tight as MF!!
I have tryed everything, rat tail file, tap drill, heat, f...K.
I have one idea, to use epoxy putty, put a full kit in, and the same time a threaded bolt.
Once it settle in, try to to tap it out.
My friend also told to dremel it out, but i just feel that i can fuck this up like totally with that.
Like i told, there is a million ways to get the case stuck in the die, but what the fuck, when the case mouth is also gone.
My friend knows a friend, told that a acid bath would be one way to get that brass out, might be one.
But is there any one on this forum, who has been on this shit, where i am at the moment, and could tell me, what to do.
Thank you all ready...

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Call the die maker. They likely offer an unsticking service for a nominal fee.

 

[MK20]

He is in Finland.

 

[Evintos]

You try freezing it?

 

[XLR308]

Liquid nitrogen and a drift punch that matches the case mouth diameter.

 

[viking78]

It´s the RCBS, the die manufacturer, and it is the Matchmaster, that is why i am so f..d
Don´t know cry or laugh...
Guys, DO not reload too old brassssssss.

 

[ma smith]

possible alternative methods...
if you really need to mac guyver this thing

plug the neck and epoxy-cast the chamber body.
(follow the directions correct chemical bond)

insert a handle into the un-cured expoxy cast.
remove via the handle.

For a handle, use a threadded mini-eyelet
with a screw spaced out on it...like pic related

alternatively, use the drift-punch method,
and punch out via the neck aperture, but using
the expoxy plug to reinforce the neck of brass.

 

[Im2bent]

Liquid nitrogen and a drift punch that matches the case mouth diameter.

Yeah cause everyone has a dewar of LN2

 

[XLR308]

It´s the RCBS, the die manufacturer, and it is the Matchmaster, that is why i am so f..d
Don´t know cry or laugh...
Guys, DO not reload too old brassssssss.

Just to add to that dont overwork your brass leaving your headspace to big causing your brass to thin out ahead of the case head or that can happen. Atleast it happened in your die and not the rifles chamber.
You might want to inspect the rest of your brass in that batch.

 

[XLR308]

Yeah cause everyone has a dewar of LN2

What you dont ?

 

[isofahunter]

I used something similar to @ma smith with a 300blk case.

I JB Welded into the case body a bolt, leaving enough space to get a set of channel locks on the bolt stem between the die and the bolt head. Then with the die back in the press gently tapped the channel lock handle with a hammer and with a couple attempts out it came. I dabbed the bottom of the die with vaseline to make sure the JB Weld did not bond there.

 

[Im2bent]

What you dont ?

Actually at work I do

 

[OkieMike]

Liquid nitrogen might be hard to get a hold of... But some dry ice (CO²) might not be...

Pack the brass case with dry ice... Heat the outside of the die body... Tap out from the top with a suitable sized punch. Chuck the punch in a drill and file/sand to proper diameter if necessary.

Mike

 

[Evintos]

People talking about liquid nitrogen... man... I was thinking more like putting it in a freezer for a few hours...

 

[OkieMike]

People talking about liquid nitrogen... man... I was thinking more like putting it in a freezer for a few hours...

Dude lives in Finland... Set it outside for 30 minutes.

Mike

 

[whatsupdoc]

Find a tap the fits inside the case, turn tap to bite into the brass case.
Tap out case from the top of die using a punch against the tap.

Heating the outside of the die quickly will help.

 

[cas6969]

Cerrosafe (or something equivalent)

 

[Kiba]

Wow. Never seen that happen before, but I have considered the possibility of that happening...

First thing I would try, if you have one, is a broken case extractor, but the case is probably so stuck in the die it probably won't work-- and you risk the broken case extractor messing up the neck area of the die.

You might try plugging the neck and then soldering a piece of threaded rod into the case, and then use a nut and washer against the bottom of the die to pull the case out using the threaded rod similar to a stuck case extractor kit. You could also tap on the solder plug with a punch through the neck while tightening the nut.

Solder will adhere to the brass quite well given all the surface area and mechanically lock to the threaded rod. As long as you don't use acid core solder, it should not stick to the steel die, although I would advise not filling the case up with so much solder that the level overflows the broken case. Also try to avoid excessively heating the die which could mess with the heat treat. A 60/40 solder melts at about 370F which is highly unlikely to mess with the heat treat on the die. The solder will also shrink more than the steel die as it cools which may help pull the case away from the die and help unstick the case from the die.

You could also try the same method above with a good epoxy instead of solder, but protect the exposed piece of the die with mold release or grease so the epoxy won't stick to the die. Using epoxy also means waiting for it to cure before trying to remove it, while with solder you might be back to using the die in 15 minutes.

For those suggesting freezing it, keep in mind brass vs steel is only about a 5 x 10-6 difference in linear CTE, so even a large temperature change creates only a small difference across the relatively small diameter of the case. Even if you quench it in LN2, from room temp to -320F is only going to shrink a .473" diameter brass case about 0.0009" relative to the steel die down at the case head, and by about 0.004" relative to the die over the full 2" length of a .260 case. I bet the die was working the brass quite a bit more than 0.0009" for it to stick so hard it separated the case head-- so it probably isn't going to just fall out after an LN2 dunk.

And as others mentioned, it's time to check all your other cases for impending case head separation, and also check to see if you're bumping the shoulders back way too far each sizing leading to case thinning and possible case head separation. While having a headless case stuck in the die sucks, I'd honestly rather have a case head separate in the die than separate under 60ksi of pressure in front of my face during firing...

 

[tomme boy]

I chuck the die up in my lathe and cut it out. Find someone that has a lathe near you. You tun it down on the inside to leave just a foil thickness and pick it right out.

 

[viking78]

Thank you guys for all the help.
I was thinking, that would it be easy to cut with a dremell, try to do it gently on the half way of the case lenght?
Or filled with epoxy filler, add a bolt or similar inside with the epoxy, let it dry and try to pull it out?

 

[nn8734]

Thank you guys for all the help.
I was thinking, that would it be easy to cut with a dremell, try to do it gently on the half way of the case lenght?
Or filled with epoxy filler, add a bolt or similar inside with the epoxy, let it dry and try to pull it out?

You dont have a back up die?

If not, once you get this problem resolved via one way or another, purchase a back up sizing die(s). This sort of thing, while rare, can happen to anyone at any time. So having another die set up and ready to go prevents production delays, especially if you're loading rounds for a match, hunt or something else important.

 

[LR1845]

I know dumb question here but can't you just buy a new die? I had that exact same thing happen when I first started reloading and ended up with a F'd up die I had to replace anyway.

 

[tomme boy]

do not cut it out with a dremel

 

[zeroz]

Find a tap the fits inside the case, turn tap to bite into the brass case.
Tap out case from the top of die using a punch against the tap.

Heating the outside of the die quickly will help.

This is what I was gonna say.

 

[Darryle]

Hardware store, buy a coarse thread plug tap that just starts, buy a bolt the size of the tap, run tap into brass, take bolt and stack washers on it and snug down against die, toss it in the freezer, wait, more snugging and back in the freezer, it will eventually pop out, may take a few snugging sessions

 

[Rio Precision Gunworks]

Plug the bottom of case with foam ear plug. Get an epoxy that will adhere to brass. Fill a good amount of the case. Let it cure. You might need to polish the brass in the die for best adhesion.

Take something like a stuck case removal tool/tap. Drill and tap epoxy. Use removal tool.

Or epoxy, drill, and tap with normal tools.


Could also put a bolt though bottom and plug around it with putty. Then pour epoxy in with bolt in it.

Or don’t drill/tap, and use a punch on the epoxy and tap/hammer it out.

 

[moaorbust]

Last time this happened I didn’t use enough lube. I had to chuck it in my lathe and a few gentle boring passes freed it.

 

[aprocast]

From the bottom tap a projectile into the neck of the case UPSIDE DOWN so as to form a plug with a flat base when looking from the top
Now fill the rest of the case with epoxy putty and let it cure
Put the die in the press UPSIDE DOWN and use a 5 mm bolt driven by the ram on the press to push it out

 

[hero's machine]

I've used a taper tap and pushed them out. Put the die in the press upside down and use it to press on the tap.

 

[hero's machine]

I'll accept no shit flippin' for my work boots.

 

[hero's machine]

On the above, I tried to work it out with the neck and failed. The tap worked great.

 

[hlee]

How much is your time worth? More than an hour of labor and I’m looking at a new die…

 

[kthomas]

How much is your time worth? More than an hour of labor and I’m looking at a new die…

If I was the OP, I would just say fuck it and get a click adjustable Whidden die.

 

[JerkyFreak]

Ah, the solutions required when committing the cardinal sin of not using sufficient lube of reasonable quality.

The tap and tapping works. So does the epoxy method, provided you use minimal shrink filled-epoxy AND you clean and rough up the inside of the case. Cutting in a lathe and/or a Dremel runs the risk of damage not including the time spent to do the actual work...

Easiest is to just write the die off as school fees and ensure you sin no more...

 

[viking78]

I did manage to get the broken case out of the die.
Dremel i did used, that´s the only thing i had on my hands, and i tryed many different way.
I did cut the case about half way with the dremel, i tryed to be as gentle as i could, my first girlfriend might not feel the same, me being gently
But the case is out, die is still working, and i did tested it, so thank you very much all the help, i do apprecciate that.
Here is the video i made, i was not sure at all, few points i was about to quit and just admit, that i am a looser, and i wont be doing it, but then i took some SISU, something, only Finns have, and i made it.
But the best way it would be, to take it to a gunsmith, put it in to a lathe, and tap it out.
But this is the way i made it with DIY method, not the best but it did worked.

 

[aprocast]

When you live outside the US dies are much more expensive and harder to get

 

[viking78]

That´s true.
You can more than double the price in Finland vs USA.
Like RCBS Matchmaster seating die, one die cost 269€, about 290$.

https://www.aawee.fi/fi/patruunat-ja-jalleenlataus/rcbs-matchmaster-seat-die-luodinasetusholkki/p/15540/

I had a Redding Type-S FL die, but once i go this RCBS, i sold it, i should not.
Need to find a spare, if this dilemma comes ahead in future.

 

[XLR308]

That´s true.
You can more than double the price in Finland vs USA.
Like RCBS Matchmaster seating die, one die cost 269€, about 290$.

https://www.aawee.fi/fi/patruunat-ja-jalleenlataus/rcbs-matchmaster-seat-die-luodinasetusholkki/p/15540/

I had a Redding Type-S FL die, but once i go this RCBS, i sold it, i should not.
Need to find a spare, if this dilemma comes ahead in future.

You talked about your girl friend and the firat time, good reloading dies are the same.
Lube them up right and they will do you right.

 

[hlee]

You talked about your girl friend and the firat time, good reloading dies are the same.
Lube them up right and they will do you right.

And, a new one can be more than worth the expense when compared to keeping an old one.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I'm late to the game, but I was told once by a very experienced reloader that you can take a can of keyboard cleaner (canned air), and spray it upside down onto the brass for 30 seconds and they will basically just fall out. I'll admit that I haven't tried it. I haven't had a stuck case since he told me that.

 

[sjoliat]

Here's how I would do the epoxy method -
Turn the die upside down and plug the neck well to keep epoxy from ruining the top of the die. Epoxy a piece of all-thread into the case, leaving a few inches extending out of the die and keeping it centered. Once the epoxy cures, slide something like a 1/2" drive 9/16" socket( or whatever your metric equivalent is), add a washer and nut, and you should be able to pull everything out by turning the nut. The socket should give the case room to travel before hitting the washer. I would think that if the case is going to come out, this should do it.

 

[Im2bent]

I'm late to the game, but I was told once by an very experienced reloaded that you can take a can of keyboard cleaner (canned air), and spray it upside down onto the brass for 30 seconds and they will basically just fall out. I'll admit that I haven't tried it. I haven't had a stuck case since he told me that.

This actually a pretty good idea the 1,1 Difluoroethane is extremely cold by turning the can upside down you get the liquid to spray out freezing the case.

 

[Huskydriver]

How much is your time worth? More than an hour of labor and I’m looking at a new die…

This right here...

 

[MarkyMark007]

Guys, DO not reload too old brassssssss.

I have stucked cases because I didn't clean brass for 6 times. Now I clean them after some reloadings with Ultrasonic Cleaner.

 

[viking78]

You talked about your girl friend and the firat time, good reloading dies are the same.
Lube them up right and they will do you right.

I do i do

 

[Fig]

@viking78 has got sisu.

I'm not sure how it would negatively affect the steel die, but yellow brass melts below the point that steel starts to turn red. An acetylene torch would melt a badly stuck case out pretty quickly (just don't hit the O2!).

 

[viking78]

@viking78 has got sisu.

I'm not sure how it would negatively affect the steel die, but yellow brass melts below the point that steel starts to turn red. An acetylene torch would melt a badly stuck case out pretty quickly (just don't hit the O2!).

It would ne nice to test.
Buy few Lee reloading dies, does the same efect and test it.
My torch is so low power, that i could not do te test, but it would be nice to see, to some one to do it

 

[Taylorbok]

I'm just here for the knowledge, what epoxy would you guys use?

I wouldn't doubt if the upside down air duster cools it enough to knock it out. could warm the die up a bit first also.

You could probably melt the brass out with a hand held torch like a plumber uses, just gonna take a while and might affect the heat treat in the die.

 

[aprocast]

@viking78 has got sisu.

I'm not sure how it would negatively affect the steel die, but yellow brass melts below the point that steel starts to turn red. An acetylene torch would melt a badly stuck case out pretty quickly (just don't hit the O2!).

The best thing about the internet is the truly stupid shit you get to read

 

[MO Fugga]

And, a new one can be more than worth the expense when compared to keeping an old one.

Ain't gotta buy new tits for the equipment every 15 years either.