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My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

B Man

B Man

Little Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 23, 2010
646
799
South side of Big River
#1
It started about 11 am this morning. Went to my leading bench to start up some loads for a new 300 wm I just bought. Had 100 pieces of nickel r-p brass come with it, stated inspecting brass and had 23 pieces of junk brass. Flash hole was all the way to one side of primer pocket with several of the pockets cut from I guess the punch they use, trashed those. Then maybe 10-15 that was slightly off center decided to use them. Got to thinking then about next time I ordered some if it would be junk also & I may need to just get some winchester to start my loads.

On to step two: sprayed down the cases to size with new set of dies I bought with everything else Friday. After sizing went to trim the cases and the trimmer would not fit in the neck. Pulled out my caliper to check trimmed size it was just over .300 I think .302, next I checked inside the case neck .295 WOW! This sucked, so I went to a shop and bought some new dies and would send the back to the company. I got the dies at about 6 this evening just came on sprayed the cases back down with one shot and the d@mn case stuck in the die and broke off the rim. So now I have two new Wete of dies on my bench and both useless.

Well how's this for a crappy day at the bench

Done venting now
 
#4
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

You sound really new to the reloading thing....just an observation based on your post? I've had a few bad days and it's just part of a hobby that requires a lot of patience. If reloading isn't enjoyable for me, I just find something else to do. This probably won't be your worst day if you stay at it for long.
smile.gif
 
#5
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Ohh man that sucks.

My advice is to try out imperial sizing wax/lube. You will not get stuck cases using this stuff.

I have found that with spray lubes, if you dont use enough thats when stuck cases occur.

Dont let this put you off.
 
#6
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

B Man...baby steps. Toss the nickle brass. Will kill your dies. If you want easy sizing with less trouble...homemade lube works 100% for me. 10% Lanolin. 10% Castor oil. 80 % alcohol...solox or isopropyl doesn't matter. Put it in a spray bottle. Shake the hell out of it. Put 50 to 100 pieces of brass in a ZipLok bag. Spray them down with about 4 or 5 sprays. (Should you do it again, fewer sprays because the bag has residual lanolin/castor oil on the inside of the bag). Shake the bag really good and spill them out into a clean box. Let them air dry for about 5 minutes. Size away. Neither the lanolin nor the castor oil will kill primers. JMHO
 
#7
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Thats why they call it 'One Shot' because thats how many uses you get before a case gets stuck in your die. They should sell a stuck case extraction kit with every bottle of One Shot.
 
#8
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I've been using One Shot for my small stuff (22 hornet, .223, .243) and works good, but for my longer cases, 270 and 280ai, I had some sticking. A friend lent me a lubing pad and some rcbs lube and things went smooth from there. I'm sure we've all had our fair share of downer days when it comes to loading. Heck I just spent over $500 rebarrelling a rifle, spent a few evenings sorting and prepping brass, measuring the hell out of things, making what I thought was going to be some great loads. Went out this a.m. and shot five different one inch groups ( not going to cut it), and one group that I don't want to think about anymore. I agree on getting rid of the nickel cases, and just my two cents-forget rem brass.
 
#9
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

How about spilling about half a pound of Varget into the new carpet of your new apartment?? All the while you haven't even dropped powder for a single round!!

You don't have to ask me how I know...

DK
 
#11
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Thanks for the advice for lubes, I've noticed now that you say this that my magnum cases have the most resistance when sizing.

Been doing this for just a few years now, but I'm not getting to frustrated to walk away by any means this is a small step to me just venting on my loading day and picking for advice as you have given and thanks. Oh this is the first time I've had a stuck case just had a series of bad things happen. The lee sizer blew my mind sizing the necks so small.

Oh by the way I got the stuck case out. After taking a breather and going to set some cameras out it dawned on me to just tap the brass in the flash hole, grab a socket, and a screw to pull the case out just like a ball joint on a car. Easy as cake and already sized and finishing prep work toinight.
 
#12
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Scrap the nickel cases. Get imperial sizing die wax. A little on your fingers goes a long way and you have to pick up each piece of brass anyway. When you pick it up just roll it in your lubed fingers on the way to the shellholder, easy as pie. Spray lubes are way overrated for time savings.
If you figured out the old home made stuck case remover without asking on the forums you will be just fine, you shouldn't have any problems you can't figure out.
 
#13
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

My worst day of reloading was last winter when I got stuck in a snow storm driving to Cabelas for a .223 die set to replace a die set that I had broken the previous day while trying to remove a stuck case. An errand that would have taken an hour in good weather took over three hours. When I got home, I immediately got a stuck case and broke that die trying to get it out. That was the angriest i've been in a long time.

I soon learned how to remove a stuck case correctly, and switched from the Hornady one shot case spray to the Imperial Sizing Die Wax. I've had only one stuck case in almost two thousand cases.
 
#15
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I agree One Shot sucks, it seemed alright when I first got into reloading but after several stuck cases I dropped it and started using the Unique Case Lube. A couple were so bad that my Hornady stuck case remover didn't even work and I had to send the dies back to Hornady. I haven't had a stuck case since going back to the Unique Case Lube and the tub that I have looks like it'll last another few years easy.
 
#16
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I had a depriming pin break after I completely overlooked a berdan primed case. Went to the store bought a bunch more pins and then absent mindedly broke 2 more after I thought I inspected them all.

Then my worst was after the fact a few days later. I loaded up one of my rifles favorite hunting recipes. Got to the hunt camp (3 hours away) They wouldn't chamber! Come to find out I didn't set the dies up correctly and managed to swell the shoulders just enough to be no good! After a frantic tear through all of my gear I found four previous loads (the "same" as what i had just run) on my stock pack. I managed to fill two of my tags. So it wasn't a complete loss. But lesson learned about being extra careful even with "routine" hunting loads.
 
#18
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gunsnjeeps</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wrong alcohol for spray lube. Should be 20 ounces not 28 ounces.
4 ounces of lanolin and 20 ounces of alcohol. </div></div>

Does this work real good for a home mix?
 
#19
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I don't know about the home made spray mixes, but I do know about Imperial. $7 for a tin of it from Midway that will LAST for years. When I started, I tried one-shot, RCBS lube and a non-aerosol spray lube from Midway. I stuck cases with every one of them.
After I switched to Imperial, I have (knock on wood) not stuck any cases.

just my 2 cents,
madd0c
 
#20
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: former naval person</div><div class="ubbcode-body">B Man...baby steps. Toss the nickle brass. Will kill your dies. If you want easy sizing with less trouble...homemade lube works 100% for me. 10% Lanolin. 10% Castor oil. 80 % alcohol...solox or isopropyl doesn't matter. Put it in a spray bottle. Shake the hell out of it. Put 50 to 100 pieces of brass in a ZipLok bag. Spray them down with about 4 or 5 sprays. (Should you do it again, fewer sprays because the bag has residual lanolin/castor oil on the inside of the bag). Shake the bag really good and spill them out into a clean box. Let them air dry for about 5 minutes. Size away. Neither the lanolin nor the castor oil will kill primers. JMHO </div></div>
i recently started reloading and this was one of the first big things i figured out. i was using OneShot and i would spray it on and immediately try to full length size because this seemed like the logical thing to do. all the cases were tough to run through it, every 4th one would get stuck, and i actually broke my press off of the cheap table i had constructed taking a 1ft long chunk of plank with it. now i put my brass in a box and shake it around while spraying OneShot into the box and let it dry. not only does it size better, but im not spraying the brass individually which saves lube and a whole lot of time! i can even size Lake City brass that has been fired through an M240D with this method.

as for my worst reloading mistake, i had been using some remington .308 brass for my loads, but i had found 200 or so federal cases at the range so i switched to those. with the remington brass, i would full length size, measure 2.008, and im good to go. so i did the same with the federal....100 times. took those 100 handloads to the range, and not a single one would chamber in my 700 sps AAC-SD. i was under the impression that "full length size" meant neck too, because after using a neck sizer on the federal brass they work fine. it is because of this that all loads i make get chambered in my gun BEFORE i go to the range.
 
#21
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I know how frustrating it can be getting stuck cases like that; I ruined a couple sizing dies when I first started loading for the .300WM. Two things I found to help were:
Imperial Sizing Wax

And the Innovative Technologies Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die

After I started using these two items I had a lot easier time with loading the .300WM
 
#22
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Ditch the nickel plated case's. I had them in 308 and were a bitch to resize. One thing I found when getting a new sizing die is the first piece of brass you put through it is always hard to resize, whether 308 or 300 win mag.
Lube the case well, then slowly bring the case into the die, if you start to feel that there is to much resistance (case might get stuck) withdraw the case from the die and add more lube to the case, and start again. I did this with my 300WM and new dies. I know what it's like to get a stuck case, and have ruined dies.
 
#23
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: B Man</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Does this work real good for a home mix? </div></div>

I've used it for about a year. About 1000 .223 and 200-300 .308. No stuck cases. Put about 100 or so in a gallon baggie and give it a healthy spray then shake them around to spread the lube. I mix in a 32 oounce spray bottle. Give it a good shake before using. If you get any drag from th sizing ball wet a cotton swab down and wipe the inside of a neck every so often.
 
#24
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

OneShot=FirstStuckCase for me, bummer was it was the 2nd piece of brass to go through a Forrester comp die I had been waiting on. The rim is ripped off and the die still sits in the case with the brass stuck in it... I should really get back to that
 
#25
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

You can buy stuck case removal kits to get it out. If you continue using One Shot, there is a good chance you will get much practice removing stuck cases. With 10-20 percent of my .223 cases getting stuck using that stuff, I got a LOT of practice at removing them...
 
#27
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

ANY of the spray (as in aerosol) lubes MUST be left to set up and evaporate prior to sizing. It is a great time to fill your tea glass/ pop a top on a coke, grab a smoke etc. Failing to do that will result in a stuck case, PERIOD.

Imperial is a PITA, JMHO.

Cheers,

Doc
 
#28
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ANY of the spray (as in aerosol) lubes MUST be left to set up and evaporate prior to sizing. It is a great time to fill your tea glass/ pop a top on a coke, grab a smoke etc. Failing to do that will result in a stuck case, PERIOD.</div></div>

I could never get that to work well either. But hey, I'm glad you have had success with that method.
 
#29
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I'm with Doc on this one. I put my cases in a 40 round loading block. I use the old RCBS blocks because the fitted 50 round ones do not allow the base of the cases to get the One Shot lube on them. I spray the cases at a 45 degree angle and as Doc said, I go fill up my tea glass,

If your dies are new, clean them first, then spray the inside of the assembled die with the One Shot.

Using this method, I have NEVER stuck acase. If it feels too tight going in, STOP CRAMMING THE DAMN THING IN THERE!!!

Back it out and respray the cases. You didn't get enough on them.

Use enough spray lube and make sure the entire case is sprayed. The fitted 50 round blocks are the problem with spray lubes...
 
#30
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I have Imperial and One Shot, I mostly use One Shot. I will explain.

I have different die setups for different loads. With my 308 and 223 I use Redding Type S Competition Dies with bushings and no expander. With this setup I can use Hornady One Shot with no problems. Spray it, let it dry, then use.

However for my other calibers I do not use One Shot I use Imperial. These are the conventional dies with expander ball and One Shot will stick a case easily. Thank goodness I dont load these much because Imperial to me is a pain to use.

my 2 cents.......
 
#31
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I love one shot! I have loads thousands of rounds using it. I use the bag method and have never even come close to a stuck case. I also prep the die with a good spray prior to the first case. In fact no matter the lube method, I have never stuck a case. If the case is going in hard, it's best to stop before you get past the point of no return. I also appreciate the fact that it is clean, and the only time I get lube on my fingers is when I'm cycling the brass through the press.

I have imperial as well and it is great stuff, but way too slow in application. I shoot too much for that.

Regarding reloaded rounds that won't chamber, I think that is a more common problem than people are willing to admit. When I shoot other people guns I notice it and it drives me crazy! Rounds that are just a little too long and the bolt closes hard. In a field gun, there is no reason to set the die up to the chamber so close there isn't some room to wiggle. As soon as the gun starts getting dirty, rounds will chamber hard.
 
#32
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ANY of the spray (as in aerosol) lubes MUST be left to set up and evaporate prior to sizing. It is a great time to fill your tea glass/ pop a top on a coke, grab a smoke etc. Failing to do that will result in a stuck case, PERIOD.

Imperial is a PITA, JMHO.

Cheers,

Doc</div></div>

Yup. I am always surprised with all the stuck case stories with One Shot. I have used it for tens of thousands of cases and never had a case stick. From .223 to 300WM. Guess I am just lucky.

I use the bag method. Works great and quick.

Clean cases, clean dies and proper application.
 
#33
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I tried using Pam (the non-stick kitchen spray) with a bag. Apparently was getting too much, or it couldn't evaporate and dry like one-shot, because it was denting the shoulders of the cases. I will try the home-made one-shot with lanolin and alcohol when I need some more.
 
#34
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I tried using Pam (the non-stick kitchen spray) with a bag. Apparently was getting too much, or it couldn't evaporate and dry like one-shot, because it was denting the shoulders of the cases. I will try the home-made one-shot with lanolin and alcohol when I need some more.
 
#35
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

never had a problem with one shot. 1st problem with the brass, its remmy brass. 2nd nicky plating. that stuff is a freaking nightmare. i have had stuck casings, and it was caused by me being a newb and not getting enough on the casings.

and the only dies i have had stuck casing in have been lee dies. had em stick in 223, 308, 25 06. effn pissed me off. so, i went to reddings. lee dies are pretty much just paper weights imho.
 
#36
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I've used OneShot and it worked OK for me. I use the Dillon spray in a pump bottle now, it works much better and a bottle lasts a lot longer.
 
#37
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

DOC it took me a while to get that through my thick dome. Once I did I put my tap down and started to load. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doc76251</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ANY of the spray (as in aerosol) lubes MUST be left to set up and evaporate prior to sizing. It is a great time to fill your tea glass/ pop a top on a coke, grab a smoke etc. Failing to do that will result in a stuck case, PERIOD.

Imperial is a PITA, JMHO.

Cheers,

Doc </div></div>
 
#38
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: z71rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How about spilling about half a pound of Varget into the new carpet of your new apartment?? All the while you haven't even dropped powder for a single round!!

You don't have to ask me how I know...

DK</div></div>

I got you beat. I charge all of my cases at once and then go over to the press to seat all at once. I charged fifty cases for load testing, which is very tedious because all of the charge weights are different. I go to seat the third or fourth round and inadvertently knock over my loading tray with 50 47 pre-charged cases using two different powders...

So not only is the powder all over the floor, it is all mixed together (2 types of powder) and the tedious job of trying to get all of my charge weights right is gone. Of course, I had plans to do testing the next morning, which I blew off because it happened at 9pm and there was no way I was going to get it all redone and get to bed at a decent hour.

I have used a Chargemaster and never forgotten to leave the valve closed (I check to see it is closed after reloading and before starting), but this mistake was far worse. I am a lot more careful now with where I place my hands while I am seating. This one is hard to correct... just butterfingers. I am still trying to figure out what happened. I think that I pulled a case out and started to drop it, and while trying to catch it, I knocked the whole tray off the table as a reflex. Obviously, it happened quickly and I wasn't paying enough attention, which also tends to happen when I try to work fast.
 
#39
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I use the RCBS lube, but it does have to dry prior to sizing. I have ruined a couple of sizing dies for getting in a hurry. I know its frustrating, but Thomas Edison said he made a thousand mistakes for every success. The point being, stick with it bacause it will be rewarding later on. Still you had the day off at your bench/man space. That doesn't suck!
 
#40
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

Good thing the Rem brass was free it's in the trash now....

Just bought some win. brass to start my loads

Carter, I always check the valve on my chargemaster also before loading but a few weeks back I Emptied mine and then has to walk out to do something, came back in and grabbed my other powder to looad and just dumped it.... You know the rest. I had the valve just hanging off my reloading table and I have hardwood floors and that stuff can go along ways on a smooth floor.
 
#42
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Powder Burns</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thats why they call it 'One Shot' because thats how many uses you get before a case gets stuck in your die. They should sell a stuck case extraction kit with every bottle of One Shot. </div></div>
That is funny shit.
I fully agree and have an almost new can of it on my reloading bench and a Full lenth sizing die with a stuck piece of brass in it. I went back to the ole RCBS sticky lube on the green pad. After sizing I clean the brass with corn cob and mineral spirits.
Still laughing,
SScott
 
#43
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ohh man that sucks.

My advice is to try out imperial sizing wax/lube. You will not get stuck cases using this stuff.

I have found that with spray lubes, if you dont use enough thats when stuck cases occur.

Dont let this put you off. </div></div>+1 ... I have never had a stuck case using Imperial sizing wax. I used all the other lubes and thrown them all away. Imperial works.
 
#46
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I have had problems with One Shot but its usually when I get too much on the brass or don't let it dry first.

Lately I've been spraying the brass while in a loading block from all four sides. Then allow the one shot to dry. Actually, usually get a cup of coffee or tea too. Then give a quick spray over the brass again.

From what I've seen if the brass is super clean, say from the stainless steel media process, the first spray doesn't stick very well and seems to run down the brass a little bit. The second spray just sticks better to the brass and while reloading it offers almost no resistance. Huge improvement with the feel, all from just letting it dry and a quick second spray. (Let the second spray dry as well).

As soon as I'm done with this bottle of spray, I'm going to try to make some of that home made stuff and give it a try on some scrap brass.

Mike
 
#47
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: z71rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How about spilling about half a pound of Varget into the new carpet of your new apartment?? All the while you haven't even dropped powder for a single round!!

You don't have to ask me how I know...

DK</div></div>

I got you beat. I charge all of my cases at once and then go over to the press to seat all at once. I charged fifty cases for load testing, which is very tedious because all of the charge weights are different. I go to seat the third or fourth round and inadvertently knock over my loading tray with 50 47 pre-charged cases using two different powders...

So not only is the powder all over the floor, it is all mixed together (2 types of powder) and the tedious job of trying to get all of my charge weights right is gone. Of course, I had plans to do testing the next morning, which I blew off because it happened at 9pm and there was no way I was going to get it all redone and get to bed at a decent hour.

I have used a Chargemaster and never forgotten to leave the valve closed (I check to see it is closed after reloading and before starting), but this mistake was far worse. I am a lot more careful now with where I place my hands while I am seating. This one is hard to correct... just butterfingers. I am still trying to figure out what happened. I think that I pulled a case out and started to drop it, and while trying to catch it, I knocked the whole tray off the table as a reflex. Obviously, it happened quickly and I wasn't paying enough attention, which also tends to happen when I try to work fast.</div></div>

Man I have done the same thing. Used to reload on the dining room table for more room. I loaded up a block of 5 x different loads. Each weighed down to the .02 grain. Put the scale up. Put the powder up. Walked into my reloading area with the block loaded with 50 rounds and 2 hours of time. Then proceeded to ram the block into the side of my reloading bench like a full blown retard. Brass and powder everywhere. Had to walk away from that one. Took the .22 to the range and shot for the next three hours.
 
#49
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I have spilled my share of powder too. P**s me off.

Then also I have left the knob opened. and it happened the same day! more P**s off. So I stopped , figured it was not a good day to load.

haven 't had the problem since. Guess I had to learn the hard way.
 
#50
Re: My worst day yet of reloading, feel free to share

I was neck turning some 300 rum, then got in a hurry to neck turn some 338 edge. Didn't adjust the cutter enough and cut about 5 necks down to .011
frown.gif
That is what I get for rushing.
 
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