My FL sizing die is scratching my brass.....any fix?

[imq707s]

I was prepping some .223 brass this morning, just running them through my RCBS FL sizing and de-priming die before I trimmed them. About half way through my batch of 50, I noticed that the base of the brass was getting really scratched up. I don't know if I ran a dirty piece of brass through the die or what, but even after I took the die apart and cleaned it, it's still scratching the hell out of my brass. The scratches are deep enough to feel them if I rub my nail across them.

I even ran a brass brush from my .45 through the die, and it's still putting the scratches in the brass. I thought those dies were hardeded? Is there any way to fix the die and smooth it back out?

 

[under_dawg]

That happened to me a while back on my 357 sizing die (before I started tumbling). I had tried cleaning it with alcohol and then clp on a q-tip, but that didn't work. I was told to get some 0000 wool from hardware store and wrap it around an old .22 cal bore brush and put it in my drill then use drill to clean out the die. I did and it worked. Give it a try. I kept my little jig for next time.

 

[cdrt]

My son-in-law had the same problem with an RCBS die in .270. I told him to send it in so they could check it out. RCBS sent him a brand new die to replace it.

 

[gun44]

Polishing dies

I use a polishing bob in my Dremel tool, around 10,000 rpms to polish out any scratches in my dies, and it seems to work great!

 

[cheezhed]

The problem most likely is a scratch in your resizer die I have heard of scotch brite pads being used to polish out scratches in dies. I once wrecked two sets of dies by cleaning out the case lube before storing them and this allowed them to rust up beyond repair so now I leave the lube on and clean the dies just before I use them.

 

[Hello123]

I have always been hesistant to leave the lube on because I assumed it was water based? any thoughts?

 

[bigautomatic]

I recently had the same thing happen with 223 Rem neck sizer die. Ruined seven brand new Lapua cases ($$$) before I realized what was happening. Some of the mouths were out of round so I decide to run them through the neck sizer to make sure they were all fairly concentric. Didn't seem like any extra effort was needed, business as usual. The necks are scratched all the way around, from mouth to shoulder. Sent The die to RCBS last Tuesday and haven't heard anything just yet. Tried to see inside with a bore light and magnifying glass and couldn't see much except that there doesn't seem to be any type of buildup in the area causing the scarring.

 

[FM12]

Have you been resizing nickel plated brass? Nickel can imbed in the sizer, and cause scratches in later cases. Always clean the die after sizing nickeled cases, in any caliber, handgun or rifle.

 

[qajaq59]

now I leave the lube on and clean the dies just before I use them.

I do the same thing so I know it's clean at the start at least. And I use Break Free as a lube.

 

[sikasambared]

What did you try in the end, and did it fix the die problem?
I've got a similar issue with a redding neck sizing die for 270

 

[rg1]

I have used a fine Scotch Brite pad but have had better results with super fine polishing paper. Sometimes brass particles get stuck on or imbedded in the die wall surface and I've read where some use bore cleaner which will remove copper or brass. Sometimes rather than scratches it is brass buildup.