Why does my resizing die scratch my brass?

[Lavid2002]

I have a RCBS and a LEE resizing die for my .223. Both scratch the necks of my .223 brass. I neck resize my .308 and I dont get this problem. Does anyone know what it could be? I look at the die. It seems pretty smooth. I clean my brass and lube the walls before I resize...

Any Ideas?

Thanks
-Dave

 

[cornbush]

Could be dirt or grit in your die, or it could be a bad die.
I'd clean it and if the problem doesn't go away call LEE and RCBS, I know RCBS will take care of ya, don't know about LEE, got rid of all my LEE stuff.
Sometimes the grit will actually embed itself into the wall of your die.

 

[Lavid2002]

Both dies did it...So I doubt its them I think its my methods...

I took out the expander, decapping rod and cleaned out the neck area with a q-tip...No problems.

 

[jepp2]

So I couldn't tell from your response if it is still a problem or not.

Whenever I see any marking on the brass (and I thoroughly clean my brass prior to sizing), I clean the interior of my die using some Flitz. I use it initially on my rifle dies and it significantly reduces the effort to resize brass. And it cleans the die body very well too.

 

[uncyboo]

I started cleaning my dies with a bore snake....works great. 2 or 3 passes with a little 97% alcohol and I'm good to go.

 

[Jim243]

What are you using for a lube for the cases?

 

[bignz]

That is odd - and I tend not to believe in coincidence...

1) are you certain that it isn't your rifle causing the scratch?
2) is it possible that you have a press with a ram that is slightly off center with the dies?
3) Is your shell holder also completely clean and undamaged? If there is a problem there it could be holding the brass slightly out of alignment.

 

[Fullthrottle]

I would tend to agree with bignz, it would be one hell of a coincidence(I would lean against that being different brands)!
Double check your rifle chamber and your press and accessories.

 

[Lavid2002]

As stated earlier....I said I doubt it is the dies....and I believe it to be my methods.....


It isnt my rifle, because the brass looks good going in, but coming out it is scratched. My shell holder is fine, and its centered. Its not 1 scratch its hundreds of small scratches all the way around the neck of the casing. In perfect vertical lines. If I rub my finger on it it looks like I have glitter on my finger *From the brass that was scratched off*

 

[Lost Sheep]

Wow!

I tend not to believe in coincidences, either.

But to rule out the chance, would you try this?

Take two freshly fired cases. (Or, you could take two, new, never fired cases if you like.) After exiting your rifle, inspect the necks for scratches. Clean the brass thoroughly. If you have to, deburr the case mouths.

Clean the dies thoroughly, too. Take the depriming rod out and thoroughly clean the full length of the inside of the die.

Inspect the inside of the die as best you can with flashlight and magnifying glass or whatever you have.

Size one case in the Lee die and size the other case in the RCBS die. For simplicity (and to eliminate extraneous variables) do this without the depriming rod in the die.

Run a cotton swab (Q-tip) inside each die, looking for the brass "glitter" you mentioned. Examine the neck of each case for scratches and/or "glitter".

If you have scratches and glitter, I think you have two bad dies, from two reputable manufacturers (OK, for the Lee bashers, one reputable manufacturer and one "economy" manufacturer.

As Sherlock Holmes said in one of the Doyle's novels said, "Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true."

Actually the Holmes quote is an example of negative proof. What we have here is positive proof. The brass is unmarked when it goes into the die and scratched when it comes out. It's the die. Coincidence that it is both dies. (or maybe not, if both dies were damaged by the same cause, which we have not looked for, yet.) I reject the notion that it is misalignment of your ram. That could cause case crumpling or merely out-of-round brass, but not scratching. Besides, the same press does not damage your .308 brass.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

 

[Lavid2002]

Ill give it a shot later and post up pix if I still have a failure

 

[bignz]

Lost Sheep's logic is infallible.

Perhaps we should look at each case as a possible perpetrator.

Do you ever remember, perhaps early in your reloading days, shoving a steel case or two through your die set? Perhaps in relatively short order you destroyed both of your dies in the same way.

 

[uncyboo]

If you have to, deburr the case mouths.

Inside and outside.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Generally I find sand does that. You drop your lube pad on the floor, or brass, or anything that comes into contact with the dies. A piece of grit ends up sticking to the inside of the dies and you get scratched cases. Just degrease and clean the dies, rinse well and dry, then re-lube. If you dropped your lube pad on the floor make sure you clean it well.

 

[Lavid2002]

Do you ever remember, perhaps early in your reloading days, shoving a steel case or two through your die set? Perhaps in relatively short order you destroyed both of your dies in the same way.

No steel case....ever....

 

[javven]

Odd, real odd.

Does it do this only on previously - reloaded brass or only on once - fired cases?

Measure case length BEFORE feeding into the die. Trim one a bit and de-burr the snot out of it. Do this with 2 cases. Clean the heck out of them and the dies. Try to resize a case in either die.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Its not 1 scratch its hundreds of small scratches all the way around the neck of the casing. In perfect vertical lines. If I rub my finger on it it looks like I have glitter on my finger *From the brass that was scratched off*

Sounds like grit impregnated into the die wall.

How are you cleaning your cases? What sort of soil do you have at your usual shooting range? If it's sandy, I'd suspect that as the culprit.

One trip through a die with a sandy case can permanently scar a die, you may not even be able to feel the scratches with a q-tip as you mentioned, but they are there.

Check your expander balls rolleyes as well, they may be roughed up and causing the "glitter" by dragging the inside of the case neck. This would be from picking up range brass with sand inside the casings. The shavings would then produce the vertical scratching that you are talking about. All over shallow scratches, leaving the neck "dull" looking.