Fire Formed Cases

[Shooterontheline]

Question:
I collected some rifle cases for a specific model that I shoot from a local range. After inspecting and trimming for proper length I tried the 'Plunk' test on my firearms chamber. As I suspected the rifle that fired these case must have had a wider chamber so these cases will NOT fully engage my rifles chamber. I tried running a few through my die for that caliber and they all tend to get stuck in the die even when properly lubed. They are just to big from about ⅔ of the way down the case to the ejection groove.

My question… Would it be advisable to anneal the entire case or just the lower ⅓ of the case and then run them into the die set? Any adverse affects to this process?

[Mbaker78]

From what I've read, I don't think you ever want to anneal the lower part of the case, just the neck and shoulder.

[GRUMPA]

Just like what was said, only the neck and shoulder gets annealed. Trust me if you were to anneal the entire case it's now scrap.

[Shooterontheline]

Its always best to ask questions….. Thanks.

So what could be a possible solution? Different die set?

[bbodyjody]

Lots of lube, especially on the lower part, and pull the handle. Pull hard

[GRUMPA]

Its always best to ask questions….. Thanks.

So what could be a possible solution? Different die set?

I do a lot of case forming, all I use is my swage lube. Store bought lubes I don't use, my homemade stuff is another story. It's just a mix of Lanolin and Vaseline at a 50/50 ratio.

[Point-Man]

Sounds like you need a set of small base dies . You didn`t say what caliber you are loading. Best of luck.

[62chevy]

I had the same problem minus the sticking with some once fired Lake City cases for my .308. Even full length sizing didn't help but after annealing then sizing again they fit fine. I use the Lee sizing lube, don't get stingy. Use a single stage O frame and lean into it at the bottom of the stroke, rotate 90 deg and repeat.

[Mbaker78]

I do a lot of case forming, all I use is my swage lube. Store bought lubes I don't use, my homemade stuff is another story. It's just a mix of Lanolin and Vaseline at a 50/50 ratio.
I would imagine that to be about the slipperiest, and messiest, substance on the planet... Going by the description, at least.

[GRUMPA]

If you use the stainless steel pin method to clean, they look better than new when they're done. That formula is about the best to use and when you make it yourself it's really cheap by comparison. There's a few folks that PM me with problems when it comes to there cases sticking. After either I send them some or they make it all there problems are now solved as far as stuck anything in a die goes. I use it more for cases than I do swaging, and doing 30K+ conversions a month when I'm busy I just don't have the time to swage.

[Mbaker78]

Might have to try it out for forming 300aac from 223

[jebsca]

I use it more for cases than I do swaging, and doing 30K+ conversions a month when I'm busy I just don't have the time to swage.

30k a month? How do you get any reloading done?

[GRUMPA]

30k a month? How do you get any reloading done?

Simply put....I don't.

Right now 300BO has slowed way down, so right now I'm doing R&D. Try and find 5.45x39 brass cases, they've always made those from steel and never brass and those are very tricky to do, I'm still having tooling made up for those. And the Herret cases are on the drawing board as well as 41AE. I'm generally busy with 1 thing or another.

Just take a look.... http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?117-Grumpa

[gandog56]

I would imagine that to be about the slipperiest, and messiest, substance on the planet... Going by the description, at least.

My home made stuff is liquid lanolin and 95% isopropyl alcohol. You coat the bullets using a spray bottle of the stuff, then let the alcohol evaporate a bit. The lanolin is the lube.

[Mbaker78]

My home made stuff is liquid lanolin and 95% isopropyl alcohol. You coat the bullets using a spray bottle of the stuff, then let the alcohol evaporate a bit. The lanolin is the lube.

Mine is roughly the same, but I try to use 99% Iso. alcohol. My latest batch only used 91% and its not enough to keep the lanolin in suspension. I use about a 16:1 mix and it seems to work better than the RCBS case slick I used prior.