.223 Small Base Die Issues

[jpjulian]

Regardless of the title........ One Shot does not play well with other lubes. Not well at all. I use brake cleaner to clean my dies. Seems to not leave a residue when it dries. After you reassemble your die, spray some One Shot into the die. Doesn't take much but do it. Then thoroughly and generously lube your cases with the One Shot and let them dry. I'm using a gallon ziplock bag to lube the cases in. If you want to use a different lube, ie; Imperial Wax, clean the die well first, then lube the die with the wax, then size your lubed case.
All this I learned the hard way. @F-Class John did a video showing how he lubed his cases. After watching that video I re-read the One Shot directions........Duh.......

 

[Jeff Porter]

One other question for the OP…. What press and shellholder are you using?

I stuck several Lapua .223 cases in a new small base bushing .223 die and sent the die back to manufacturer for trouble shooting. Then I stuck one in my old die that had never been a problem! Turns out my Forster CoAx universal shell holder was set to the larger size and the reason I was sticking cases was the shell holder was not grabbing the extractor groove deep enough and there was not enough brass to keep it from ripping off the edge of the rim.
Definition of insanity. I kept doing the same thing and expecting a different result until I finally saw the S on the shellholder on the wrong side. .

Make sure your shell holder is really what you think it is.

 

[AlNyhus]

A good cleaning solution in an ultrasonic cleaner is 4:1 Simple Green Concentrate and water. I fill the cleaner with water and put the parts in a plastic baggie filled with the cleaner. It cleans better than filling the unit with cleaning solution.

 

[piie]

Are you of the opinion that ghe stuck cases are caised by excessively dirty brass, or die?

To clean brass properly in a sonicator, I use a home made concoction that consists of citric acid and a non amonia containing household cleaner. However, to clean a steel/stainless part I would not use that- I would probably fore go the citric acid.

But lube is the answer.

And now that it is stuck, you’ll need a stuck case remover contraption- drill a hole in primer, tap said hole, use a large whasher and bolt with matching thread to remove.

 

[ebb]

At first (years ago) i thought that dirty brass was the issue, then changed to a lee decap only die and cleaned with vibratory or pins if they were in really bad shape. The cases stuck in the die even after cleaning first. Over the life of this die Ive use one shot, Dillon lube, an internet version of Dillon with yellow 77 wire pulling lube thinned down with alcohol, Lyman citrus, and Imperial. I don't seem to have problems with any other chamberings or other dies. I get more stuck cases and shoulder dents in 223 than all the others put together. I have two other sets of 223 dies one is not small base, and the other is a brand new set of RCBS X dies that are small base. I never understood the instructions of the X dies but maybe I need to try them.

 

[ebb]

You can change every thing in a post but the title or I would have by now. I made a homemade stuck case puller years ago. I have a drill , tap, all thread. a short piece of EMT and washers all in a zip lock bag right next to the 223 small base dies.

 

[DiffEQ]

Have a funeral and bury it
Replace with another child
Raise it right with a proper diet of case lube
Don't look back.

 

[Rick300]

A good cleaning solution in an ultrasonic cleaner is 4:1 Simple Green Concentrate and water. I fill the cleaner with water and put the parts in a plastic baggie filled with the cleaner. It cleans better than filling the unit with cleaning solution.

You're saying 4 parts water to 1 part Simple Green, right? Do you use that for brass and various parts? I recently got an ultrasonic cleaner and the wife wants me to clean some jewelry. I'm afraid to mess it up.

 

[1kbrxDave]

When was the last time you CLEANED the DIE and polished it. it is just a tool and they need to be cleaned

 

[piie]

You're saying 4 parts water to 1 part Simple Green, right? Do you use that for brass and various parts? I recently got an ultrasonic cleaner and the wife wants me to clean some jewelry. I'm afraid to mess it up.

No, for jewelry I would not use the same solution that you use for brass. I’ve seen specific solutions for gold/silver or other metal parts at my local gun shop that sells the solutions for brass- admittedly, I am not a metallurgist, but my gut says certain metals will require specific cleaning to prevent oxidation/tarnishing. Pretty sure you’re going to find tried and trusted jewelry specific solutions on the interwebs with minimal googling. However, if the “simple green” you use is similar to the “clean green” I get locally, it should be safe, perhaps just not as effective?

 

[Rick300]

No, for jewelry I would not use the same solution that you use for brass. I’ve seen specific solutions for gold/silver or other metal parts at my local gun shop that sells the solutions for brass- admittedly, I am not a metallurgist, but my gut says certain metals will require specific cleaning to prevent oxidation/tarnishing. Pretty sure you’re going to find tried and trusted jewelry specific solutions on the interwebs with minimal googling. However, if the “simple green” you use is similar to the “clean green” I get locally, it should be safe, perhaps just not as effective?

Yeah, I should just use the commercial solution. I'm always trying to cheap out.

 

[AlNyhus]

You're saying 4 parts water to 1 part Simple Green, right? Do you use that for brass and various parts? I recently got an ultrasonic cleaner and the wife wants me to clean some jewelry. I'm afraid to mess it up.

Yes, 4 parts water to 1 part Simple Green Concentrate....not the premixed ready to use stuff. If the cleaner has a heating option, that makes a big difference. I use this to clean parts (triggers, dies, etc.). Not sure how it works on brass as I don't clean my cases in any sort of solutions, by tumbling, etc. .

Good shootin' -Al

 

[bsekf]

Are you putting a dab of lube on the case mouth? I've had the expander ball stick. Check the die for galling. I use Imperial lube. Never tried the plastic bag thing, I put the cleaning solution, a few drops of Dawn and HOT water, and brass in a very thin SS bowl and put it in the ultrasonic full of HOT water. Might want to run the die through the ultrasonic too.

 

[Webster]

I have stuck yet another case in my 223 small base dies. I do range brass and long time ago just decapped with the sizing die now I deprime with a die and tumble before it goes in the full length sizer. Cleaning with a shotgun mop and carb cleaner has not helped. If I was to ultra sonic clean it, what would be the right chemicals to use and how long to run? Daughter gave me the cleaner and I have never used it, it was in the house she moved into and came with no instructions.

Regardless of the title........ One Shot does not play well with other lubes. Not well at all. I use brake cleaner to clean my dies. Seems to not leave a residue when it dries. After you reassemble your die, spray some One Shot into the die. Doesn't take much but do it. Then thoroughly and generously lube your cases with the One Shot and let them dry. I'm using a gallon ziplock bag to lube the cases in. If you want to use a different lube, ie; Imperial Wax, clean the die well first, then lube the die with the wax, then size your lubed case.
All this I learned the hard way. @F-Class John did a video showing how he lubed his cases. After watching that video I re-read the One Shot directions........Duh.......

From discussions on this website, it appears that just about any lube works in most light duty sizing. I have always said on this website that a light vis petroleum oil is the best lube. Pet oil has great film thickness, meaning it forms a thin layer separating two surfaces sliding against each other. I worked in petroleum oil research. For several years now I have been using a hydraulic oil sold at Auto Zone.

I don’t see the stuff I bought any more on the website. I bought mine about 5 years ago, The label on my container is identical except it doesn’t say full synthetic.

The term synthetic is misleading. Many years ago, the petroleum industry petitioned the government to allow them to call highly refined petroleum oil a synthetic, traditionally synthetic meant it was not made from petroleum oil. I roll it on a pad. Cleans easily with a paper towel. Doesn't stain the cases. $7 last a life time. Give it a try.

 

[cmysix]

the snow flakes are restless

 

[divingin]

It has been cleaned numerous times with a .410 shotgun mop and JB, then cleaned with carb cleaner. What are the homemade solutions for ultra sonic cleaners? If I can get it clean (it looks nasty) I will polish again. I think I want to simmer the whole die in slick 50.

You have to think about how JB is advertised. Generally, the words "won't harm bore" is in there somewhere. That implies that it won't do a thing to polish the steel in a die. It will, however, abrade all the crud you're talking about later in the post out of it.

If the die interior is rough, you can: call the manufacturer and get them to polish it; do it yourself with a mop some fine abrasive paper and oil, or take it to a local machine shop and have it done.

As an FYI, while sizing, brass usually sticks in one of 2 spots: Low down on the case where the larger diameter causes more friction as it's squeezed down, or in the case neck as the expander plug opens up the undersized neck after the die body has done its work. The former will lock the press up pretty good; the latter usually you can alleviate with the press handle, at the expense of the decapping rod/expander ball.

 

[TrapperBR549]

I like the title.

 

[Dgd6mm]

As Buford T. Justice said, That's an Attention Getter!

 

[rebs]

I clean my cases in a vibratory case cleaner with crushed walnut, for lube I mix lanolin with heet gas line treatment

 

[ebb]

With the roof done and painting ongoing we got a whole day of rain as a front passed through. I got some time to go back to the problem child reloading dies. I took a sized case and drilled the flash hole and tapped it 1/4-20, screwed a bolt in the hole and cut the head off the bolt. Chucked in my battery drill and dipped it in abrasive compound then spun it in the die for about 15 seconds. Seems to work OK. But not to be stalled from my loading I ordered another RCBS 11103 set of dies just in case I had to do what DiffEQ suggested and hold a funeral. Ive run about 100 cases through the old die and the new one is waiting patiently.