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Best die for recycled military brass

hogpatrol

Gold $$ Contributor
Guys, I've stuck my last case in a Forster .223 full length resizing die. Heavy applications of lube (different kinds since I thought that might be the problem) didn't seem to matter. I need a die that works all the time, every time. I use mostly recycled military LC, FC, and some PPU and PMC brass. What's the best brand to use for the recycled stuff? TIA, Hog
 
Hog,
i do alot of military crimped brass and i gotta tell you RCBS, or Lee get my nod. i have nicer dies for long range stuff with the Palma or 260 rem. My 5.56 is a Lee and the .308 and .30-06 are both Small base and regular RCBS sets. the small base is for the stuff that might have come from our machine guns or other questionable histories. Get some lanolin oil from the local hippie food store (whole foods) and cut it 50-50 with rubbing alcohol. put it in a dollar store water spray bottle. i use one used for doing hair. give it a good shake should look like spray butter. go easy and keep it mixed up, grab a few handfuls of cases and chuck them into a clean plastic coffee can put the lid on and shake it up. just a couple squirts will cove a 100+ cases watch for the excess around the shoulder. too much will give you little dimples. (they do pop out). the down side is that cases are pretty tacky. i boil mine before they go into the STM mix for a quick tumble. Dont use hornady new dimension dies with crimped brass ask me how i know :o)
Hope this helps..if i can answer any questions on my process please let me know.
cheers,
Doc
FWIW i got my .308 stuck doing M80 brass and .30-06 greek (fired from BAR) with imperial. RCBS took great care of me. i guess i was not generous enough with the lube. i stick with the 50/50 for my Heavy work and leave the imperial for sexy stuff. save your forester for the "sexy stuff" bolt guns..
 
Doc & Matt, Two votes for the Lees. I've used Lee dies with other calibers and they worked fine. Time to do a search to see if anyone has them in stock. Everything in .223 seems to be in short supply. For the lube, you've given me an excuse to make an excursion to the whole foods store. :) Will try your concoction, sounds easy enough. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Hog.
 
Hi Hog,Hi all
I'm 100% in par with what these gents just said...When it comes to dealing with brass that is showing clear signs of bugging your life and if you don't intend to shoot bench rest with it,go for Lee,they're cheap,reliable,and,they can be beautiful if you care to take the pain of polishing them with 600,800,1000 grit car paint sandpaper soaked in WD40,followed by car polish on a piece of linen....Try it,and see for yourself,you can just as well polish the inside of them that way,and then they do work great and smooth....Make sure to take the decapping rod out and use them(FL dies that is)one step bigger than you need them,(you then use them as body dies:280 Rem die for 270,30/06 for 280,260 for 243 etc);I'd like someone to prove me that they're not worth it as opposed to Reddings,Forsters,RCBS or Hornadys,meaning no harm to any of these brands that I've come to use and appreciate....And trying to stay impartial as to any brand of dies,or whatever equipment I might need,I don't quite get the trend that goes"Lee is poor quality,second end stuff",really!!!!I don't want to start an argument,just want to know what's so wrong with their products to deserve such comments...And, believe me,I have no interest whatsoever in promoting Lee products,I know they don't have the best customer service in the business,I've been sort of walked on by them,but their products are good quality(very cunningly conceived) for the buck,and it's damn important these days...A happy New Year to you all,gentlemen and fellow shooters,you're a fantastic bunch of people...Sorry for being so insistent and disquieting...
 
Lee,never a problem with my 223 and 223 ai, just lube the cases litely and neck lube as normal, smooth as sild for me, great price, and THEY WORK. My 223 has the collet die for a bolt gun and it is a +.
 
I use a decapping die which in my case,I made the spindle(pin) out of grade 8 screws turned down.However a good decapper by lee should do the trick.Their spindle is really tough.
 
FWIW,
Hornady now has a Decapping die for "designed for military crimped brass" i am a good fan of Hornady but...they were a little late on this one. i think it goes for ~$35...about the price of a complete Lee 4 die set :o
Cheers,
Doc
 
Doc Lane has the answer with the lube been using it for years just as he says, the only thing I would recommend is use 70 percent or higher isopropyl available at Walmart in 90 for faster evaporation time. Lee dies with a locking ring is what I use and are cheap enough that you can have a set just for first resize of a military case. In my experience for 7.62x51 any lake city brass after 2010 is made to match brass specs and is very consistent just a add on for those interested.

Happy New Year To All
 

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