Brass scratching after sizing

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Thanks! That is what I was trying to figure out. So perhaps his die was mistakenly not hardened - Well I guess anything can happen…

So to get a bit more information about this, why does a hardened or for that matter a carbide die (which is even harder) scratch less? Seems a bit counter intuitive on the surface even though I know for a fact that a carbide die is more slippery (and not necessarily smoother) and say for example in a pistol die requires less or no lube?

For the same reason that a file will feel different over a hard surface than a soft one...or a piece of metal glides over a hardened shaft, but is very sticky on a pile of clay. A hard surface is slicker, given equal finish.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galling

 

[craig6547]

Update for you guys:


Had some spare time tonight so put some fine steel wool on a brush and run it in the drill and in the die. Cleaned it out , flushed it and dried it. Ran a case through it and it's not scratching as much but still enough to annoy me. Also I tried a virgin case through the die that previously had no issue with but now I'm getting slight scratching on the neck but not the body. So I'm leaning more towards a problem with the die than anything else as it's not as bad. I also cleaning 2 cases with water to try get off any film that media might have left but they also scratched.

I managed to order a RCBS neck size die today and will be with me tomorrow , least I'll be able to size some cases for load development. I've placed an order for a redding type s bushing FL die but in the uk we are completely sold out so having to wait for more shipments from your side of the pond

I contacted my gunsmith that built the rifle and he wants to see the die and my fired cases to try in his FL Forster bench rest die same as mine. Obviously if my cases size fine in his die then there's definitely a problem with mine.


Craig

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Makes perfect sense. A soft die will gall, or collect brass quickly. Hence the improvement, but not cure of your die issue by cleaning it. If it's too soft, no amount of cleaning or polishing will fix it.

 

[Varminator]

I have had the same problem and it turned out to be the left over stuff on the brass from tumbling. Carbon is pretty abrasive. I always clean with simple green after tumbling by placing upon a paper towel then spraying and then wiping. You will be surprised what comes off. Also the die needs to be clean and free of any leftovers. Clean with Bore-Tech eliminator and polish. I have gotten away from tumbling unless I'm loading/cleaning either handgun brass or a big batch of .223; with sorted brass more often than not I just hand clean with Bore-Tech carbon remover and it is fast. A couple drops on a paper towel and it is done. The little that is left over on the brass is compatible with Imperial wax and then after I size I just wipe with a paper towel dampened with simple green (1:1 mix).
Mark

 

[craig6547]

update for you guys.

Other night i took the plunge and tried to polish the die with steel wool, very fine steel wool that is. the scratching wasnt as bad but still there. I bought a RCBS neck sizer die and this die works fine, ive only sized a couple cases as ive been really busy, going to do the rest after ive finished posting this. i took the die apart for cleaning and noticed that the finish on the RCBS die is highly polished to a nice mirror finish. it looks nothing like the forster die inside. its dull as hell. Are these normally finished to a high mirror finish also ? if so then i think that is the problem with the die, its not been finished properly.

Either way im not going to be using that die anymore. I ordered a Redding type s FL bushing die from Brownells and just need to wait for delivery to the UK. Never again will i use Forster Dies.




Craig