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How did I ruin my sizing die? (Scored inside)

@jelenko the irony to me in your statement (about "surface copper") is that I spent about an hour explaining to a customer how 300 series stainless steel can/will rust unless something else is also done...I was recommending passivation with pickling paste as the shop guys call it.
 
I looked at it with my cheap Teslong borescope....pictures didn't come out very good, so I won't bother posting them, but....it's clearly brass galled to the wall of the die.

Last night I tried:
  1. Sweets - no visible effect.
  2. Brass gun smith pick - no visible effect.
  3. GunSlick foaming bore cleaner (only foam that I could find locally) - no visible effect
I'm going to pick up a small flap wheel and emery cloth today and try that.

I'm really surprised that the Sweet's didn't touch it. I usually use Bore Tech Eliminator, but I didn't try that yet.
The offer still stands for you to send it to me. Doing this type stuff by hand may make it worse or make it not round or big in spots. All itll cost you is the $8 small flat rate box to send it over
 
I do not have a lathe, so I have used a slotted jag with a section of cleaning rod in a drill with the wet and dry sandpaper mentioned below in a drill.

The same method with J&B Bore Paste or other polishing compounds on a “snug” fitting shotgun cleaning mop will also work well.

The copper solvent I used to remove the brass was Montana X-Treme Copper Killer. I sniffed it again tonight and it brought me to tears and cleared out my sinuous.

Tech Line & Tips (FAQs)​

https://www.redding-reloading.com/tech-line-a-tips-faqs/149-scratched-cases-causes-and-cures

Scratched Cases: Causes and Cures


Cleaning Your Dies
We are often asked, "How should I clean my dies?" The answer is to use the same procedures, with the same equipment and solvents, that you use to clean the bore of your rifle or handgun. Use the same diligence and effort as well, since the brushing and copper solvents will work well on any brass deposits that may have accumulated inside the die.
Another question that comes up is, "Can I do any internal polishing?" Again, the answer is, "Yes, with care!" The best arrangement is to chuck the die in a lathe, after stripping it down and removing the internal parts. Use #400 or #600 wet/dry auto body paper wrapped around a small wooden dowel. Keep the paper wet with a thin petroleum product with the consistency of WD-40 or kerosene. Using this method, you will easily be able to remove any foreign material or brass build-up from the inside of the die.
Since our dies are heat-treated to approximately 62 Rockwell C, you can polish for a long time without changing the internal dimensions. Do not use ordinary sandpaper or anything coarser than #400, as you will scratch the interior of the die surface and void the lifetime warranty.
It is very important to give the dies a thorough cleaning, after the polishing operation. They should be thoroughly washed, flushed, and wiped several times. Again, just as when cleaning your rifle, check the dies for cleanliness with several wet patches and then lube and dry patch them.
In summary, the name of the game when it comes to avoiding scratched cases is cleanliness! A little attention paid to keeping your reloading area clean, and periodically cleaning your dies, will insure that they give you years of trouble-free service.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact our tech line (607) 753-3331

 
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I finally got around to working on this die last night.
First I cleaned the die then I used some 400 grit wet/dry sand paper wrapped on an old chamber mop.

I turned it a few times and checked the die. The suspect brass was gone. Super Easy.

Now I'll be sure to clean the dies a little more regularly.
Thanks Folks,
Ross
 
I finally got around to working on this die last night.
First I cleaned the die then I used some 400 grit wet/dry sand paper wrapped on an old chamber mop.

I turned it a few times and checked the die. The suspect brass was gone. Super Easy.

Now I'll be sure to clean the dies a little more regularly.
Thanks Folks,
Ross
Thanks for this thread. Great reminder for me to clean dies a bit more.
 

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