I have a stuck case in my small-base .223Rem die. The neck and head are gone from the case. There is/was a member here who pulled one out for me a while back. If memory serves, his username was starmetal. If you is still out there, starmetal, please PM me. Thanks...

Your pushing the shoulder back to far on sizing. Adjust your FL die this way. die adjustment link Case separations happen in the chamber or die.

Thanks for the info, 243. I think there was insufficient lube on the case. I am finishing up the resizing of several thousand .223 cases that I did not size right the first time. I need to push the shoulders down about .005 inches. I use a case comparator to check that the redone cases are right. Of the five or so thousand I've done, this is the first one with which I've had trouble. It's also the first batch that didn't get as much lube sprayed on them as the others. My can was almost empty. I think what I heard spraying was mostly propellant versus actual lube. I have a back-up die, so I'm not dead in the water...

Cerrosafe, from Brownell's, same stuff used for chamber casts. Plug the base of the die with a rag or similar, melt the cerrosafe in a double boiler or, as I do, in an aluminum camper's cup or tuna can held in the flame of a propane torch by a pair of vise-grips, with a bird-mouth creased into one side for pouring. Very low-temp melting point. Pour the die full, over the top of the stuck case, then wait a few moments 'til it cools and push the plug out the bottom with a dowel. Don't fill it over the top or it'll be hard to push out.....

Drop the plug back into the cup and melt it, then fish out the stuck case remains & discard. You can use this stuff (Cerrosafe) over & over, the only way I lose it is when I do a favor for a friend (G).
Regards, Joe

if it's not stuck real tight, try pushing a 357 brassbrush into it, the bristles will pull quite well when you try and reverse direction and pull it out. An easeout will also do the trick.

You can find starmetal here, if its the same guy?? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ Check the members list

Before you try the bore brush trick (it works, don't ask me how I know), put the die in the freezer overnight.
And then order you a stamp pad and a little bottle of RCBS lube. Sometimes the old way is the best way.

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
Before you try the bore brush trick (it works, don't ask me how I know), put the die in the freezer overnight.And then order you a stamp pad and a little bottle of RCBS lube. Sometimes the old way is the best way.

This!

The thought-police frown on folks "disagreeing" or "suggesting/implying" another poster could possibly be doing anything WRONG!!!
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The following statement is in full compliance with the thought-police:

Hang in there HomeBrewer, if you don't want to use ANY lubricant when Resizing, then you go right ahead.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:

If it's not stuck really tight, try pushing a .357 brass brush into it. The bristles will pull quite well when you try and reverse direction and pull it out. An easy-out will also do the trick.

Tried a .338 brush. No joy...

quote:

Originally posted by 243winxb:
You can find starmetal here, if its the same guy?? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ Check the members list

Nope. It went from STARMAN to starnmor, or something like that. Jumped right over starmetal. I think I'll send it to my dad. He's retired and it will give him something to do for a few minutes after he's done everything he can find to do around the house and down at my friend's auto garage...

How about using JB Weld to cement another case into the broken one and trying to pull the broken one out that way?

smooth the bottom edge of the stuck case.

Steel wool polish the outside of another case.

Sweat solder the two together.

Now you can pull it.

I test-fit a case into the broken one. It doesn't go in far enough to generate any "grab." Still looking for a solution...

I done already tolt you whut to do, just DO it already!(VBG)
Regards, Joe

Broken case extractor

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/ca...ilter=broken&catid=0

I have used the freezer solution overnight and then heated the die to get the metals to expand at different rates. Case fell out.

I first tried to tap the neck with the tap you get in the RCBS stuck case remover, but that just ripped the neck off. So I have a shell with no neck and about half an inch of the bottom removed. Looks like an easy-out is fast becoming the only option. I can mail the thing to my dad, he can go to my friend's auto garage and use any/all of the tools there. I am so happy I have a back-up die...

You oughta be able to find a machine shop near you. Have you really drenched the case/die with kroil?? Or some other break-free oil before trying the various tricks you've been told?

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
You oughta be able to find a machine shop near you. Have you really drenched the case/die with kroil?? Or some other break-free oil before trying the various tricks you've been told?

I tried that PB Penetrating Catalyst stuff-- no joy. I tried freezing and picking it out with a steel pick-- no joy. I tried heating it in a food dehydrator to a temperature so hot I couldn't hold the thing and then picking it with the pick-- no joy. I've tried pushing it out with a small screwdriver and a brass hammer from the top-- no joy. I'll just send it to my dad and he'll get it out. With him, it will become a test of wills between him and the stuck case. My money is on him to win. He raised me-- can't be a much tougher job than that...

homebrewer--your dad is probably going to score the case remains and then use a brass rod and split the case and push it out.

Make sure you give us an up-date on what he does with it.

I'm thinking I'll just send it back to RCBS. Do they remove stuck cases for a few bucks? Any idea what the turnaround time might be? Still so happy I have a back-up...

My dad got it out in five minutes with a 9mm tap. The casewall was thick enough for the tap to bite and he just twisted the thing out. He protected the knurled portion of the die by wrapping it heavily in shoprags and clamping it in a vise. I knew it would come out very easily if only a grip on the inside of it could be obtained. I'll go get myself a 9mm tap if this crap ever happens again. Now I have a back-up die in case I screw up again.

Broken-off .223 case threaded with 9mm tap. My dad says it took him all of five minutes to get it out.