After finally getting my reloading bench set up in my new house, I sat down for my first foray into the process of reloading. Got into a nice groove and sized/deprimed around 2000 .40S&W and 10mm brass without problem.

Then came the assorted rifle cases with a different story... 223, 300wm, 375h&h all presented a fair bit of difficulty when lowering the ram from the dies after sizing/depriming, in what I'm assuming was the expander ball passing through the neck of the case. I was using Lee case lube and both Lee (223, 300wm) and Hornady (375) dies. I lubed the outsides well and even lubed the insides of the necks a bit to see if it would help. There was noticeable force required on all cases, but some were just atrocious to the point I pulled the decapper/expander out of the die on one 300wm case. Is this something that's normal?

I'm using a Lee die mounted with three lag bolts to a somewhat light desk.

First, get some imperial die wax; a little can will last forever. Now I know you don't want lube on the inside of brass, but I will just rub my waxed finger & thumb over expander ball when I start. You'll do 100 pieces without any problems. I always clean brass before I do the primers anyway. I'm sure most would just take a thousanth off the expander ball, but I never get around to that.

I remember the same feeling when I started and I have a redding ultramax press, it'll ruin brass quick and I was laying into that bar, ha ha.

Lube can make a difference. I like RCBS applied with a pad. Nylon brush for inside the neck.

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First, get some imperial die wax; a little can will last forever

Can't even remember when I bought the can I'm using. Hornady makes some similar

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I'm using a Lee die mounted with three lag bolts to a somewhat light desk.

It depends a lot on the press that you are using.
It also depends on the size and shape of the case and how large the rifle chamber is that they were fired in.

It depends on how well the cases are lubed.

You can control the lube and you can control the press. Make sure you have an adequate press. Pistol shooters and rifle shooters tend to have a different take on what is an acceptable press.

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all presented a fair bit of difficulty when lowering the ram from the dies after sizing/depriming, in what I'm assuming was the expander ball passing through the neck of the case

“.....all presented a fair bit of difficulty when lowering the ram from the dies after sizing/depriming, in what I'm assuming was the expander ball passing through the neck of the case”

All of my full length sizer dies have a distinct klunk? after the sizer plug is pulled through the neck, it also has free travel between the case being removed from the die and before the sizer plug hits the neck. There are ways to shorten the distance of travel, shortening the travel/distance also prevents wadding the primer de-capping/neck sizer plug rod when necking up cases for wildcats etc..

An Insistence on full length sizing: The toughest task for a press is full length sizing, some believe case forming is the most difficult. I am not in the habit of making house calls, I have helped when asked, more times than not the problem is caused by bad habits. A friend was in mortal combat with sizing cases, he insisted there was nothing better than Imperial and or Dillon spray on in the can or bottle, I do not use Imperial and or Dillon, anyhow, he had trouble lowering the ram on his A2 RCBS, I thought the die was going to keep the case, he had additional trouble getting the sizer plug through the neck. I explained to him he had to change the case/sizing lube or improve on his methods for cleaning cases. We installed a steel wire brush in a drill and cleaned his necks, we also lubed the brush. The problem created when pulling the neck sizer plug through the neck went away. Then we determined the length of the chamber and decided full length sizing was not necessary, we back the die off to prevent the press, die and shoulder from full length sizing, then his Imperial and or Dillon looked good, he refused to use an unknown lube, he referred to it as gear oil.

I use the RCBS case prep center, I use a brush for cleaning necks installed in the back position, I know, a brush can be used in one of the two top stationary position, I use those for storing extra tools.

F. Guffey

It has to be your press and how the dies are engaged by the shell on the holder.
I use the Bonanza co-ax press and it takes little force to size/form any case due to it's mechanical advantage.
you want your dies to be set to the presses maximum mechanical advantage.

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Originally posted by Rapidrob:
you want your dies to be set to the presses maximum mechanical advantage.

I'm not following you here.

Thanks for all of the responses. I'll get some imperial wax and try that. Should I remove the decapper/expander from the die before starting and lube the expander with it? Btw, I'm doing my resizing before cleaning. Might cleaning before (and then after to remove the wax) be beneficial?

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Btw, I'm doing my resizing before cleaning. Might cleaning before (and then after to remove the wax) be beneficial?

Absolutely it will help. The sizer dies are built to close tolerances, and any grit/carbon that comes off in the die will be deposited there. Typically the buildup is on the top side of the expander ball, and it can get to be quite a lot if you don't keep the brass clean.

Don't use the wax or grease type of lube in the INSIDE of the necks; use the dry stuff like powdered mica or moly powder. Unless you want to wash your brass after sizing.

Lube is your answer to ease of size.....there are however many variables

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Originally posted by ted thorn:
Lube is your answer to ease of size.....there are however many variables

Lube? maybe but I'd be strongly looking at those variables. roger

I use the Frankford Arsenal or Dillon lanolin "spray-on" lube. I just FL sized about 120 270 WSM cases in my RockChucker after using that lube, and it was virtually effortless.

I've been reloading for almost 20 years now - rifles only.

I moved to Imperial was about 15 years ago. Never had a stuck case since then.

Make sure you lubricate the bottom most part of the case 10 mm - this is the part that gets stuck and gives trouble if the case is not properly lubricated. Too much lube is bad.

I use my fingers and then just roll the case mouth on my thumb & finger. This transfers a small amount of lube into lip of the case & this make it easy for the expander to go in & out. I then clean all case mouth with a cotton ear bud or some tissue paper. Never had a problem - not one.

Now I have reloaded cases from lots of 222 Rem to a few 416 Rigby and they all work fine.

Many of the more common presses will allow you to set your dies where the best mechanical advantage is not reached. Another words, the dies are set too high or low in the top of the press. This places the handle at an abnormal height that does not allow the best transfer of energy.
I use Hornandys Unique lube in the tub. One tub will last for many,many years. It will not kill primers,effect the powder and when used right, will never dimple the case neck.
The small amount needed to full length size a case can almost not be seen on the case.

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Originally posted by FFemt5287:
Thanks for all of the responses. I'll get some imperial wax and try that. Should I remove the decapper/expander from the die before starting and lube the expander with it? Btw, I'm doing my resizing before cleaning. Might cleaning before (and then after to remove the wax) be beneficial?

If you clean the die be sure to take a lightly lubed Q-tip and wipe the inside of the case body prior to resizing your brass. A fresh die with no lube risks a stuck case no matter what lube you use
I use Imperial and it takes very little to lube as already said by others. I simply wipe a finger over the case mouth after handling the body and that applies enough lube for the expander. Too much and you have powder clumping in the necks and possibly being degraded by the lube. If powder starts to stick, especially extrudeds you are applying too much in the mouth