I'll explain. My FL die for my 6mm AI will not push the shoulder back at all. I was advised to take a bit off the shell holder so I could bump the shoulder a bit. I lubed some cases, tried it, nothing, etc. I never figured I'd need more lube to size a lubed case more than once. WRONG. The rim came off, and it's too far in the die to get hold of it with vice grips. I've tried pounding it out from above, and it won't budge. I've tried pulling it out with vice grips, but it just mars up the case head. I've searched this topic, and keep seeing about a home made stuck case puller. I'm not much of a mechanical guy, could anyone explain it a bit better? The die is in the freezer right now, heard if I get it ice cold I can maybe get the case to shrink off the die a bit and pop out with some more pounding.

Whoa
You have an expensive die there be careful

Get a #7 drill or a 13/64 drill

Drill the primer pocket out

Tap it with a 1/4-20 tap

Put a small socket and a washer over the case head.

Use a heat treated capscrew - usually a socket head.

Tighten the cap screw and pull the case out.

Or, if you've a fairly well equiped sporting goods store, go get a "stuck case extractor kit" use it and put it on the shelf. Once you have one, you'll never need it again.

Basically, what I do in these instances (yes, it's happened to me more than once over the years), is to drill a hole through the primer pocket and thread the case for a standard 1/4" bolt.

Then I put the die in the press from the bottom side of the 7/8-14 hole and screw it in a couple of turns. That way the die is held in position, but the cartridge case head is nowhere near the top surface of the hole in the press yet.

Then I arrange washers in a stack on the top of the press so that I can drop the 1/4 bolt through them and start it into the threaded hole in the case.

By tightening the bolt, it then pulls the case out of the die. I use a hex-headed bolt so I can turn it with an 8" wrench, which provides plenty of leverage & power.

There are numerous little refinements you'll have to think through as you go, the first time. For instance, before drilling and threading the hole in the base of the case, you'll need to back the decapper unit away from the hole by turning the decapping rod out a bit. If you turn it out until it is tight, then turn it some more, it will also drop the expander ball off the decapping rod in most (but not all) makes of dies. In that instance, you can remove the decapper rod totally, just leaving the expander ball rattling around inside the case, which will do no harm and will give you more room to drill and thread.

Anyway, it is easy to do. Just go slow, make sure not to run the drill in at an angle, and think each step through before you begin.

The object is to get the case accessible to the bolt, with a space between the case head and the top of the press. Then with the washers (or other pieces of metal with a 1/4" or larger hole in them) on top the press, by dropping the bolt through the hole and screwing it in, you will be pulling the base of the case upward toward the top of the press. That automatically moves it out of the die.

Just get the stuck case remover. It will come with instructions and every thing you need to remove the case.

Screw this. (pun intended)
I'm going to town tomorrow, hopefully they have a stuck case remover.

This piece of brass is seized so tight, it hasn't budged. I was setting the shoulder back (hopefully) so it was sizing about everything possible. Can't believe running it into the die 3 times made the lube quit working.

Tyler

The stuck case remover is exactly what ireload described. I made mine from a piece of aluminum tubing about an inch long and I use a 5/16 bolt.
A socket works as well. just anything to put the pressure on. I am taking some pics of mine and will email them to you
Lyle

Got your e-mail. It's about $18 for a stuck case remover here, how much is there in the home made one, maybe $5?

Tyler
I will put mine in the mail tomorrow, Just a few min on the lathe and I'll make me another.
And this one is free! ! ! !
Lyle

The removal instructions are spot on.
If you used Imperial die wax, you would
not be in this fix.
Good luck!

Send it in. They will pull it and in return put some imperial in the box for your future use.

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
Or, if you've a fairly well equiped sporting goods store, go get a "stuck case extractor kit" use it and put it on the shelf. Once you have one, you'll never need it again.

So true. I've had two stuck cases. The first time it happened I bought the stuck case remover and it worked great. The next time it happened it was simply a dirty die. Haven't used it since but I do have it just in case.

Ken....

Tyler
Did you ever get that stuck case out, and did you get my stuck case extractor.
Lyle

Sorry YUMAN, just got back from a week at the State Fair. Your stuck case remover is on the counter waiting to be used, things are a bit hectic getting everything back in order. Will report back when I get a chance!

tyler - it might help a bit if you soak the thing in penetrating oil for awhile before extracting

Good news and bad news.

Bad news-Stuck case remover didn't work, as I tightened the bolt, it just pulled the threads off the case.

Good news-Got some penetrating oil and a stout nail. Soaked the case before I tried the case remover for about 15 minutes. After it didn't work I put a nail in there, pounded HARD, and all of a sudden it budged! The rest was cake, my die seems unharmed, sized some cases and they do fine. I'm a believer in penetrating oil now! Also screwed the die in way past where it touched the shell holder, and now the cases are sized where they chamber easily! I can get back to reloading 6mm Ackley now!

Thanks everyone!

Tyler! Get yourself some Bardahl to lube the cases. roger

What is Bardahl?

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
...Get yourself some Bardahl to lube the cases...

Do you believe that it's better than Imperial wax?

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
...Get yourself some Bardahl to lube the cases...

Do you believe that it's better than Imperial wax?

Hard to say as I haven't used the Imperial wax in almost 40 years, at which time I stared to look for something better.

In wildcating every now and than you have to do some severe forming. After many years of trial and error it seems that Bardahl has done a great job for me; good adhesion,film strength and lubrisity.

Is it any better? I have no comprehensive data only my feeling and results after 50 some years of reloading. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Tyler Kemp:
What is Bardahl?

When you find out, you'll know why most people use Imperial.
.

"What is Bardahl?"

Is it anything like STP (AKA, RCBS Case Lube)? If so it's a GREAT case lube. But STP is the lousyist, nastyest, hardest stuff to get off you ever smeared on a case!

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:

quote:

Originally posted by Tyler Kemp:
What is Bardahl?

When you find out, you'll know why most people use Imperial. .

Is it anything like STP (AKA, RCBS Case Lube)? If so it's a GREAT case lube. But STP is the lousyist, nastyest, hardest stuff to get off you ever smeared on a case!
OK roger