My Lyman die in 223 is scratching cases.I've ordered a RCBS X Die,but it will not arrive for at least six weeks. Is there any way to fix the Lyman die in the meantime?
thanks in advance
rz

Since I have dies that scratch and have scratched cases I blame myself. A lot of the cases I ran thru those dies were not really clean. I may have wiped them and lubed them but there still was powder residue etc on them. Now the reason your die is scratching may be for some other reason.

Now I take much more care in cleaning the necks before I size them. The vibratory case cleaner does not get all of the residue off either.

Now I am wiping necks off with "NeverDull". Walmart has it in a can. It's a cotton wadding with some chemical in it.

I even wore out the neck portion in my .358 Win Fl die until it would not provide adequate tension! RCBS sent a new die free! This took over 35 years to do but they will scratch and or wear out.

As far as fixing the die it depends where and now deep. The path of least resistance without seeing it is to just don't introduce new cases into the system until the new die gets there. Sending it back seems to involve a lot of shipping.

[ 03-05-2003, 01:58: Message edited by: Savage99 ]

I HAD SCRATCHED CASES UNTIL I GOT MY CARBIDE DIES. I RUINED A LOT OF .357 AND .38 SPL CASES. THEN I GOT MY LEE CARBIDE SPEED DIES AND MY CASES COME OFF MY PRESS NICE AN SHINEY.

THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTS US ALL.............

This seems to happen to everyone eventually. I've "rejuvenated" scratched dies at least temporarily by polishing out the scratches as best I could with polishing compound (or JB!).

My scratches are usually the result of misplaced tumbling media. I'm about due for a new set of .223 as well.

Redial

Thanks for your replies. This is a result of me unknowingly resizing a case with something on it.
I tumble my cases prior to sizing. I don't need to size anymore cases, so I'll wait until the RCBS arrives.
Being half a world away from the manufacturer has its own problems as most of the retailers here don't actually pride themselves on customer service.
Are the Xdies really as good as stated?
thanks
rz

did you try some of the american distributors for the x die? just curious. they all have those in stock and it seems you could get inside a week.
woofer

I've had good success with 0000 steel wool wrapped on a brush. I start dry, and then add some "Flitz" to the brush to finish. It may be a little "barbaric", but I could not tell the difference, dimension wise.

In my case, it was a piece of sand that really did a number. FWIW, Dutch.

Unlike Dutch, I never had much luck polishing out scratches in dies. I ruined a lot of brass trying. Chalk it up to experience and get a new die.

This is what tool makers do! One would have to see the reason why the die scratches the case.

On some of my dies the scratches are in the neck portion of the die and all around. This is from the combustion products left on the necks. The die that just got replaced was worn to the extent that polishing would only make it's ability to size down the neck even less. It could be chrome plated but as I said I got a brand new die and a box from RCBS for free!

Dutch has the same experience as I do.

Quick, simple, easy, and cheap. And it even works, too!

Woofer,
Importing anything even remotely related to firearms is extremely difficult.It's easier to wait for my dies to be delivered by the supplier.
regards
rz