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Posted: 12/7/2009 7:38:12 AM EDT
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Anyone have any magical tricks to resize once fired military brass? I am about ready to throw something across the room here! I got my new Lee press last week, prepped the 200 brass that just came in and now I have a bent handle on my press and I managed to bust the cast piece tha holds the handle on. Here is what I have done so far on the brass. I made a depriming tool so that I could knock them out before I resized to make it a little easier. I cleaned the brass in my tumbler, removed any sealant residue from the inside case neck with a brush, annealed the brass and then used unique lube on the case neck inside and out and at the base of the. I get the brass to go about 3/4 way in the sizer and then I just about need to stand on the handle to get it to go any further.
What am I doing wrong or is there something else I need to do. |
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Anyone have any magical tricks to resize once fired military brass? I am about ready to throw something across the room here! I got my new Lee press last week, prepped the 200 brass that just came in and now I have a bent handle on my press and I managed to bust the cast piece tha holds the handle on. Here is what I have done so far on the brass. I made a depriming tool so that I could knock them out before I resized to make it a little easier. I cleaned the brass in my tumbler, removed any sealant residue from the inside case neck with a brush, annealed the brass and then used unique lube on the case neck inside and out and at the base of the. I get the brass to go about 3/4 way in the sizer and then I just about need to stand on the handle to get it to go any further. What am I doing wrong or is there something else I need to do. Sounds to me like you are doing everything right. I prefer Redding Lube (aka Imperial sizing wax) but I've heard the Unique lube works. Try the Imperial though. This is the reason I strongly suggest folks avoid "once fired" military brass. It's a nightmare to size and generally has a crappy (short) life. -David Edgewood, NM |
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I use the Unique when I can't find the Imperial size lube, but the Imperial works much better than the Unique. I faught with my press using the Unique also, try the Imperial and you won't bend or break anything. I also punch out the primer first and it does help a lot when you size.
Ed |
| Glad I read through all of the replies. Otherwise I would have said the same thing, but like as if I was the first to suggest the stepped process. That is what I do to, I go in so far and back out then go in a little further and back out again till I get the full stroke. I suppose the only thing I do differently is that for me it is all feel. When I feel that it is getting to stiff going in, I back out and take another stab at it. |
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I've used RCBS lube and the lube that came with my old Pacific press (Hornady). Yes, the military brass can be harder to resize than civilian brass.
I have a Lee press and I use Lee dies - but I use the Lee press for pistol cases and the Lee Dies in my RCBS press. The Hornady and RCBS presses I have are way stronger than either of the Lee presses I own. Check out a nice "O" type press like the RCBS rock chucker. The "O" type presses are very strong. I've never bent or broken anything on mine. I've even used mine to resize 30.06 brass into .308 brass and 6MM Rem. into .308 brass (talk about some neck trimming!!  ) but it saves a piece of brass with a split neck). You've got to do some leaning on the handle to do that.
Can't speak for the type of case lube you're using as I've never used it. As for the brass, I'll take any brass I can get. Once I run it through my dies it never gets swelled up like that again. |
Hmmmmm.... so resizing really long, large-sized, hard brass is just like life. You should never just ram in in all the way on the first stroke. Use just the right amount of lube, put it in a little ways, pull out, put it in a little bit farther, pull out, and then you can insert it all the way. Nothing breaks and everybody is happy. 
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Make SURE your decaping pin/expander ball is not down too far -leave it loose and set it once your shoulder setback is where you want it.
For lube I use MOTUL 15w-50 300M (you could use any heavyweight synthetic, Mobil1, etc. -I just happen to have Motul around  )
cut 50-50 with STP oil treatment. Pour it on a washcloth in a shallow bread pan and let it soak it up... not too much, just enough to let the fabric be slightly moist. If you wipe your finger across the cloth you should get a sheen on your fingertip -but not appear wet. Use a 50Cal bore mop prepped with the same lube in the same amount. -swab the inside of the neck with it. Roll the brass across the washcloth -and size it. I've tried every commercial lube, mica, Imperial wax, Dillion stuf, sprays, etc., etc.... You won't believe how easy 50Cal brass can size once you try it -and it's cheap. 
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Make SURE your decaping pin/expander ball is not down too far -leave it loose and set it once your shoulder setback is where you want it. For lube I use MOTUL 15w-50 300M (you could use any heavyweight synthetic, Mobil1, etc. -I just happen to have Motul around )
cut 50-50 with STP oil treatment. Pour it on a washcloth in a shallow bread pan and let it soak it up... not too much, just enough to let the fabric be slightly moist. If you wipe your finger across the cloth you should get a sheen on your fingertip -but not appear wet. Use a 50Cal bore mop prepped with the same lube in the same amount. -swab the inside of the neck with it. Roll the brass across the washcloth -and size it. I've tried every commercial lube, mica, Imperial wax, Dillion stuf, sprays, etc., etc.... You won't believe how easy 50Cal brass can size once you try it -and it's cheap. That's all fine and dandy but how do you get that crap off? Imperial tumbles off rpretty easy...that stuff would ruin a batch of corncob in nothing flat. Do you ultrasonic your brass with simple green or what after you are done? And also, the LEE sizer die doesn't have an adjustable decapping stem. It simply is where it is. No way to adjust. -David |
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i started washing my brass with a vinegar and lemon juice mix that works really well
im sure that would wash off the oil this been gone over before but there is no need for a synthetic oil to be used as there is no thermal load it is a good quality oil but its not needed for this application and it is just more expensive an old dinosaur oil will work just fine |
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I wipe a little Unique on my hand and roll the case in my hand to cover it completely, you don't need much as that will lead to other problems. As the other have stated, surplus brass is a PITA to size the first time. I've sized them on three different presses, Lee, Hornady/RCBS and Hollywood, out of the three the Hollywood was the easiest as the press is massive. Plus it was mounted to a base that was made out of steel and bolted to a cement slab.
You aren't the first preson to break the handle on a Lee press, the weak link is the bolt that holds it. I've heard that the bolt was soft and you need to replace it with a grade 8 bolt that you can pick up at your local hardware store. |
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Quoted:
I've used RCBS lube and the lube that came with my old Pacific press (Hornady). Yes, the military brass can be harder to resize than civilian brass. I have a Lee press and I use Lee dies - but I use the Lee press for pistol cases and the Lee Dies in my RCBS press. The Hornady and RCBS presses I have are way stronger than either of the Lee presses I own. Check out a nice "O" type press like the RCBS rock chucker. The "O" type presses are very strong. I've never bent or broken anything on mine. I've even used mine to resize 30.06 brass into .308 brass and 6MM Rem. into .308 brass (talk about some neck trimming!! ) but it saves a piece of brass with a split neck). You've got to do some leaning on the handle to do that.
Can't speak for the type of case lube you're using as I've never used it. As for the brass, I'll take any brass I can get. Once I run it through my dies it never gets swelled up like that again. thats interesting. Now I have the Lee Classical Cast Press with the Lee dies. I believe that the Lee dies for 50 BMG (which is what we are talking about) is 1.25" x 14 tpi as I remember it. And Hornday and RCBS use the 1.5" die x 12 TPI as I remember it. So, how is it that you use the Lee Dies in the RCBS press as you stated above. Did you have a sleeve made to do this? |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I've used RCBS lube and the lube that came with my old Pacific press (Hornady). Yes, the military brass can be harder to resize than civilian brass. I have a Lee press and I use Lee dies - but I use the Lee press for pistol cases and the Lee Dies in my RCBS press. The Hornady and RCBS presses I have are way stronger than either of the Lee presses I own. Check out a nice "O" type press like the RCBS rock chucker. The "O" type presses are very strong. I've never bent or broken anything on mine. I've even used mine to resize 30.06 brass into .308 brass and 6MM Rem. into .308 brass (talk about some neck trimming!! ) but it saves a piece of brass with a split neck). You've got to do some leaning on the handle to do that.
Can't speak for the type of case lube you're using as I've never used it. As for the brass, I'll take any brass I can get. Once I run it through my dies it never gets swelled up like that again. thats interesting. Now I have the Lee Classical Cast Press with the Lee dies. I believe that the Lee dies for 50 BMG (which is what we are talking about) is 1.25" x 14 tpi as I remember it. And Hornday and RCBS use the 1.5" die x 12 TPI as I remember it. So, how is it that you use the Lee Dies in the RCBS press as you stated above. Did you have a sleeve made to do this? none of what M1A4me was talking about had anything to do with bmg |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I've used RCBS lube and the lube that came with my old Pacific press (Hornady). Yes, the military brass can be harder to resize than civilian brass. I have a Lee press and I use Lee dies - but I use the Lee press for pistol cases and the Lee Dies in my RCBS press. The Hornady and RCBS presses I have are way stronger than either of the Lee presses I own. Check out a nice "O" type press like the RCBS rock chucker. The "O" type presses are very strong. I've never bent or broken anything on mine. I've even used mine to resize 30.06 brass into .308 brass and 6MM Rem. into .308 brass (talk about some neck trimming!! ) but it saves a piece of brass with a split neck). You've got to do some leaning on the handle to do that.
Can't speak for the type of case lube you're using as I've never used it. As for the brass, I'll take any brass I can get. Once I run it through my dies it never gets swelled up like that again. thats interesting. Now I have the Lee Classical Cast Press with the Lee dies. I believe that the Lee dies for 50 BMG (which is what we are talking about) is 1.25" x 14 tpi as I remember it. And Hornday and RCBS use the 1.5" die x 12 TPI as I remember it. So, how is it that you use the Lee Dies in the RCBS press as you stated above. Did you have a sleeve made to do this? Conversion bushings are available. |
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Bretshooter, you own one? I mean only a .25". Not are you only converting .25" but also the TPI that seems to be a very thin bushing to me. I know about conversion bushings but in this case a 1/4" seems a bit thin. Max I don't need to own one to know they exist. I don't own a Ma Duece, But they damned sure exist. But thanks for pointing out our potential errors. |
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I use a bushing with my Walnut Hill press to use my Lee dies. The Lee dies work the brass less than my RCBS dies, by about .005". Yeah, the bushing has relatively thin walls, but it's not like it's unsupported. Cripes, ever hear of Helicoils? Or how about your brass? It's even thinner, and has extreme pressure on it, but it's supported by the surrounding chamber.
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I had the exact same problem. Try searching this forum for my name, I did a whole thread about it. I have the same Lee setup, and almost all my brass is machine-gun shot. I took the advice of a couple guys on the board here and switched to that Imperial Sizing wax. I haven't had a problem since. Make sure you use just a little bit of lube, because too much lube can deform the neck of the brass, because it tends to accumulate there. Something to watch out for is using another lube, and having the brass get stuck in the die. I had to send my die back to Lee a couple of times to have them remove a stuck shell. The last time I got my die back, the box had a hand written note suggesting I keep a 3 pound sledge on my reloading bench.
 The tech guy said the best way to get a shell out was back the nut off a little bit, and wail on it with the sledge. I thought that was interesting advice, coming from them. |
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I use Unique Sizing Wax and have never had a stuck case; or a case that I couldn't size.
It is nearly identical to Imperial sizing wax, but is thinner and easier to apply. Basically if it's a lot like hand lotion ... you put some on your thumb and pointing finger. I spin the base of the case in my hand (bottom 1") and take a Qtip and put some just inside the neck. There is no need to put any further up on the case ... only the bottom 1". It's not petroleum based so it comes off really easy and doesn't leave your hands/brass sticky ... it actually leaves your hand nice and soft HAHA! By doing it this way; you won't get any wax on the should of the case and risk denting it. It also goes on really easy and comes off really easy. One 2oz tub will last you about 10,000-12,000 cases and costs about $3. For the price you can't beat it and it is one of the cleanest around. Think I read somewhere that it is made partially out of bees wax. Sarg |
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