Stuck Pistol Brass Question

[Cyclepath]

I was resizing and priming some 9mm today and I had 3 stuck casings in my Lee sizing die. I was able to tap them out with a punch. Should I be lubing my pistol casings before sizing to prevent this? Any tips or suggestions on how to prevent this?

[Bug Splat]

Are you using Lee carbide dies? Also are cleaning your brass before you resize? Dirty brass can cause cases to stick. You might also want to check your dies and make sure they are clean inside.

[Cyclepath]

Yes, using the Lee Deluxe carbide 4 die set and brass is well cleaned in a tumbler with both walnut and corn cob media. I'll double check to see if they are dirty and spray some brake or carb cleaner but I've only sized less than 200 rounds and the dies are new.

Are you using Lee carbide dies? Also are cleaning your brass before you resize? Dirty brass can cause cases to stick. You might also want to check your dies and make sure they are clean inside.

[Bug Splat]

Wow thats a bit odd. I've never had anything close to a stuck case with lee carbide dies before and I've run DIRTY case through it too. I guess you could lube but thats a major pain in the @##. I bet if you call up LEE they will offer to replace the die.

[brian01tj]

Are you 100% sure they are carbide? Sounds like steel to me.

[Cyclepath]

According to the instructions included with the dies it does say "carbide seating die". This was the set I ordered - http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tnumber=885350.

Are you 100% sure they are carbide? Sounds like steel to me.

[Sheldon]

Make sure you're using the correct sized shell holder. One too big may let the case slip out and make it look like the case is sticking.

[joelogic]

Sometimes if you do not complete a full stroke the case will not pull back out. Are the other cases sizing correctly?

[Cyclepath]

Double checked the shellholder and it is a #19 which I cross referenced with Lee as for 9mm Luger. All the other cases appear to be sizing properly. I am able to seat and crimp. I'll drop Lee an email and see what they say.

[Sheldon]

When you say they are sticking, what exactly is happening? Is the case actually popping out of the shell holder or is the case still on the shell holder and the case not able to be pulled out of the die with the reloader handle? Were the three cases the same brand? I have seen some brands of cases that semmed to have a slightly smaller case head diameter that slipped off of a shell holder that otherwise held other brands fine.....S&B brand cases as I recall.

[Cyclepath]

The case is pulled off the shellholder, case rim is stripped and shell is stuck in the die. Initially I thought it was the Blazer brass but it happened with 2 Winchester (WCC) casings also.

When you say they are sticking, what exactly is happening? Is the case actually popping out of the shell holder or is the case still on the shell holder and the case not able to be pulled out of the die with the reloader handle? Were the three cases the same brand? I have seen some brands of cases that semmed to have a slightly smaller case head diameter that slipped off of a shell holder that otherwise held other brands fine.....S&B brand cases as I recall.

[joelogic]

double check your sizing die. there should be a greyish ring at the mouth of the die or just lube every 5th case or switch to dillon carbide dies.

I load .40, .45, and 9mm with dillon carbde dies and have never had a stuck cases and we are talking about 10's of thousands of rounds.

[Cyclepath]

I'll check it out. Thanks for the advice.

double check your sizing die. there should be a greyish ring at the mouth of the die or just lube every 5th case or switch to dillon carbide dies.

I load .40, .45, and 9mm with dillon carbde dies and have never had a stuck cases and we are talking about 10's of thousands of rounds.

[diginit]

That's strange. I've loaded over 5000 rnds with mine and not 1 stuck case. Is the resizing die touching the shellplate with a case in it on the downstroke? It should just barely touch to remove play. Clean the die and check the die for burrs. If you are using the correct (and undamaged)shellplate, This should not happen with a carbide die. No lube necessary. The only problem with the lee Pro press, is that you have to watch for expelled primers under the shell plate assembly. Keeping it from going all the way down to seat new ones.
It is NOT a good idea to reseat half inserted primers on a live round. Some powder has seeped through the flash hole between the primer and the pocket. Possibly filling the void between the two. Reseat the primer and the powder in the void presses against the anvil. Boom!
I deprime before I load with it. Tumble, resize and deprime,(remove the center rod to make it a single stage press) Tumble, clean the flash hole of media, then run through the press full cycle. It's an extra step and the brass is resized twice, But It runs alot smoother without poping out the primer while loading. And you don't have to look under the carrier on every stroke.

[Sheldon]

Possibly the shell holder you have is not to spec. Do the cases look like they are supported correctly or are they loose fitting?