[beagledude]

I have a case stuck in my resizing die, insufficient lube. RCBS, 7mm. I've got the die off of the press. Any thoughts on how I get the case out or am I screwed ?

 

[MikeG]

Drill out a hole through the primer pocket and tap it 1/4 x 20 (quarter by twenty). I don't know what drill size that is, off hand, but if you have to buy a tap usually it will say so on the tap package.

Thread a fine-pitch quarter-inch bolt into the newly-tapped hole and use the bolt to pull the case out. It will probably help to stick the entire die in a freezer ahead of time, as I believe that brass will contract more than steel.

Or you can send it back to RCBS. Good luck. Been there, done that.....

 

[William Iorg]

Doing it Mike’s way works well but he forgot to add you need a socket and a washer to pull against the die.
For $15.00 you can buy an RCBS stuck case removal set which has all you need from Midsouth, I am sure all of the other mail order houses have the same thing available for similar prices.
Used to be I would suggest going to your local gun store for such things but in the past 10 years or so I am seeing less and less in the way of reloading equipment and supplies at the local dealers – an exception is Texas Gun Shop in San Angelo which seems to be switching to all reloading and accessory items. It’s a lot of fun to browse through that store!

 

[Marshal Kane]

. . . For $15.00 you can buy an RCBS stuck case removal set which has all you need from Midsouth. . .

The kit comes with everything you need except for the electric drill. This tool really works, don't ask me how I know.

 

[Shawn Crea]

Well yeah, I sprung for the stuck case removal kit from RCBS! Recall that I've had to use it only once (25-06 case IIRC), since I now ALWAYS apply a little lube.

 

[miestro_jerry]

I always use lube so I don't get stuck cases. If you have a deep freeze, put the stuck case and die in the freezer and it will pop apart.

Jerry

 

[broom_jm]

There's a commercial on the outdoor channels lately, where a nice old guy with jacked up teeth shows you how to use a stuck case remover...and that's the way it is.

 

[William Iorg]

Yes, putting it in the frezer will just let you work on a: “cold case.”

There are a number of reasons other than lube to have a case jump or rip through the shell holder. This has or will eventually happen to just about everyone who reloads, it just happens sometimes.
There are some cases that will have you talking to yourself. The 32 ACP in a Lyman shell holder comes to mind.

 

[Bigdog57]

I recently got a .30-30Win cases stuck in my RCBS die. I just removed the decapper rod, inserted a steel rod that fit in the case mouth, and a couple moderate whacks with a small hammer popped it right out. No sweat.

 

[hailstone]

Most of MikeG's instructions are right on but the thread size given is a course thread bolt. 1/4-28 is the fine thread bolt. You could use either should you have the drill and tap but the course would work better as more material is used (deeper threads). Drill bit size is a #7 (.201) for course and #3 (.213) for fine threads. RCBS's kit used a course bolt setup.

 

[ranger335v]

"There are a number of reasons other than lube to have a case jump or rip through the shell holder."

Assuming a correct shell holder and proper lubing, what are some of those "number of reasons" for a stuck case?

 

[William Iorg]

One of the biggest reasons is a loose tolerance for the shell holder. I like Lyman products but a few of their shell holders have excessive tolerances.
The Lyman shell holder for the 32ACP and the 32 H&R magnum are two which come to mind immediately. I have had a number of cases tear their rims and stick in the die. This is very frustrating. A switch to Redding shell holders for both of these cartridges eliminated the problem. I tried two Lyman shell holders for the 32 H&R Magnum before I gave up and switched.
Some 22 hornet shell holders have excessive tolerances too.

Another reason is having the expander button set too high up in the die. I clean my size dies regularly and have twice forgotten to run the expander button back down into the die. It’s a lot more work pulling a stuck case when the expander button is holding the neck of the case tightly in the die.

 

[unclepaddy]

Try heating the die up in the oven to about 200 degrees. Then use a pair of plyers to exert force on the case while you spray a "freon type" of product on the brass. You have to invert the spray can so you get liquid. I've had luck with this once, ond once it failed. I used "Dust Off" which is just a canned air sort of thing for blowing dust around the office machines. It has worked more often than not on removing press-fit bearings, like throwouts, etc.

 

[mattsbox99]

I recently got a .30-30Win cases stuck in my RCBS die. I just removed the decapper rod, inserted a steel rod that fit in the case mouth, and a couple moderate whacks with a small hammer popped it right out. No sweat.

I'd really like to know how you managed to pull the decap rod through the top of the die. That would save me some time.

I've been loading some old military 30-06 cases that were supposedly already sized. Most were, a few weren't. I'd already primed them, so I just removed the decap stem and started sizing the few that hadn't been sized. One of the rats got stuck even though I was good about the lube. I couldn't use a regular case removal tool, and I couldn't get the decap stem out. I hammered the decap stem out, and eventually the case came out. The rod mostly survived except a few threads. I couldn't rescue it, so I emailed RCBS and they sent me a new one.

 

[pruhdlr]

Been There.....

.....done that. My advise after helping others for the past 20+ years.....buy a stuck case remover OR take it to the nearest gunshop. They usually have one and will quickly remove the case for you for 10 bucks or so.

People have brought me cases in the die and the die was so damaged it had to be discarded. Beating,banging,prying,cussin',all will not make it easier to remove.

Save that die....do it right. -----pruhdlr

 

[fguffey]

Differences in techniques and methods:

The flash hole is .210 in diameter, in my opinion the .250 (1/4 tap) regardless of the number of threads is too small in diameter. The only choice is 3/8 (.375 tap) the web of the case is convexed meaning the case web gets thicker as the case head/web gets closer to the wall (outside of the case), it does not surprise me there are so many added remedies for removing a stuck case such as 'the freezer' etc.,

Methods/techniques: I use the 3/8 tap. washer, bolt and nut with 1/2 (.500) collar, I install by screwing the bolt/nut into the case through the washer and 7/8 inch support, then hold the bolt with one wrench and screw the bolt down the bolt until is pushes against the washer and 1/2" (nut) support collar, I push with the nut instead of pulling with the bolt, the case is pulled straight out instead of being rotated and pulled.

Holding the case, I remove the die with stuck case from the press, invert it and install it back into the press from the bottom, again I do not secure the nut to the die, I install the die then secure the die to the press with the retaining/jam nut.

All the required parts required for pulling/removing stuck cases are loacated in junk drawers and boxes or at Home Depot or Lowe's

1/2 inch for 7mm57, if the stuck case is 7mmRem Mag the support around the case to be pulled should be 9/16" .

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

pulling the rim off the case when trying to lower the ram with a stuck case, avoid the abuse, rotate the shell holder until it can be removed from the stuck case and ram at the same time.

F. Guffey

 

[hailstone]

While your idea has merit there are problems using larger size taps. I would speculate the reason the manufacturers used 1/4" is it fits all cases thus only one size needed. A 3/8" tap will not work on 22 Hornet cases--you'll ruin the die. Another reason to go small is you leave an alternate if the first attempt doesn't work. Been there done that so I speak from experience. On occasion I've drilled the base hole large enough to allow the expander button to pass through (only works smaller calibers). At this point you can tap or use hammer and punch.

 

[fguffey]

Hailstone, The 7mm case the OP is referring to could be a 7mm57, that would be .470 case head diameter, if he was referring to 7 Remington Mag, that would take the diameter to .532, if he was referring to a 7.62mm25 Takerof the case head is .392, if a 3/8 tap was used on the Takerof there will be less than .008 thousands of the case surrounding the tap IF THE HOLE WAS DRILLED IN THE CENTER, so a 3/8 tap would not be a choice for the 7.62mm25.

That logic (common sense) would also apply to other cases with a small diameter case head.

I have driven bushing and bearings out of blind end holes with grease and a pilot, expander pullers, pullers that expand with cleats that dig into the material to be removed, if I was so limited as to have my mind made up a 1/4 inch threaded puller was my only option I would have had to send most of my work out.

In the old days the military issued case pullers for cases that separated from the head of the case.

Again, at the Dallas Market Hall Gun Show a man was accuse of building a rifle with excessive head space, I did not get involved until they were finished, THEN I asked to see the case, after examining the case I asked the man if he only had one case to fire and fired and reloaded it over and over and over etc., again and again? He did not understand the question, the case he claimed was fired in a rifle he believed had head space issues had a case wall thickness of .002 thousands, .002 is OK for paper, but when removing a case from the chamber or a die after sizing it makes me wonder how vain the owner of the rifles was, he was sent to a third party that was fair, objective and not biased, the third party person ask him if he had 'JUST THE ONE CASE' and fired it over and over etc again and again etc., the third party person and I did not make any new friends that day, even though I offered to form 100 new cases for the rifle in question.

F. Guffey

 

[MikeG]

Most of MikeG's instructions are right on but the thread size given is a course thread bolt. 1/4-28 is the fine thread bolt. You could use either should you have the drill and tap but the course would work better as more material is used (deeper threads). Drill bit size is a #7 (.201) for course and #3 (.213) for fine threads. RCBS's kit used a course bolt setup.

Thanks Hailstone, you are correct, quarter by 28 is the fine pitch and quarter by 20 is the coarse. I got a bit mixed up.....