Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedo2
Started to get dents in my 223 cases during the re-sizing and de-capping operation on a RCBS single stage press and using RCBS die:
After around a dozen trials to determine what was causing the dents, I narrowed it down to excess casing lube not having anywhere to be relieved. The dents only occur during the last 1/16" of press travel. So, in the future I'm thinking that I'm going to have to perform re-sizing and de-capping as separate operations with frequent wipe-downs of the re-sizing die, like doing it for every other casing. A couple of questions for the experts:
1. Is my diagnosis correct; dents due to excess casing lube?
2. If so, what have others done to avoid denting their cases?
3. Are my dented cases salvageable or scrap? I'm thinking of fire forming them using a very weak load in a bolt action rifle.
All thoughts and recommendations will be appreciated. -S2
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I just check three RCBS .223 dies and only the neck sizing die didn't have a vent hole. And I had to raise the lock ring to find the vent holes, and I'm using a Rockchucker press and Lee lock rings with the rubber o-rings. So vent holes are a problem with smaller calibers with a fat lock ring.
I use two case lube methods, if on a mass loading binge for my AR15 I put the cases in a very large clear plastic zip lock bag and spray them with a home made mixture of lanolin and alcohol. Then I massage the bag and coat all the cases evenly. This applies a very "thin" coating of lube and doesn't build up and dent the cases.
If I just loading 50 cases or less for my bolt action .223 I apply Hornady Unique with just one finger and lightly lube the cases.
Now the manuals tell you if you use a lube pad to wipe the excess lube off the shoulder and neck. With a tapered case as it is sized the excess lube is forced upward and the excess lube normally only causes small dents on the case shoulder. And when you have dents in the case body like you did you applied enough lube for 20 cases.
Welcome to reloading you have now done what we all have done and applied too much lube. Your next learning experience will be applying to little lube and getting a case stuck which is far more common.
So don't pretend now that you are a Star Wars Ewok and get a case stuck in the die.
I learned in the military that visual training aids are imprinted in your brain and remembered far longer.
