There is a scratch in my FL die .... What to do?

[trauma1]

I noticed a longitudal scratch on some brass I reloaded. I look inside the die and saw a scratch that coresponded with the scratch on the die. I could feel the scratch w/ my finger.
Can I take some 0000 steel wool and smooth it out?
Is the die trashed?
Any suggestion

Thanks for your help.

 

[shoot4fun]

Flitz and a hand drill. Polish it out.

 

[trauma1]

Thanks where do you get Flitz?

 

[bigedp51]

Take a shotgun cleaning mop that will fit tightly inside the die and place some J&B bore paste, Flitz, car rubbing compound etc on the mop, chuck it in a drill and ream the "H" out of the die. If the die is still scratching your cases then get some very fine wet and dry sand paper and use a cleaning rod with the slotted tip, fold a piece of the sand paper in half so it fits in the slot and polish the die using a drill and a little oil. "Sometimes" if you take the die apart and put it in a vibratory tumbler with walnut polishing media the embedded grit or debris causing the scratches.

I wet tumble my cases with stainless steel media before resizing especially the cases fired in rifles that throw perfectly good brass on the ground. (semi-auto humor) This removes any grit or debris that can get embedded in the brass case and scratch my dies.

NOTE: Flitz is a polish and if you have a deep scratch you will need J&B bore paste or sand paper to remove the bigger and deeper scratches. Cleaning/tumbling before resizing will help prevent scratch dies.

 

[Mad_Charlie]

"Cleaning/tumbling before resizing will help prevent scratch dies."

Heed this! ^

 

[bigedp51]

"Cleaning/tumbling before resizing will help prevent scratch dies."

Heed this! ^

I'm retired and have been reloading for over 46 years, my favorite firearms were always bolt action rifles and revolvers. My two sons talked me into getting firearms that throw perfectly good brass away and I started scratching dies that were never scratched before. Wet tumbling your cases will scrub them clean and remove the dirt and grit from the cases better than any other means.

I have brass OCD and my youngest son keeps telling me not to look up to see where the case has landed because I loose my cheek weld. And this same son yells at me for taking too much time looking for those "lost" cases or scrounging in the brass buckets looking for replacement brass. "BUT" this son isn't the one doing the reloading so he needs more brass scrounging training.

He just doesn't understand no matter what month it is when the police and SWAT teams practice at the range its always Christmas.

 

[ArmyJerry]

Funny biged. OP I also use valve grinding paste watered down a bit, you can get it at your local autozone.

 

[lightman]

I might take this polishing job one step further, and start with some 1200 grit sand paper or a piece of 3M scouring pad. Then the polishing compound on the bore mop. If you are up to an internet search, google "Varmintal", look at his reloading section, and read about polishing dies. Dies are very hard, so don't worry about polishing away too much metal. Also, don't forget to clean the die after you finish your polishing job. Also heed the advice about clean brass! Lightman

 

[trauma1]

awesome data....I am printing this one off for the folder thx

 

[trauma1]

Thnk you very much! I understand your mind set. I must tell you ... there is medicine for that now

I'm retired and have been reloading for over 46 years, my favorite firearms were always bolt action rifles and revolvers. My two sons talked me into getting firearms that throw perfectly good brass away and I started scratching dies that were never scratched before. Wet tumbling your cases will scrub them clean and remove the dirt and grit from the cases better than any other means.

I have brass OCD and my youngest son keeps telling me not to look up to see where the case has landed because I loose my cheek weld. And this same son yells at me for taking too much time looking for those "lost" cases or scrounging in the brass buckets looking for replacement brass. "BUT" this son isn't the one doing the reloading so he needs more brass scrounging training.

He just doesn't understand no matter what month it is when the police and SWAT teams practice at the range its always Christmas.

 

[former naval person]

Auto paint shops have wet and dry paper that goes higher than 2000 grit. Use increasingly fine pieces of it on your bore brush or patch holder and spin.

 

[19Scout77]

What brand of die is it? If not a higher end die, just throw it away and buy a new one. A Lee or Rcbs die ain't worth the aggravation or cost. The smallest Flitz will run close to $15. A new Lee or Rcbs sizing die will run about the same.