5.56mm LC Brass deforming in RCBS .223 FL Steel Die

[Oneeyedclay]

I'm hoping someone can lend some advice on this. I recently purchased 1000 LC head stamped 5.56mm once fired brass and went to work cleaning, lubi and running through my RCBS .223 FL Die. Several of the round are coming out with the shoulders deformed. I'm really stumped here. I have used this die on .223 Hornady, Lapua, Nosler and other .223 brass and never had any issues. Any thoughts? I have always set it up using the RCBS instructions. I'm using a Rock Chucker Supreme press also.

Thanks ! ! !

 

[Sweetyzfd]

Is the brass over-annealed and way too soft ? Too much lube?

 

[Rattler56]

Like Sweetyzf said and the die needs to be backed off, how much are you trying to bump the shoulders ?

 

[Oneeyedclay]

I didn't want to bump the shoulders. I'm going to back off the die, reduce the amount of lube and try another 10 rounds.

 

[mark5pt56]

Yup, to much lube on the neck/shoulder area.

 

[trickyric]

why would too much lube do that?
I am not questioning your knowledge, I would just like to learn to avoid future pitfalls myself.

 

[dddoo7]

why would too much lube do that?
I am not questioning your knowledge, I would just like to learn to avoid future pitfalls myself.

Too much lube will produce a hydraulic lock inside the sizer and it has to relieve somewhere. Most sizer dies have a small hole in them to relieve the air instead of compressing it, but when that space is filled with lube it will many times get trapped. As we all know...liquid (lube) doesn't compress...so the case neck does. Something has to give because two things cannot occupy the same space.

 

[witchhunter]

Don't get lube on the neck. I use a RCBS lube pad. It makes it very easy to only get lube where it needs to be, on the side of the case, not the neck.

 

[Pinecone]

As has been said, lube dents.

Use less lube (VERY little is needed).

Otherwise, don't worry, the cases will work fine and go bang. And the dents will be gone.

 

[lightman]

I usually have a rag in the hand that operates the press handle, and wipe the neck and shoulder off before sizing. I use spray lube and you just can't keep in off of the shoulder. The dents don't hurt anything, they just look ugly. Go ahead and load and shoot them.

 

[pjparker]

What Pinecone and lightman said. Lube dents.

Paul

 

[Oneeyedclay]

Thanks for the input. I did reduce the amount of lube on the body of the brass and did not lube the neck at all. Just finished 100 rounds with no issues. I'm also using a Redding die now. Much better Die me thinks.

Thanks Again ! ! !

 

[Oneeyedclay]

Yep, I am going to do just that. Thanks for the info ! !

 

[samnev]

If all else fails try Dillon's spray lube instead of the RCBS lube and lube pad. Once I switched from the RBBS lube pad I never had the lube induced indentations.

 

[Pinecone]

And with the Dillon lube, you need VERY little.

 

[Oneeyedclay]

And with the Dillon lube, you need VERY little.

I tried the Dillon D.C.L. in the 8oz. bottle Good stuff. Think I'm going to keep using that. Thanks for the heads up on that ! ! !

 

[Pinecone]

I will put some 100 - 130 5.56 cases in a plastic shoe box (Target or Walmart) give it 3 spritzes, shake and dump into my Dillon case feeder. And that is PLENTY.

 

[delixe]

Hornady one shot lube.
It's the $hit.
Tens of thousands of cases FL resized with it and never a dent.

 

[918v]

I didn't want to bump the shoulders.

Then how are you going to get them to chamber? Don't you know that when you size the case the shoulder moves forward? You should learn and understand the concept of headspace before proceeding. Also, reduce the amount of lube, but DO lube the outside and inside of the neck.

 

[leadbullet]

reduce amout of lube by 80% and you won't have dimpled shoulders anymore, good thing you can fireform those back to normal.
cheers.

 

[Victor N TN]

Lube dents... I lube the main body. Very little or none on the shoulder / neck. It will travel some, up the die to the shoulder, neck areas. When you need to clean it, I use varisol and an air hose. Lighter fluid works or brake cleaner will too.