Case stuck in redding seating die

[harry_x1]

Hi all - I use a redding competition seating die to seat 300 grain 338 lapua rounds. While seating, somehow one of the cases plus the bullet is stuck inside the die. Can someone help me with some guidance on how to take the stuck round out? And also, not sure what I did wrong… thanks for your help

 

[Anb618]

How in the hell did you manage that?
Maybe a bulged neck base from sizing?

Never heard of someone getting the case stuck in the seating die. My first thought was you were using the wrong die, but looks correct from the wording stamped on the die body.

Maybe try sticking the whole thing in the freezer for a bit. The brass should shrink up faster than the steel, and maybe you’ll get enough room to pull out the brass?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Try sliding the die in a close-fitting piece of pipe. Use the stop collar to keep it from sliding down the pipe.

Smash the other end of the pipe on a hard immobile surface. An anvil or concrete slab. Hit with the pipe perpendicular to the surface. Not at an angle.

cartridge will likely come out. The g-forces are immense.

Think of it like a big kinetic bullet puller hammer thingie.

Sirhr

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Btw… thick walled pipe. Like plumbers iron pipe or similar. Not copper or thin wall tube which will buckle and absorb shock.

Sirhr

 

[Graye2]

Just so we are all clear the seating stem is stuck on the bullet and the case is stuck, correct?

To understand how this could happen let’s start with some more data:

1). Was this new brass?
2). If fired brass was it neck sized or did you also use the body die that came with the 3 piece set?
3). Will another piece of brass fit in a case gauge or your chamber?
4). How far down did you have the micrometer screwed down? (When you set this die up did you write down its zero and did you screw it in below this level?)
5). What neck tension are you running and what do you use to check it.
6). Did you clean the die before it’s first use?

I use this same die set in multiple calibers and have never had this happen. I think we need to understand your entire process to determine what went wrong.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

^^^ based on the rim damage it does not look like new brass. But, yes, all this would be good to know to keep it from happening again! Excellent points!

Sirhr

 

[Graye2]

I saw that as well…I just couldn’t tell if he did that when trying to extract this round.

@sirhrmechanic I liked your recommendation but I think I would try it upside down first…pull the bullet and powder so then we can see what happened to the case. My guess is he crushed the shoulder-case junction into the sleeve and that’s where he is stuck but hard to tell without additional data. It would have taken a lot more force than typical bullet seating but I can’t think of anything else that would cause both to be stuck.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Crazy, I wonder if the seating stem got pushed into the case neck binding the case.

 

[918v]

If the neck was stuck then the case would come out easily using the leverage of the press. I think the body of the case is stuck because the OP didn’t size it.

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

I've extracted stuck cases before by spraying the die and case with a penetrating lubricant such as Kroil and allowing it to soak for a little bit. Drill out the primer pocket and then run a tap through it. Screw the die into your press enough so that the threads are engaged. Find a pipe nipple or large socket that has an inside diameter large enough diameter to fit over the base of the bottom of your die. Get a long bolt (with threads that match the tap that you used) and a heavy fender washer. Place the pipe or socket over the die's bottom, insert the bolt through the washer, through the pipe/socket and thread into the tapped primer pocket. Tighten the bolt against the washer until it pulls the case out. I would say if you could drill out the base of the bullet and tap it with a smaller bolt, a similer technique could assist with the extraction or perhaps a slide hammer. I hope this makes some semblance of sense, I'm not sure this was well-articulated. I'll try to snap some pics to see if that helps.


NOTE: I have only done this on sizing dies and removed the decapping pin etc. and screwed the die in upside down so the bottom is facing up. This may be difficult / impossible since you are using a micrometer die for a 338LM.

 

[Baron23]

Ah, but this is a primed and powder charged cartridge, no?

How do you get the primer and powder out safely?

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Ah, but this is a primed and powder charged cartridge, no?

How do you get the primer and powder out safely?

Good point! Shit can’t believe I missed that. Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.

 

[OREGUN]

Put the whole stuck bullet, seating stem combination on your window sill as a reminder to be more careful. Order replacement parts from Redding. Proceed.

 

[eschafer]

if the case is truly "stuck", why then isn't the case rim torn off (from when you lowered the ram)? Rim appears to be only slightly damaged..... (I might add, I've never had a stuck case while seating a loaded round, but when sizing, I've ripped the rim completely off lowering the ram)....

 

[Downtown]

Good point! Shit can’t believe I missed that. Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.

Don't feel bad, that was my first thought also. I was awake at 0500 when he first posted and began to type that exact thing. Then I realized it was a seating die! Erased that and waited for a better answer.

 

[jakelly]

if the case is truly "stuck", why then isn't the case rim torn off (from when you lowered the ram)? Rim appears to be only slightly damaged..... (I might add, I've never had a stuck case while seating a loaded round, but when sizing, I've ripped the rim completely off lowering the ram)....

This absolutely needs to be question number one.

 

[harry_x1]

Thanks to all for helping out. It seems the case was not grievously stuck and I was able to pull it out with these tweezers. Once I took it out, I saw these strange lines all across the shoulders. Seems as of something was pressing on the shoulder. Couple of more facts about situation which might help diagnose:

1. had seated two bullets just before this third bullet got stuck. They were seated perfectly and almost next to the lands (max coal)
2. For this bullet I had just bought seating depth down by 5/1000th. To my best knowledge I did not overdial the depth, though that is always a possibility.
3. The cases were not sized only neck sized. I had checked the first two rounds and they fitted nicely in my chamber.
4. This particular bullet was seated depper than what I had dialled it for.. it was seated almost 80/1000 th of an inch deeper than previous bullets.
5. The slight torn on rim was probabaly more by my pulling on it using pliers vs by the case holder.

interested in hearing your take… thanks again !

 

[OREGUN]

This absolutely needs to be question number one.

Are you guys really suggesting that the answer to a stuck case is to “bigger hammer” it until you literally rip the case head off? I’ve stuck a couple of cases during resizing over the years and have never even approached ripping the rim off in order to free them or to prove that “I really tried” to get them out.

 

[jakelly]

Dude, how is it possible that this case was stuck in the die and the rim isn’t torn off?

@OREGUN you don’t understand what you’re talking about, zero surprise, you can’t stick cases without ripping rims off.

 

[OREGUN]

Dude, how is it possible that this case was stuck in the die and the rim isn’t torn off?

@OREGUN you don’t understand what you’re talking about, zero surprise, you can’t stick cases without ripping rims off.

I agree that if he got the case out with tweezers it wasn’t really stuck but the rest of this is nonsense. Calm down Hercules. There’s no reason to rip the rim off, nor does it prove the case was really stuck. It just shows you don’t have the sense to stop pushing before you break things.

 

[jakelly]

Are you guys really suggesting that the answer to a stuck case is to “bigger hammer” it until you literally rip the case head off? I’ve stuck a couple of cases during resizing over the years and have never even approached ripping the rim off in order to free them or to prove that “I really tried” to get them out.

How did you get the die out of the press with the case stuck in the shell holder? How did you get the case out of the shell holder with the die stuck in the press?

This isn’t about toxic masculinity it’s about physics.

 

[whatsupdoc]

How did you get the die out of the press with the case stuck in the shell holder? How did you get the case out of the shell holder with the die stuck in the press?

This isn’t about toxic masculinity it’s about physics.

That is easy just slide out the shellholder.

 

[jakelly]

@whatsupdoc
I just went back and reread the OP. I thought he was using a Co-ax, my bad.
Sorry @OREGUN

 

[Baron23]

Thanks to all for helping out. It seems the case was not grievously stuck and I was able to pull it out with these tweezers. Once I took it out, I saw these strange lines all across the shoulders. Seems as of something was pressing on the shoulder. Couple of more facts about situation which might help diagnose:

1. had seated two bullets just before this third bullet got stuck. They were seated perfectly and almost next to the lands (max coal)
2. For this bullet I had just bought seating depth down by 5/1000th. To my best knowledge I did not overdial the depth, though that is always a possibility.
3. The cases were not sized only neck sized. I had checked the first two rounds and they fitted nicely in my chamber.
4. This particular bullet was seated depper than what I had dialled it for.. it was seated almost 80/1000 th of an inch deeper than previous bullets.
5. The slight torn on rim was probabaly more by my pulling on it using pliers vs by the case holder.

interested in hearing your take… thanks again !

Have you examined the inside of the die and seating stem?

any crud or metal shaving in there?

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

Thanks to all for helping out. It seems the case was not grievously stuck and I was able to pull it out with these tweezers. Once I took it out, I saw these strange lines all across the shoulders. Seems as of something was pressing on the shoulder. Couple of more facts about situation which might help diagnose:

1. had seated two bullets just before this third bullet got stuck. They were seated perfectly and almost next to the lands (max coal)
2. For this bullet I had just bought seating depth down by 5/1000th. To my best knowledge I did not overdial the depth, though that is always a possibility.
3. The cases were not sized only neck sized. I had checked the first two rounds and they fitted nicely in my chamber.
4. This particular bullet was seated depper than what I had dialled it for.. it was seated almost 80/1000 th of an inch deeper than previous bullets.
5. The slight torn on rim was probabaly more by my pulling on it using pliers vs by the case holder.

interested in hearing your take… thanks again !

I’d wager that #3 is the culprit.

 

[jakelly]

I’m curious if the op sat this case on top of the shell holder. I don’t know how you can have a case “stuck” according to the press, but get it out with tweezers. My thought is that’s why it’s seated deeper and the .200” line of the case was “stuck”.

 

[ACard]

I’m curious if the op sat this case on top of the shell holder. I don’t know how you can have a case “stuck” according to the press, but get it out with tweezers. My thought is that’s why it’s seated deeper and the .200” line of the case was “stuck”.

Without intending to be insulting to OP, I agree, there is part of this equation missing. What we have so far is not enough info to determine the root cause.

 

[harry_x1]

I examined the stem and inside of die, not metal shavings or evidence of damage. I am more leaning towards either of the two options below:

1. I might have put the case on top of shell holders vs inside

2. The case was not sized hence was too big for the die to handle. But in this case the question is, why the first two cases showed no sign of tight spacing within die. They went in and out like butter.

 

[ACard]

I examined the stem and inside of die, not metal shavings or evidence of damage. I am more leaning towards either of the two options below:

1. I might have put the case on top of shell holders vs inside

2. The case was not sized hence was too big for the die to handle. But in this case the question is, why the first two cases showed no sign of tight spacing within die. They went in and out like butter.

Or possibly some combination of the 2?

 

[918v]

I examined the stem and inside of die, not metal shavings or evidence of damage. I am more leaning towards either of the two options below:

1. I might have put the case on top of shell holders vs inside

2. The case was not sized hence was too big for the die to handle. But in this case the question is, why the first two cases showed no sign of tight spacing within die. They went in and out like butter.

Because they might have been harder and sprung back more after firing?

 

[harry_x1]

Or possibly some combination of the 2?

I could possibly be a combination of the 2. But given the fact how smoothly the first two rounds were seated, and also the fact that I measured the shoulder jump and neck tension on all cases (almost identical), I find the chances of only one case being too large, as a leading cause, slim. And if the larger case was the root cause, not sure how it explains the excessive seating depth I got.

At this time, I am more leaning towards an issue with how I places the case 'on' shellholder vs 'in' shellholder. If number 2 (case sizing) is also an issue, then I am sure I will see the same issue reappear in some form when I seat the remaining cases. Will update this thread, once done, so we all understand the root cause here. I am going to put this up on top of a shelf as a reminder of my foolishness.

 

[ACard]

I could possibly be a combination of the 2. But given the fact how smoothly the first two rounds were seated, and also the fact that I measured the shoulder jump and neck tension on all cases (almost identical), I find the chances of only one case being too large, as a leading cause, slim. And if the larger case was the root cause, not sure how it explains the excessive seating depth I got.

At this time, I am more leaning towards an issue with how I places the case 'on' shellholder vs 'in' shellholder. If number 2 (case sizing) is also an issue, then I am sure I will see the same issue reappear in some form when I seat the remaining cases. Will update this thread, once done, so we all understand the root cause here. I am going to put this up on top of a shelf as a reminder of my foolishness.

I was more wondering if it was a combination of case on top of shell holder driving deeper combined with unsized but fired case body. A perfect storm if you will. Mind you not being critical just exceedingly curious as I reload 338 LM with same dies.

In all seriousness thank you for the updates and candid info.

 

[Bradv86]

You place your cases on top of the shell holder for seating? Or was it just a mistake for this one? That was going to be my first guess to how this happened.

 

[harry_x1]

You place your cases on top of the shell holder for seating? Or was it just a mistake for this one? That was going to be my first guess to how this happened.

mistake...the day I do it deliberatly will be the day, I think I would have achieved nirvana

 

[Bradv86]

mistake...the day I do it deliberatly will be the day, I think I would have achieved nirvana

I was gonna say... I've seen some weird things but I couldn't wrap my head around how that could possibly be SOP for anyone haha.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Thanks to all for helping out. It seems the case was not grievously stuck and I was able to pull it out with these tweezers. Once I took it out, I saw these strange lines all across the shoulders. Seems as of something was pressing on the shoulder. Couple of more facts about situation which might help diagnose:

1. had seated two bullets just before this third bullet got stuck. They were seated perfectly and almost next to the lands (max coal)
2. For this bullet I had just bought seating depth down by 5/1000th. To my best knowledge I did not overdial the depth, though that is always a possibility.
3. The cases were not sized only neck sized. I had checked the first two rounds and they fitted nicely in my chamber.
4. This particular bullet was seated depper than what I had dialled it for.. it was seated almost 80/1000 th of an inch deeper than previous bullets.
5. The slight torn on rim was probabaly more by my pulling on it using pliers vs by the case holder.

interested in hearing your take… thanks again !

Fucking tweezers? Lol. . Okay, don't neck size for precision shooting with a precision seating die. There are precision sizing dies that mate with it

 

[Nott]

Had that happen in a sizing die and the fix was to put the die in the freezer overnight. The next day I was able to drive the case out. Seems like I was told to do that by a die manufacturer.

 

[bithead007]

I blame the Russians.

CJ

 

[Hesperidins]

When I had a stuck case I removed the top of the die and "hammered" a wood dowel down on top of the bullet and it popped right out. Or maybe I wasn't seating but rather sizing in which case there was no bullet. Either way, a dowel was the trick.