Damaged Brass

[rickp]

I got a buddy that is loading some ammo and during the resize portion of the process the neck of the brass is being scraped all around the neck. It's deep enough that when you run your nail over it feels like a fine file.

How big of an issue is this?

Here are some pics.

 

[FCS]

Re: Damaged Brass

Bad for brass life but won't effect accuracy.

Brass started to gall in neck portion of die, will only get worse from here.

I can fix that for him, send me PM for details.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Damaged Brass

I,ve had this happen to me also. Mine was caused by partialy sizing new brass, to get uniform case mouths. I ended up putting the die in a lathe and polishing the inside of the die body with micro mesh. I got mine polished up, but I had to have removed some metal from the die.
Now I run my brass through my trimmer with a 3way cutter head to clean the case mouth before I do this and don't have issues.
Really isn't the way a person likes to learn though.
Hope you get it solved, because it will only get worse till you get the brass shavings out of your die.

 

[Rthur]

Re: Damaged Brass

Flitz metal polish on the right size bore mop with cordless drill might fix this problem.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Damaged Brass

Dirt and residue on the cases is the cause. Clean cases are the prevention. I have used a oak wood dowel split on the end, and chuck up some 800 grit, then 1000 grit finishing paper and the die polished out very well. Don't overdo it. Check with FCS...he may have a more professional solution.

 

[rickp]

Re: Damaged Brass

In this case I believe it's been doing it since it was new.

My buddy told me Forster is fixing the issue. Not sure how.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Damaged Brass

Your'e kidding aren't you?
Dirt, media will dent a case, but not gall it.

Look at the pic again, there is clearly a lip at the mouth of the case, it is excess brass. It gets ripped out by the expander ball on the down stroke, then compounded on the upstroke of next case.
Iv'e been there, don't want to argue with someone.
Get the die polished out, deburr and chamfer the cases before resizing. The problem will go away.
The flitz is a great idea, I did use that also. But I still think I changed the tolerances of my die.
Running 800grit paper down it iiiisssssss, well. If anything run the 800grit around the case necks to smooth them out, aesthetics only though.
I cleaned my die with Flitz and 4000 grit micro mesh.
OP, if FCS doesn't solve your problem, which I'm sure he will, pm me and I will help you out.
Miles

 

[FLIGHT762]

Re: Damaged Brass

I also have a Forester 308 Win. die that does the same thing. Die is a 308 "National Match", about 15 years old. I suppose I'll have to get it polished out some day.

 

[FCS]

Re: Damaged Brass

If die has been doing this since day one, might be a different issue then brass galling in neck. If there is a burr left in there that is hardened tool steel.....be best for Forster to fix it.

I'll see if I'm able to make a quick video to post up on how I fix this issue when it happens. Running a bit behind so might be a few days or week before I get to it.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Damaged Brass

Those scratches will eventually shorten the life of the brass since each scratch will become a potential place for the neck to crack.

I've encountered this problem with my dies. The solution is to either send the die back to manufacturer for polishing (RCBS just did mine for free) or switch to a body die + Neck bushing die combo. The bushings are much easier to clean when they start scratching the neck