[gdmoody]

Tuesday evening while reloading some 5.7X28, I had my very first piece of stuck brass in over 35 years of reloading. I remembered that there had been at least two threads about the stuck brass problem. I came in the house and did a search and came up with this thread: http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=115198&highlight=stuck+brass

I went back out and tried to use the hammer/punch to no avail, the brass didn't budge. I brought the die into the house and stuck it in the freezer. I left it there until Wednesday morning. I took the freezing die back out to my "reloading building" and tried again with the hammer/punch, still nothing.

I remembered another thread so I did another search and came up with this thread: http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=116888&highlight=stuck+case+removal

I had even posted in this one that I had all of the parts to make myself a stuck case removal tool. Boy was I wrong, I searched every tool box I could find and could not find my tap and die set. I finally went over to my LGS and bought a Redding brass removal tool. It wasn't as easy as it was made out to be but it did work so I have my piece of 5.7 brass apart from the die. I think one of those stuck brass threads need to be made a sticky!!

 

[RAJBCPA]

I had one 270Win rifle case that stuck in a resizing die a few months ago. It was a bear to remove. I finally drove it out with a steel punch in a vice. From that point forward, I am now very careful about lubing everything including small straight cases.

I would think heating the die might be better than freezing it but that is a guess.

 

[Bindernut]

I would think heating the die might be better than freezing it but that is a guess.

Due to the different expansion rates between brass and steel, it USUALLY works best to throw the die with a stuck case in the freezer and try to pop the casing out as soon as you take it out.

That being said...
I have used heat to remove a stuck case a couple of times. You don't want so much heat that you threaten the heat treatment of the die.
I just laid the die/case on top of my fuel-burner stove in the shop and let it get good and toasty (I'm gonna guess 150° or so. It was uncomfortable to the touch). As soon as it's removed the heat, start wicking paraffin wax down into the die along the case wall. Think of sweat-soldering a plumbing fitting...except you're drawing wax into the seam instead of solder.
The casing practically popped out by itself once I got some lube (wax) sucked into the seam.

I've used the melted wax trick on many rusted bolts on old farm equipment, where it works great. And I was at a loss to try something since the freezer trick didn't work & didn't have a tap-n-die set handy to pull the case that way..

 

[312shooter]

I just laid the die/case on top of my fuel-burner stove in the shop and let it get good and toasty (I'm gonna guess 150° or so. It was uncomfortable to the touch). As soon as it's removed the heat, start wicking paraffin wax down into the die along the case wall. Think of sweat-soldering a plumbing fitting...except you're drawing wax into the seam instead of solder.
The casing practically popped out by itself once I got some lube (wax) sucked into the seam.

I've used the melted wax trick on many rusted bolts on old farm equipment, where it works great. And I was at a loss to try something since the freezer trick didn't work & didn't have a tap-n-die set handy to pull the case that way..

Superb Bindernut! :bow:

 

[time2shoot]

Wax hugh, Wish would have known that trick. I never did get that piece un stuck.
Just went and got a new die set.

 

[gunboat]

I acquired a die a few months ago that had a case stuck in it -- 308, not that it matters.
It was obvious that a lot of effort had already been expended trying to remove it. Even to filling the case with molten lead. Presumably to provide somethin to wack on --
Long story short, after doing the normal things to remove the case, which did not work, I chucked the bugger in the lathe and using a standard hi speed tool just turned the case out.
Since the die was free, figured there was nothing to lose.
Tool removed brass, skated over the hard surface of the die -- no harm --
Die works fine.

 

[gdmoody]

I now have that stuck die removal tool handy and it really works like a charm. He hardest part of it was getting the piece of brass tapped. The tap kept wanting to go in crooked and I kept trying to straightening it out and the tap would come out. I finally just let the damn thing go in crooked and it worked fine. I just hope that it is another 35 or so years before I have that problem again.

 

[garydude]

I never had a stuck case until a got a 44 mag. The shell holder will *almost* fit 30'06, 243, 45 acp, etc. and it will allow you to size the case but when you try to remove the case it pops out of the holder. I've done this two times in the last year! The match is so close that I've gone to removing the shell holders when I'm done with a session.

 

[Clipper]

The only time I had a problem with stuck brass was just last week at the range. The other guy would not let go of his empty .45 brass, I really had to tug on it to get it loose....

 

[68c15]

so it sounds like I should go ahead and invest in a remover tool now before I have one stick.
stuck brass is the VD of reloading? keep playing and sooner or later...

 

[gdmoody]

It would probably be a good investment! You never know when you might need one and it helps to have one handy so the problem can be fixed immediately.

 

[CampingJosh]

so it sounds like I should go ahead and invest in a remover tool now before I have one stick.
stuck brass is the VD of reloading? keep playing and sooner or later...

I bought the RCBS tool over a year ago, and it's still hanging on my wall in the bag it came in. I've never opened it.

I saw it on clearance for something like $6, so I jumped on that. If I ever need it, I know where it is. If you don't need it now, perhaps keep an eye out for a good deal on one.

 

[68c15]

gun show tomorrow, I'll keep an eye out for one. I want to be prepared in case I get VD