Denting brass in the resizing stage...

[boisepaw]

Reloading 30.06 for my Garands...reloading once fired Hornady brass on an RCBS RockChucker using used (to me) Redding dies. That brass I tumbled in a Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler using the Brass Juice wash from the reloading station...unbelievably clean. Then the Brass Juice rifle case lube and it was smooth as silk. So no problem with 100 pieces of once-fired Hornady brass I had shot myself.

A month ago I bought a bunch of once fired Hornady brass from another MD Shooter but forgot to check and see if it had been cleaned. I assumed it was so I didn't bother to tumble it. Everything else was the same process. But now I am close to sticking cases. I took my die apart last night and cleaned it but again..close to sticking cases so I've stopped to figure out what I'm doing wrong. Probably a third of what I re-sized has a small dent just below the shoulder of the case.

So two questions:
1) Is it just dirty brass? Would that cause the resistance and the dented cases?

2) Can I go ahead and load and shoot the dented cases?

 

[Threeband]

Sounds like too much lube. That's what dents cases.

 

[outrider58]

It could be those cases were fire from a looser chamber and are harder to resize? You lubed them. did you let them dry a bit before running them through the press? As Threeband said, often time, too much lube(liquid) will cause dents.

 

[KRC]

What lube are you using? A good lube should need only a few molecules of thickness to prevent sticking.
I use a q-tip to swipe the inside of the die after each resizing if I suspect (like here) excess lube is getting caught in the shoulder area and dimpling the cases.

 

[guzma393]

To answer your second question, firing dented cases will fire form the dents out.

Happens all the time if I go too liberal on the lube. I make sure I anneal the case after firing as dented firings will work harden the brass more.

 

[boisepaw]

Thanks all for your input. I'm all ears if anyone else wants to chime in as well.

To answer the questions above...I'm using the Brass Juice (The Reloading Station) rifle case lube. When I used it a month ago it was flawless...absolutely flawless. But I think I let it dry just a little bit before putting it through my re-sizing die.

Today however I had let the lub dry overnight because someone/somewhere (WHY do I listen to the internet? WHY?) had said that the lube would still be there even after spray lubed cases are left out to dry. But when I started getting sticky cases today I called the Brass Juice people (very nice and helpful) and they adamantly told me without question that there stuff didn't need to dry.

"Just throw a couple handfuls of cases in a Tupperward container, spray a couple of shots, shake 'em, spray 'em again, shake 'em and immediately start processing them."

So that's what I did. It dramatically reduced the feeling that cases might get stuck but then...dented cases probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the time.

 

[outrider58]

That's pretty much what I do, only I lay them out in a throw-away lasagna pan with a paper towel in the bottom. I spray and shake at the same time. Let them set for a while and then process. The paper towel liner helps remove the excess lube, which is Fraknkford's lanolin based spray.

 

[85MikeTPI]

Check the vent hole in the die to see if it's clogged with lube. (My RCBS have a vent hole, I'm presuming the Redding would also..)

 

[BFMIN]

Its not so much just too much lube on the brass as too mucg lube in the wrong place on the brass. You need a fair amount down low towards the base but very little up high at the shoulder. Its been mentioned that it will just blow out on firing. The dents are caused by excess lube being trapped between the shoulder of the case & the shoulder of the die. As you raise the ram it has nowhere to go.
You might try something called "Imperial sizing wax" too its super slink & great for blown out cases!
Amazon product ASIN B000GU8XE4

 

[erwos]

"Just throw a couple handfuls of cases in a Tupperward container, spray a couple of shots, shake 'em, spray 'em again, shake 'em and immediately start processing them."

So that's what I did. It dramatically reduced the feeling that cases might get stuck but then...dented cases probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the time.

Try a different sizing die, even just a cheap one from Lee. I've never dented a case shoulder just throwing a bunch of cases in a gallon plastic bag, giving them some spritz and shake, and then running them through the press. There is simply not enough lube on them to do it.

Also, try cleaning your die. Debris build-up could cause the sort of thing you're seeing. I am skeptical, but you never know.

 

[Sticky]

I use Imperial sizing wax for difficult to size cases or even at times when I am using spray lube and things get sticky. Most of the time I can just get away with spray lube for rifle cases as long as you follow the directions for the particular spray brand. Too much will cause shoulder dents most of the time, back off a bit on the lube. Some lubes use alcohol as the transport mechanism for lanolin and that has to dry a bit before you size to allow the alcohol to evaporate. I use a cardboard box or a big plastic mixing bowl, couple spritzes while shaking them around and gtg. I use Royal spray lube currently or Imperial wax.

 

[My Toy]

Check the vent hole in the die to see if it's clogged with lube. (My RCBS have a vent hole, I'm presuming the Redding would also..)

I agree about the problem is too much lube in the neck shoulder area of the case. My RCBS dies do have a vent hole but I can't see any vent hole on my Redding Dies.

 

[BFMIN]

Might it be hidden under the lock ring?

 

[Rockzilla]

Hornady brass "tends to be soft" flows more.
The brass you got may of been fired from an larger than normal chamber (for the lack of words)
Checking my Redding Dies no vent holes. And comments on other sites no vent holes, From what
I've done and read most that run into that problem don't get any lube on the "shoulder area" here
it's "Imperial" little dab on fingers and done. reload for several different Garands, and try to shy away
from Hornady brass all together, so with that give your dies a good cleaning, Denatured Alcohol, Acetone
and a rifle bore "lint free" swab. then oil with some good stuff, if your not going to use them right away.
Lube your cases making sure to not over do it in the shoulder area, try to avoid it if you can, as that is
where the build up is. The excess lube has to go somewhere and with Hornady brass being soft , guess
where? dented cases, it will happen to other brass but not as bad as Hornady.
When you fire those rounds the dents will be gone for the most part.
1x brass unless it states "cleaned" or for sure, it all gets "cleaned", all brass gets run through
the sizer dies, no matter if brand new....even the Lapua stuff.
just my "buck fifty worth" (adjusted for Inflation)

Just a thought....

-Rock

 

[Ray Savage]

Every time I dent cases it's cause I used too much lube, like mentioned above it does not hurt performance and the dents will be gone after firing them. I switched to one shot lube and just mist them and have not dented a case since.