So went to a local hardware store in my small town and spent less than $3 on the same basic stuff--which amounts to a drill and tap and screw, which did work.
Yep, same here. But since got a small lathe several years back, I chuck the die up, drill out the case head, and with a small boring bar and tool bit bar, I take skin cuts off the brass body until it is very thin. Then it will usually peel back w enough to get a pair of needle nose pliers to grab what is left. The first 1/2inch of the brass is usually what is stuck hard. The rest comes out easily. A lot of times the brass brakes free when cutting it out with the boring bar.
I have not done it for a long time. 2-3 times you learn enough to not get the brass stuck in the first place.
