Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Pistol case parted inside size die- help

Last nite I was resizing/depriming a lot of .454 Casull brass. On the upstroke, a case parted inside the size die, leaving me with half a case free, and the other half still inside the die, just barely protruding from the die mouth. Not enough of it is exposed to get anything like a needlenose pliers on it.
Any suggestions as to how to get the remaining case out of the die, without scoring the die wall and wrecking the die?

thanks.

I'd disassemble the die and look for a way to get it from the top.

Possibly pushing another well lubed case up into the bottom with the top removed can manipulate the stuck portion for purchase and removal.

Maybe try prying with a small screwdriver or awl. Just enough so you can maybe grab it with small needle nose pliers. Might be tuff to try and pull it straight out. Might have to deform the Brass to get it out.

My buddy had this happen once few years ago. We researched a lot of potential fixes. In the end, we chickened out and just sent the die back to RCBS. He paid shipping to get it to them, but they got the case out for free and even paid the return shipping. I still recommend just sending it back to the manufacturer of your die, but...

If you want to try to remove it yourself, out of all the advice on the internet, my friend decided that if he HAD to try something on his own, he was going to disassemble the die, put it in the oven on high heat (425 degrees? I can't recall), put it in a vice, then twist a bolt up into the case--the bolt has to be a perfect size; one that will allow the threads to bite into the brass but not go all the way through. Then the plan was to spray some sort of canned cooling spray on the case (I can't recall what he had, but even canned air for computer keyboards is pretty cold). The genius theory was that the cooling spray would cause the brass to shrink a little inside the die that has been expanded by the heat. Then he was going to tap out the brass, by tapping on the bolt which would be acting as the case head. Somewhere in there, he might have had penetrating oil in the mix, but maybe not--there was some concern about it bursting into flames if the die got too hot or it dripped in his wife's oven...who knows. The final plan may have replaced the bolt with a tapered easy out tool used for screws, but again, I can't recall for sure.

Remember though, all of that was rejected in favor of calling RCBS and then doing the walk of shame to the post office.

Good luck to you! Please let us know how it works out--especially if you do it yourself--post pictures!

Well, after a lot of effort and thought, I was able to get the broken piece out of the die. This is a carbide die, very tough steel.
I tried a number of things first, like prying with a pick to get the brass exposed enough to get a needle nose on it- no go.
I tried to get a purchase on it by screwing in a bolt, and a drill bit, but only succeeded in pushing the piece up into the die.
I finally inserted an allen wrench into the hole at the top, and began tapping on the edge of the brass until I got it back into the sizing area at the bottom of the die. Further tapping got the piece far enough out of the die to where I could get a purchase on it with a needle nose pliers, and work it out of the die.
Fortunately, there seems to be no damage to the die body as a result of this effort. Unfortunately, no pictures.

Only takes one time forgetting to change the shell holder when depriming a similar, but different dia. case...to experience this event, too.

Luckily I have a lathe. I can chuck the die up and take very fine cuts on the brass until it is thin enough to bend and get out

I have used a plastic wall anchor and a long bolt up through it to remove rifle cases that seperated at the head when fired.

Position the anchor well up into the case and then expand . Most came out the first try.

I don't know if it would work in a pistol case but I would try it first.

Or a piece of a brass bolt or rod to tap with

Lotta work for an easy fix, just like getting a separated case out of a rifle. Plug the top end of your die down to the case mouth or so. Pour in melted Cerrosafe, Let it set up then use a small punch to drive out the case. It will not take much effort and don't go thinking the Cerrosafe is going to be hot enough to take the hardening out of the die. It melts at a bit over 200 Degrees F. Never had a case in a die like that but have removed a few case separarions for friends and one for myself using that method.

I have only pulled a stuck case, not with the head pulled out. Be Well, RZ.

If it happens again, and you are set up to cast bullets, heat the die and pour in near full of lead from your casting pot, let cool and drive out with a delrin or wooden punch/dowel, same/same for a separated case in a revolver cylinder, heat entire cylinder, pour lead, let cool and drive the case out.

That's a great idea! Thanks!

Yo welcome neighbor, it works too, very first round in my new FA '97 44 Special had a piece of starline brass separate, I popped the cylinder out, fired up the casting pot, re-installed the separated case in the chamber for a bottom plug, took a torch and heated the cylinder, poured the chamber near full, let set, drove out with a delrin punch and small shop hammer.

Called starline to report the issue, that long haired bearded fugger in need of a haircut and shave was more interested in telling me about the vacation he was about to take!

On a carbide die dont worry about scraching die ,, steel will never damage carbide .. to hurt cabide you would need to use a diamound tool..if a part of case is sticking out of die take a small punch and drive to center on die this will collapse case then pull out with needle nose.. If case is deep in die take small punch 1/8" grind 45 deg on end take sharp end put betreen case and carbide tap to bottom pry to center . needle nose to remove NOTE DO NOT USE WITH STEEL DIES carbide only