Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters A rookie mistake

After only 60 years of reloading, I got a case stuck in a FL die. No lube, shoulda known better. I assume any competent gunsmith could take care of it? Any DIY suggestions? Thanks

Have you tried any of these? https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=stuck+case+remover&perPage=48

Keep rotating the shell holder and attempting to pull it out until there is no more rim to grab

Also use a good penetrating oil on the case from the top

Don’t get in a hurry. If you pull the rim off you will have to drill and tap the head and either make block to pull from die. I used stacked washers and a block one time along with lots of penetrate soak and a cold soak in my freezer with lots of pressure on the bolt. I was also giving it a whack with a small hammer. All before I bought the RCBS stuck case remover 😀. RUMs are very unforgiving.

The RCBS tool works very well. Stuck a case myself years ago Bough the stuck case remover and got it out. Also used it twice to remove ones a buddy got stuck.

You can make one yourself using a 3/8 drive socket as the spacer to fit over the back of the stuck case and die with the appropriate size drill bit nd a 1/4 x20 tap and bolt.

Every handloader should have one . You can find tutorials on making one on You Tube.

RCBS stuck case remover is a snap.

When all the easier options have been exhausted, get another empty case, cut off the whole rim/base portion, use that as a guide to select a drill and a tap. The drill will remove the stuck case head (do not remove any material from the case wall) to allow the resizer stem to come out and for the tap to engage the inside diameter of the case. After the case is tapped use a capscrew or all thread to engage the case and a nut and spacer to pull the case. Use the finest thread tap that will work. 7/16 NF is about right for the .473 rim family. Common sense and caution and some measuring to avoid ruining the tap. HSS taps do not mar the die body if you miscalculate. Wonder fluids are useless, but if it makes you feel virtuous, have at it.

What caliber is the case? Generally, if you have a sturdy PUNCH you can drive it out IF you can get the decapping rod unscrewed from the button. There is usually enough room in the case after you unscrew, that the pin and button are not in the way of getting your punch or drill rod (the biggest that will fit through the neck) into proper contact with the inside base of the case with a little care and wiggling. If you have collars laying around or a chunk of metal with a hole that supports the die but not the case, a couple of good straight whacks will work. If not, then a good soak in something like Kroil or another "penetrant" liquid lube overnight will succeed. Only after that would I drill and tap for a thread extraction, Flint has the word on that. I've done that a couple of times.
But -- to be honest, I've had enough stuck cases that I don't deprime while FL sizing any more. Neck sizing, yep, not FL. But when a case sticks, I've already got the punch ready, so it's PDQ from stop to whack to restart.

Thank you, Gentlemen for all your thoughts/recommendations. This is what makes this site worth coming to!

It happened to me but since I have a firm agreement with tools in that if I don't touch them they won't hurt me I sent it to RCBS. Had back quickly and no charge.

Only took me about 20 years before I got one stuck in the die. Here's another vote for the RCBS kit. Worked good for the one time (so far) that I've used it.

Those that have and those that will.😊
When I started reloading with a Lyman kit I got for Christmas, at 16 in ‘66, I stuck the first 243 case I tried to resize. (🤬 bad words) Seems like I took the loading manual too seriously when it said, “don’t over lube the cases”. I took the die back to the little “hole in the wall” shop where my father bought the kit and the owner showed me how to take care of it. He sold me the kit at a discount. 😊

Later when I’d walk into his shop to buy some components, about half the time he’d stick something in the bag and say “here, try these” but not charge me. He was somewhat of a character with a personality that some would describe as “sour” but he was always congenial in my dealings with him.

The rcbs is simple and inexpensive, good to have even though you don't think you will need it but more than likely it'll get used. A stuck case as you've proven isn't just for rookies.

This is how I was taught to do it. I've only stuck two cases in over 40 years of reloading and this works as slick as snot on a doorknob.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daSamc3XUic

I've used that youtube method. Only difference is I use an appropriate sized 3/8 socket instead of the 2 big nuts.

Just buy the RCBS. I bought a copy of it for cheap but don’t recall the name. Just put it on the bench. Makes bad Ju-Ju for the case spirits and you’ll probably never need it again.

I wouldn't feel too bad as we all get blindsided sometime.
I have only had I case give me trouble but it did it a couple of times and that was the .338/378 case. Seems silly as I have a damn site more experience loading .416 and .460 Weatherby cases that most but getting the right amount of lube on that necked down version was beyond critical with that case for me.

I made a stuck casing puller from a 1" iron plumbing cap,and some washers, and a bolt. Just drill a hole in the middle big enough for appropriate sized bolt to pass through. Then you drill and tap the head of the casing, and use the drilled cap for a puller. I use the washers for spacing to get a longer pull.

As stated above, you can always get the case out. My worst rookie mistake after 25 years of reloading was accidentally pouring some H4350 from my powder dropper into a can of Hunter. I was so pissed off at myself, especially in these times of hoarding.. Impossible to separate. Never have two types of powder out at the same time.