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Bought 100 new pieces of 7mm-08 brass, and began truing up the necks this evening. I'm cycling the press handle through it's full stroke, and noticed after about 30 pieces, brass was being deposited in streaks on the inside of the sizing die and those streaks are causing longitudinal scratches on my brass.
Do you think this is a poor quality die? For reference, it's an RCBS full length resizer (set it up and cleaned it yesterday before starting).
Thanks!
I've had a friend that has had that happen on some rcbs dies hes had awhile.Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeJoe
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Take a chaber brush and clan the bore. if it still has scratches put some 600 sandpaper on a brass or wood flapper stick and turn with a drill. the dies are hardened to 28 RC or higher so scratching them is not a problem if you are carefull
Some dies have a vent hole. Check the vent hole in the die. If there is a burr at the hole it will shave brass. Before you know it the little build up turns into a lot and then it starts scratching the cases. Like Robinhood said you can take some 600 or even finer emery cloth and polish the die. I’d put the die in a lathe with a collet and spin the die is what I’ve done.
If you don’t want to do it...call RCBS and tell them what is going on. I’m sure if you send it back they will look at it and either fix it or replace it.
Also when you fire your rounds make sure you clean your cases properly before resizing. If you don’t get all of the carbon/dirt off the outside of the case the hard carbon deposits (remember that’s where diamonds come from is carbon) the hard carbon will scratch the inside of the dies as well.
I have had that happen with only Redding dies for some reason. I also own Lee and RCBS. I take an old bore brush of a bit smaller size, wrap 0000 steel wool around the brush, put some Flitz polish compound on it and spin with a drill. That has fixed mine and it does not seem to occur again once I do that. I have shied away from Redding because of that, but I guess it happens with other manufacturers.
Thanks All!
I would imagine there are 100way it could happen on any of them. I guess that's just one more reason to clean and inspect your dies before Arry use I've always made that a habitQuote:
Originally Posted by NicfromAlabama
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I had the same issue with a rcbs die. I ended up sending it back to them and they inspected it and replaced it. The new one seems fine.
I would give them a call and explain the issue.
If I remember correctly, there are some makers that only surface harden.. for some reason I'm thinking rcbs and hornady only surface harden I may be wrong on that and if I am, anyone please call me out and correct me. I bring it up because when it's just hardened at the surface that makes chipping and peeling more likely I would guessQuote:
Originally Posted by JeepsAndGuns
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Rockwell C in the 28 range is very machinable unlike a ball bearing at 60-65 RC. Surface hardening or case hardening is unlike a plating that could or would crack/peel/chip/delaminate. Case hardening could be as thin as 1/32" up to 1/16". It is very possible they do this. I have no idea. Whidden hardens his so hard they are not machinable according to them.
I'm almost positive the either harden just the surface or player with something like tungsten zinc carbide (may be wrong on the compound but it's something like that) , I remember looking at my friends RCBS die That was doing that and it looked like it was flaking off inside but hell, it's been years since I used hornady or RCBS, these days almost strictly LE Wilson and forster.. aQuote:
Originally Posted by Robinhood
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All the die makers I know of use 12L14 free machining steel and carbo-nitride for heat treat. The depth is around .015", and 50 Rc hardness.
That makes sense. Lead in the alloy makes it easy to machine and polish. Will test a few next week. I have made them out of 4140 CHT
The carbide coated dies are for straight wall cases. I think they have tried to do bottleneck but that is spensive.
Makes sense, I just finished shortening a set for a wildcat, outside very hard, inside easily machinable. Threads took a double whammy, very very hard.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpshooter
I had it happen with a Lee die when I sized a bunch of poorly lubricated 223 cases. I think the die picked up brass particles which created raised spots and made scratches. I wrapped a brass bore brush with a cotton patch, added some chrome polish, and spun it inside the die with a drill. Problem solved.