Stuck cases

Ran a bucket of 223 thru this weekend. Decapped it all saturday, washed it/dried it and then ran it back thru yesterday to size and trim before it got a needle bath. I have NEVER stuck a case in my Dillon 223 trimmer/sizer die in the past. I stuck at least 6 cases this time. ALL were "ppu 16" headstamps. It really didnt seem like I was putting a lot of force into sizing, but 223 has a very small case "rim" for the shell plate to grab so they pull off. Got so bad that when I felt the least resistance I would stop and remove that case, you guessed it every one was "ppu 16". They didnt look to have a bulge in them, but were extremely tough to size. I run an RCBS carbide sizer in front of the dillon sizer/trim die that does a good bit of the work, but you have to actually be sizing in the trimmer so it will hold the case tight enough for it to cut smoothly.. Anyone else ran into this before? I am certain that I ran some of the "ppu 16" thru without issue but probably pulled 50 out when they felt tight. I used the same lube regime I always have, Hornady one shot sprayed on in batches and let rest for a few minutes before it cycles thru. I have probably only stuck 2 or 3 cases over the years before these and they were all my fault for trying to size something with minimal lube. Good news is, I shouldnt have to size any 223 for a long time. I have a couple buckets full that is ready to load, going to go load a little bit of that this afternoon.

Jason

We’re the ppu16 cases fired in your gun, or were they range pickup brass? If they were pickup, they could of been shot in a worn chamber near the out of spec range.

Not fired by me. Mine goes in one pile and everything else I get goes in another. This was the "other" bucket. I expect your correct about the bad chamber. It just amazed me how little force it took to stick a 223 case.

Jason

Oh I've sung the case stuck blues.

I have no idea how a Dillon 223 trimmer/sizer die works, as I've never seen one. Only used a RCBS chucker and manual RCBS trimmer.

Is it possible the die itself needs to be cleaned?

Have you recoated/sprayed the cases you pulled out when you felt resistance and tried sizing them again to make sure you got them coated enough?


God Bless,
David B.

Been there, done that.........

My stuck case problems ended when I began using Imperial wax. Pistols - no problems with whatever lube except for .44 mag and .357. But rifles 100% good with Imperial wax.

I think we have all stuck a case. Imperial is all I have ever used. Try it.

I really like the Hornady one shot lube as its very easy to cleanly do batch work. Never have a problem with any other brass, just that one headstamp this time. I sized thousands of rounds out of the same bucket with the same lube and only had issues with the cases with that headstamp. I imagine they were likely way oversized from a worn chamber or whatever so maybe I really didnt need those cases to begin with? I may try some of the imperial for my small batch calibers that I do on a single stage press tho, if that many people love it there must be a reason. Although I have never stuck a case in any of those calibers anyhow but maybe there will be other benefits to it as well..

Thanks.

Jason