famous187 Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have a Dillon 550B and I'm reloading some 9mm. I have already loaded about 400 rounds with mixed Federal and Winchester brass, I ran out of that brass and now I'm using some Remington brass (marked R-P). The problem is that after the brass moves to the powder/belling die it causes the press to hang up on the return stroke. Basically the die get stuck in the case and i have to really pull on the handle to get it out. I have tried adjusting the die both ways and it doesn't seem to make much difference, and I'm only having this issue with the R-P cases, the others work fine. Any ideas? thanks chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) Polish the powder die on a cloth wheel, and don't clean your brass as much. The carbon build up in the case acts as a lube. Edit to add: Is the R&P brass nickle plated? Edited October 19, 2010 by GrumpyOne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) There is something that a lot of new reloaders must be doing wrong or the die manufacturers are all failing to do their job. I have never heard about cases sticking in a expander die (or a PTE die) until about 6 months ago and now it seems to be a fairly common complaint of new reloaders. I had one die that kept catching on the case mouth and would fold over a section. I quickly found that the expander insert had not been polished and had some real deep machine marks that the case mouth could catch on, but that was while entering the die. Even these came out of the die easily. Lee replaced it (would you believe that I had to mail it to them—I can only presume that they wanted it for show-and-tell and not that they doubted my word). I wish some would report back when they work out what caused it. Edited October 19, 2010 by noylj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 From Dillon: Problem: Cases are sticking to the powder measure activator 1 New cases deburr the case mouth of new cases with a deburring tool 2 Powder measure activator is dirty soak the powder measure activator in rubbing alcohol or in acetone wipe with steel wool or Scotch-Brite® pad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 New Starline 38SC brass does that a little bit on my Dillon as well. It's funny, but I found that if I ran the cases through the tumbler for 20min or so, it puts a tiny film from the polishing media (crushed walnut) that the cases don't hang on the return stroke nearly as bad....weird, but true. R-P seems to be somewhat thicker than other brands (at least on some cartridges). R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famous187 Posted October 19, 2010 Author Share Posted October 19, 2010 thanks for the replies, the brass im reloading has not been cleaned, it is picked up range brass. i cleaned the powder funnel off with a cloth but that made no difference. i also don't see why it would only do it on my R-P cases and nothing else. I just tried running Speer, Blazer, Federal, and Winchester and they all run through with no problems. I will take out the activator tomorrow and clean it up real good, but i would think if the issue is with the activator it would do it on all cases, or is that not a correct assumption? im thinking of just ditching these cases as i only have about 125 of them but, I'm not sure just yet. the force i have to pull on the handle with to get the case unstuck is so much that im afraid im screwing up the process at the other stations. For instance I also had a primer feed issue a couple rounds after the sticking problem started and i think it was related to the rough jerking action of the press to un-stick the case. thanks chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calishootr Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 you narrowed it down to one brand, chances are the R-P are a lil longer than the rest of the stuff you are running and at the present setting on your case mouth belling station the R-P's are running a lil deeper and getting stuck on the way down, it happens to me all the time with mixed 38 supers, listen to the above advice about polishing things up etc...like Bart said, i run mine in a tumbler with some car polish mixed in, seems to have negated the sticking problem for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Or the R-P brass could be just a tad thicker at the mouth, and when sized, it sizes it down just a wee bit more, making for a smaller opening for the powder funnel, squeezing it harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 the brass im reloading has not been cleaned, it is picked up range brass. It's really a much better idea to tumble your cases before reloading them...no sense in forcing unburned powder, lube, dirt, grit, etc into your press and dies. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I'm an experienced reloader (25+ years) and I'm having the same problem with .40 brass sized with a U-die. The problem went away when reloading other cals. when I started lubing the cases...didn't with the .40 (even after I polished the heck out of the powder funnel). FWIW Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I'm an experienced reloader (25+ years) and I'm having the same problem with .40 brass sized with a U-die. The problem went away when reloading other cals. when I started lubing the cases...didn't with the .40 (even after I polished the heck out of the powder funnel). FWIW Richard That's probably the one real drawback to the U-die...not much way around it. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob DuBois Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Always lube cases even with carbide dies, just makes the whole process flow better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowdy-Finn Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I've had the same problem. Usually a dirty/micro-corroded powder funnel seems to be the culprit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Always lube cases even with carbide dies, just makes the whole process flow better. Yes, and it really cuts down on the handle effort. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdwilliams Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Thanks for the question and the answers. I too have been having this challenge but it's been with all brass. Currently only loading 40 so can't speak to another caliber. Have loaded the same brass on a buddies loader without issues so I bet it's that pesky powder funnel. One more thing on my list. Thanks again! Sherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revomodel10 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Always lube cases even with carbide dies, just makes the whole process flow better. that is about it, case lube is wonderful. it took me about 20 years to find out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyburg Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 A budy of mine is having the same problem with some of his 40 brass. It appears to have some sort of film on it. He has tried cleaning, lubing and everything else but it still sticks on the up stroke on the 550. Hes not new to reloading by far. Its just plain weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 came across this the other day for my 40 cal's I just gave it a shot of one shot and no problems! i ben collecting brass fin 9mm and i dont load for 9's yet came accoss brass that was longer then the other some stamped 9mm others 9x9?? what is the difference? also found a bunch of 9 with wierd primmers looked inside of the cassing and seen two little hols , thats garbage right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaredr Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Always lube cases even with carbide dies, just makes the whole process flow better. that is about it, case lube is wonderful. it took me about 20 years to find out! i think one of the best pieces of advice I ever received from this forum was to always lube cases before reloading, even when loading straight-wall pistol cartridges with carbide dies. I was amazed at how much smoother and more consistent the press operation could be after just a few sprays of hornady one shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdwilliams Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 came across this the other day for my 40 cal's I just gave it a shot of one shot and no problems! i ben collecting brass fin 9mm and i dont load for 9's yet came accoss brass that was longer then the other some stamped 9mm others 9x9?? what is the difference? also found a bunch of 9 with wierd primmers looked inside of the cassing and seen two little hols , thats garbage right? Berdan primers. Check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/2aaqw6b You can also search the forum for "Berdan"; will pull back several threads on the topic. Sherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 came across this the other day for my 40 cal's I just gave it a shot of one shot and no problems! i ben collecting brass fin 9mm and i dont load for 9's yet came accoss brass that was longer then the other some stamped 9mm others 9x9?? what is the difference? also found a bunch of 9 with wierd primmers looked inside of the cassing and seen two little hols , thats garbage right? Berdan primers. Check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/2aaqw6b You can also search the forum for "Berdan"; will pull back several threads on the topic. Sherry berdan primers, thanks Sherry your da best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 came across this the other day for my 40 cal's I just gave it a shot of one shot and no problems! i ben collecting brass fin 9mm and i dont load for 9's yet came accoss brass that was longer then the other some stamped 9mm others 9x9?? what is the difference? also found a bunch of 9 with wierd primmers looked inside of the cassing and seen two little hols , thats garbage right? Berdan primers. Check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/2aaqw6b You can also search the forum for "Berdan"; will pull back several threads on the topic. Sherry berdan primers, thanks Sherry your da best! From an efficiency and reliability standpoint, many people think that Berdan primers are actually superior to boxer primers....they're just a pain to reload (it can be done). R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 (edited) came across this the other day for my 40 cal's I just gave it a shot of one shot and no problems! i ben collecting brass fin 9mm and i dont load for 9's yet came accoss brass that was longer then the other some stamped 9mm others 9x9?? what is the difference? also found a bunch of 9 with wierd primmers looked inside of the cassing and seen two little hols , thats garbage right? Marki, there are as many different 9mm calibers as there are days of the week. The two hole primers are berdan and cannot (well, can but are a major PITA) be reloaded. History note about primers. The Berdan primer was invented by an American, and is used almost exclusively in Europe. The Boxer primer was invented by an Englishman and is used almost exclusively in America. Go figure. Edited October 22, 2010 by GrumpyOne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFO Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I was having this problem regularly with 9mm cases of different brands (using mixed range brass that had been tumbled). I tried hitting the powder funnel with a little OneShot now and again, but I sometimes ended up with powder sticking to the funnel. I started throwing the cleaned cases into a gallon Ziploc and spraying some OneShot in the bag, then sealing it and mixing the brass around inside. That seems to have removed most of the problem. In regards to brand-specific problems, there's one brand of brass (headstamped "WC" with a crosshair in a circle) that my 550 fails to seat primers in about 80% of the time. I started pitching it to save the headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too_Slow Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 JAFO, The circle with the crosshair in it signifies that it was made for NATO and therefor has crimped primer pockets. It is most likely very good brass but it would need to have the pockets either reamed or swaged. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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