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Posted: 6/10/2008 3:23:59 AM EDT
| After having loaded ~1000 rounds of .223 with my RCBS gear (using X-die) I am now having a problem that I can't seem to solve. Using the sizer die, I run the case into the die, and when I pull the press-handle up I feel a 'rough' spot about 3/4 of the way on the press up-travel. When I extract the case I have a dent in the neck of the case that looks like a 'fish-mouth'. While it doesn't do it on all cases, the dent appears on about 80% of the cases. All cases are carefully prepared, cleaned, and lubed. The die is set up IAW the RCBS guidelines (which has served me well in the pase), and also cleaned. Any ideas?? |
| It's important to have little to NO lube on the case neck and shoulder. How are you applying lube? How much lube? If you are using spray lube it's a good idea to keep an old t-shirt over your shoulder and wipe as much as possible off of the neck and shoulder in order to avoid the hydraulic dents. |
| After troubleshooting most of the day I finally found the problem. After having removed and cleaned the die for the 5th or 6th time I found a machining burr on the inside (female threads) of the mandrel about half way down the thread channel. The last step in setting up the die is to run the mandrel down until you feel 'resistance' and then back off two turns. The resistance that I felt was the burr in the thread channel, and when I backed off two turns it left the mandrel way too high and caused the 'dent' in the case. Subsequent to cleaning the threads with a tap, and running the mandrel down to its proper position I sized nearly 500 cases without a flaw. Thanks all for your help. |
| I don't know why this didnt show up until now, unless there was a piece of machining metal inside the channel that broke loose the last time I torqued the lock nut for the mandrel. When I chased the threads with a tap there were three or four small pieces of metal shavings that broke loose when I got to the point in the channel where the 'resistance' was felt initially. All the metal shavings had a circular shape suggesting they were all part of a larger piece of thread cut debris. At any rate, it's fixed and I am back at the bench cranking out .223 handloads. |
Why would you be backing the mandrel off two turns? This will defeat the purpose of the x-die and permit your case to grow. |
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