help needed with reloading die!

[Recoiljunkie44]

I am fairly new at reloading and bought a set of rcbs 44 mag dies off eBay for ten buck plus shipping! The dies seemed to work fine the first few times but now my sizing die scratches the cases in three even streaks do I just cut my losses and try to find another die or try and fix this one? The guy behind the counter at cabelas told me try some 0000 steel wool good idea bad idea ?

[evan price]

Are they carbide dies or steel?

If carbide, it shouldn't scratch anything. Odds are there's a piece of debris or grit stuck in the die. Remove the deprimer stem, put some gun cleaner solvent on a Q-tip, and thoroughly scrub the inside of the die cavity out. Use a strong light to look inside for damage or debris.

If it's a steel die it might be scratched inside from grit. Or a carbide die might have something damaged the die body above the carbide ring.

In that case, some steel wool wrapped around an old cleaning jag stuck in a drill will polish the inside of the die.

All else fails, RCBS has a terrific warranty no questions asked in most cases.

[Greensborobob]

If it's not a carbide die (as i expect because of the price) you need to use case lube on the brass.

Doesn't address the scratches directly but might contribute to the problem.

[gunnut1]

How deep are the scratches? If they are just surface scratches then you should be goo to go. Sounds like some dirt or something got in the die. Take it apart and clean really good. You must use sizing die lube ,unless the dies are carbide. Tumbling the brass will also help because the brass will then be clean. or you eventually will stick on in the die. And they are no fun to remove when the get stuck. Ask me how I know!

You can also send the die back to RCBS and they will replace it for free. It does not matter that you bought on eBay. They will still warranty it. Just give then a a call and tell them you have a die that is scratching the cases and you would like to send it back.

[Recoiljunkie44]

The dies are steel and the scratch is deep enough to catch a finger nail! The cases were lube but I didn't tumble them like I should've. I now have a tumbler to use and will try to clean it with steel wool. If that doesn't fix it then ill send it to rcbs. Think you all for the help and in the future I will probably be asking more begining question as I go along!

[gunnut1]

What kind of lube are you using. WD40 or any other lube other than lube designed for reloading dies will not cut it.

I would not use steel wool on the die. It may scratch the critical surfaces. 0000 would probaly be OK. Just use pelnty of oil, NOT WD40, and clean it until it shines.

[jdmcomp]

Let me hazzard a guess that someone stuck a un- or underlubed case in the die and pounded it out using a steel rod, scratching the die in the process. Remove the decapping pin and using a flashlight look into the die to see how far the material is displaced to cause the scratching.

If the die has several deep scratches ditch it and buy another. Lee dies will do a fine job and are cheap. Buy new and get carbide.

[Timber Wolf]

Originally posted by jdmcomp
Lee dies will do a fine job and are cheap. Buy new and get carbide.

If nothing else you can maybe find a carbide sizing die which is money well spent. I would not lube and size for anything I could reasonably find carbide dies for. ;)

[gunnut1]

Originally posted by Timber Wolf


If nothing else you can maybe find a carbide sizing die which is money well spent. I would not lube and size for anything I could reasonably find carbide dies for. ;)

I have used steel dies for years with out a hitch. I now use carbide for my pistol loads simply because I don't have to use lube. IIRC, the only carbide rifle die that RCBS makes is for .223 and you still have to lube. There is nothing wrong with steel dies.