I stuck my first case in a sizing die!

[Clicker]

After 15 plus years of reloading I now know the pain of a stuck case. To pour salt on the wound it was a "small base" sizer die in 223.
Got to head to work but I'll be back to tell you all how I almost FUBAR'ed this thing up. I did get it out but only because the gods smiled on me.

 

[Schultz]

Been there done that, Don't ya just hate it when that happens.

 

[Clicker]

Yup I sure did hate it when it happened! I must confess to how stupid I was during the whole process of removal. Instead of researching solutions on stuck case removal I blindly jumped into action.

First mistake was cutting off the mangled rim with a hacksaw. Second was drilling out the web so I could insert a screwdriver up into the case. I figured I could simply jam a screwdriver or EZout in there and the case would twist right out. WRONG!!!

Now in my infinite wisdom I drill the case out even more thinking I'll get it thin enough to split and pry out of the die. Again this was WRONG!!!

Finally I learn you're supposed to drill & tap the case web and pull it out with a bolt. Lucky me I had just enough case wall material left to tap with a 3/8"x24 tap and engage a bolt to pull the case out.

There is no damage to the interior of my die however I do need a new decapping rod and expander ball. I robbed one out of the 222 die set so I can continue sizing a bucket full of 223 brass.

I'm done confessing my ignorance and will never again snicker when I hear of someone sticking a case in their die - I've been humbled!

 

[Schultz]

I had a couple in a row once. When I resize cases I usually put ten on the lube pad roll them and stand them in a case block lay ten more on the lube pad to ready them and then resize the ones i just lubed. Well after resizing the lubed ones I got distracted, When I went back to it I stood the ten in the block went to resize and stuck one :roll: Got that one out put everything back together throw another case up and bang another one :evil: Then i realized what i had done I look back and laugh about it now but it did piss me off when it happened.