Reviving old brass.

[jackie schmidt]

I have boxes of old 6PPC cases laying around that I don’t use anymore because (due to loads I shoot) they are too tight around the web. This despite using a die that hits the web pretty hard. The necks are still good, and the primer pockets are not too loose.

I decided to try something that I have heard of others doing. I took a Redding body died and bored the shoulder out, leaving just the taper. I then machined about 1/4 inch off of the base. Using a arbor press, I shove a lubed case in all the way. I then flip it and push the case out with a rod.

I then size them in my regular dies.

Bingo. The web now measures like a once fired case. They go in and out of the Rifle with no click. I shot some of them last Sunday, they acted like fresh cases as far as extraction was concerned. I fired the 10 cases I had done this to at least three times, and they acted normal.

Accuracy did not suffer.

The problem with most small base dies is they still use a shell holder. That last little bit of the web just forward of the extractor groove just won’t size down. This setup crams the entire case so everything, including the rim, is hit.

I know others have done this. Just thought I would try it myself.

Brass ain’t that expensive, but it’s a pain doing everything you have to do to get them ready to go to the line.

I have to drive over to Bridge City in the morning, when I get back I will take some pictures of the setup.

Here are some pics.....

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22383&stc=1&d=1558038786

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22384&stc=1&d=1558038845

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22385&stc=1&d=1558038895

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22386&stc=1&d=1558038949

 

[alinwa]

Why not just make your chambers a couple thou wider and never have to mess with it?

 

[Wilbur]

I had a set of dies that did the same thing. The dies were hand held and "push through completely" dies. I had a doodad that screwed in my loading press that held the die straight while the case was pressed through with a ram. There were four dies with different size holes and you started with the largest hole and worked toward the smallest hole until your cases fit the chamber. It worked fine with one BIG exception. If the cases grew too large because of the load it wouldn't fix them for more than one, maybe two, loadings and it took too long to do it every time. Pretty sure somebody borrowed those things and failed to return them...and that's OK.

 

[coyotechet]

Jackie Here is the way I remove the click. Trim it off gone forever and fast. Only removes the little lip that the die does not size properly.

Chet

 

[Hunter]

Here is the way I remove the click. Trim it off gone forever and fast. Only removes the little lip that the die does not size properly.

Can you elaborate on your method, including what tool(s) you use and where to get them?

 

[Apollo]

Chet - you make some cool stuff!!!!!

 

[FBecigneul]

This is what I use.
We make and sell them.

 

[Tim Oltersdorf]

I want one

This is what I use.
We make and sell them.

For the great unwashed (including me): What company do you represent? Do you have a web page? Tim

 

[glp]

They are

repurposed hockey pucks, reinforced with tungsten powder, sintered to density. Clever guys those Jeddo folk!!

 

[coyotechet]

Can you elaborate on your method, including what tool(s) you use and where to get them?

The tools I use I made. The Trimmer blade is a 1/4" lathe bit ground square. When adjusted correctly it will only trim .0005 or less off the case.
Sure makes case sizing much easier and bolt click is gone.

Chet

 

[Hunter]

The tools I use I made.

How many pennies do I need to save to be able to buy such tools from you?

 

[Engrbill]

A Faster way to do it?

I have boxes of old 6PPC cases laying around that I don’t use anymore because (due to loads I shoot) they are too tight around the web. This despite using a die that hits the web pretty hard. The necks are still good, and the primer pockets are not too loose.

I decided to try something that I have heard of others doing. I took a Redding body died and bored the shoulder out, leaving just the taper. I then machined about 1/4 inch off of the base. Using a arbor press, I shove a lubed case in all the way. I then flip it and push the case out with a rod.

I then size them in my regular dies.

Bingo. The web now measures like a once fired case. They go in and out of the Rifle with no click. I shot some of them last Sunday, they acted like fresh cases as far as extraction was concerned. I fired the 10 cases I had done this to at least three times, and they acted normal.

Accuracy did not suffer.

The problem with most small base dies is they still use a shell holder. That last little bit of the web just forward of the extractor groove just won’t size down. This setup crams the entire case so everything, including the rim, is hit.

I know others have done this. Just thought I would try it myself.

Brass ain’t that expensive, but it’s a pain doing everything you have to do to get them ready to go to the line.

I have to drive over to Bridge City in the morning, when I get back I will take some pictures of the setup.

Here are some pics.....

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22383&stc=1&d=1558038786

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22384&stc=1&d=1558038845

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22385&stc=1&d=1558038895

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22386&stc=1&d=1558038949

Hi Jackie,
Gene DeLoney and I discussed how to do this same operation to revive old brass. Gene took a spare Redding SB die like we us to resize and bored the die out and down the taper till it was the size of the base of new brass. Take about .020 off your shell holder till the case goes into the die to the cutout for the extractor groove. Then you can just put the die in your press and size as usual. I didn't need any lube either. It's very fast too. I think Gene has made 3 of them so far. ------Bill Summers

 

[C.L. Peterson]

Case Lip

Jackie Here is the way I remove the click. Trim it off gone forever and fast. Only removes the little lip that the die does not size properly.

Chet

Chet
Does that lip re-occur/grow back with repeat firings (If so how many firings)??
Cecil

 

[C.L. Peterson]

Resizing Brass

I have boxes of old 6PPC cases laying around that I donÂ’t use anymore because (due to loads I shoot) they are too tight around the web. This despite using a die that hits the web pretty hard. The necks are still good, and the primer pockets are not too loose.

I decided to try something that I have heard of others doing. I took a Redding body died and bored the shoulder out, leaving just the taper. I then machined about 1/4 inch off of the base. Using a arbor press, I shove a lubed case in all the way. I then flip it and push the case out with a rod.

I then size them in my regular dies.

Bingo. The web now measures like a once fired case. They go in and out of the Rifle with no click. I shot some of them last Sunday, they acted like fresh cases as far as extraction was concerned. I fired the 10 cases I had done this to at least three times, and they acted normal.

Accuracy did not suffer.

The problem with most small base dies is they still use a shell holder. That last little bit of the web just forward of the extractor groove just wonÂ’t size down. This setup crams the entire case so everything, including the rim, is hit.

I know others have done this. Just thought I would try it myself.

Brass ainÂ’t that expensive, but itÂ’s a pain doing everything you have to do to get them ready to go to the line.

I have to drive over to Bridge City in the morning, when I get back I will take some pictures of the setup.

Here are some pics.....

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22383&stc=1&d=1558038786

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22384&stc=1&d=1558038845

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22385&stc=1&d=1558038895

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22386&stc=1&d=1558038949

Jackie
You are correct the dies commonly used do not size the base/web area enough!!!!!!!

Jim Carstensen specializes in making dies that resize this area.

Also Harrell’s die # 4 does a good sizinging this area (6ppc)(for me)

My thinking is preventing excessive growth in web area will minimize/prevent extraction clicking and preventing primer pockets from enlarging/loose primers.

Harrells die (and the dies Jim Carstensen makes)sizes to the end of the die with minimal chamfer letting all the die resize the case doing a better job resizing the base than some dies.

 

[coyotechet]

You are right, if you use the a correct size sizing die the click will most likely never problem. How ever if you are wanting to restore some old brass and remove the click. Sizing the case with a small base die the click seems to come back after just a few firing's. When I use the click remover set up the click seems not come back if after many firings, using a good sizing die and not a super hot load. No I am not making any for sale I just made it for the fun doing it to see if it worked and it does. I preload now using Norma brass.

Chet

 

[jackie schmidt]

You are right, if you use the a correct size sizing die the click will most likely never problem. How ever if you are wanting to restore some old brass and remove the click. Sizing the case with a small base die the click seems to come back after just a few firing's. When I use the click remover set up the click seems not come back if after many firings, using a good sizing die and not a super hot load. No I am not making any for sale I just made it for the fun doing it to see if it worked and it does. I preload now using Norma brass.

Chet

My regular sizing die, which is pretty aggressive in the web area, takes care of the sizing untill about the 5th firing at over 3400+ fps. Then the click will appear. It's not the Dies fault. 70,000 psi loads are not found in the loading manuals.

I was correct in my assumption that quite a few shooters are playing with different methods to alleviate that click.

One thing my little idea hear does is it hits the rim too, resulting in tightening up the primer pocket a small amount.

 

[Hunter]

Harrell’s die # 4 does a good sizinging this area (6ppc)(for me)

Doc, if Harrell's recommended a smaller # die for brass you sent to them, do you think using their # 4 would size the brass too much?

BTW, are you going to the SS?

 

[C.L. Peterson]

Doc, if Harrell's recommended a smaller # die for brass you sent to them, do you think using their # 4 would size the brass too much?

BTW, are you going to the SS?

We can visit at the Super Shoot
Hopefully parked south of main reloading barn.
CLP

 

[Hunter]

We can visit at the Super Shoot

Doc, after much deliberation I decided to stay home this week. I did call Harrell's today and discussed the issue with Don; based on his suggestion I checked how my brass fit into the die (and realized I was using a "0" die) -- based on that maybe I need to get a "1" die.

Best of luck at the SS.

 

[hayscott]

Butt sizing die

I have boxes of old 6PPC cases laying around that I don’t use anymore because (due to loads I shoot) they are too tight around the web. This despite using a die that hits the web pretty hard. The necks are still good, and the primer pockets are not too loose.

I decided to try something that I have heard of others doing. I took a Redding body died and bored the shoulder out, leaving just the taper. I then machined about 1/4 inch off of the base. Using a arbor press, I shove a lubed case in all the way. I then flip it and push the case out with a rod.

I then size them in my regular dies.

Bingo. The web now measures like a once fired case. They go in and out of the Rifle with no click. I shot some of them last Sunday, they acted like fresh cases as far as extraction was concerned. I fired the 10 cases I had done this to at least three times, and they acted normal.

Accuracy did not suffer.

The problem with most small base dies is they still use a shell holder. That last little bit of the web just forward of the extractor groove just won’t size down. This setup crams the entire case so everything, including the rim, is hit.

I know others have done this. Just thought I would try it myself.

Brass ain’t that expensive, but it’s a pain doing everything you have to do to get them ready to go to the line.

I have to drive over to Bridge City in the morning, when I get back I will take some pictures of the setup.

Here are some pics.....

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22383&stc=1&d=1558038786

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22384&stc=1&d=1558038845

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22385&stc=1&d=1558038895

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22386&stc=1&d=1558038949

Jackie,

I’ve got a die that I was given that is similar to what you have done. I have it mounted on my press along with a turned down shell holder so that the entire case body gets sized. I’m getting it down to .4385 consistently to keep the clicking under control.

Thanks,
Scott