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What methods have you tried? The hard part is going to be getting it out without scratching the surface of the die inside. Who is the manufacturer? RCBS will clear it for you if you send it to them... I am guessing that the other guys will too?
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Heating or cooling can help as one metal will expand or contract more than the other - looks like brass expands more than steel, so freezing could help with the extraction
Thermal Properties of Metals, Conductivity, Thermal Expansion, Specific Heat | Engineers Edge
Thermal Properties of Metals, Conductivity, Thermal Expansion, Specific Heat | Engineers Edge
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Yep, this occurred to me.
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I actually have it in the freezer right now; I'll try it tomorrow.
Heres the old thread on it.
Stuck case
You said you broke the base off. Thats what I did with the 223 die. No way to use a tap on it.
Stuck case
You said you broke the base off. Thats what I did with the 223 die. No way to use a tap on it.
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Yeah no base means the stuck case remover tool is worthless. The safe bet is to send it to the factory. Barring that, you said you have the die in the freezer. I would maybe try an easyout of the right size and gently warm the outside of the die before you try to get the easyout into the case. But the reality is you may eff up the die in the process.
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I suspect this method is some where in the above listed old thread link.
Since you're resizing, I'll presume there's no powder or live primer in the way.
Back off any decapping pin or expander in the case away from the primer pocket. Drill the center of the primer pocket our and tap a thread into it. A 1/4-20 thread is usually adequate. A tap good enough for this can usually be had at your local hardware store for a few bucks. Once you have a female thread in the case, place a hex socket bigger than the case head (1/2" or 13mm in the case of a .308) with the hex side over the case head. Thread a 1/4-20 bolt thru the socket (probably will want a couple of washers under the head to span the square hole) and into the thread in the case. Hold the die body in a vise or similar and tighten the bolt to draw out the brass case. Adjust the bolt length, add washers etc. as needed. You'll only need to move it a little to free it up. This is essentially the same setup as the RCBS case remover except you may already have all or part of it on hand.
On a part that small, unless you can get REALLY cold (dry ice or liquid N2) I doubt you'll get enough shrinkage actually free it up so I wouldn't bother.
Since you're resizing, I'll presume there's no powder or live primer in the way.
Back off any decapping pin or expander in the case away from the primer pocket. Drill the center of the primer pocket our and tap a thread into it. A 1/4-20 thread is usually adequate. A tap good enough for this can usually be had at your local hardware store for a few bucks. Once you have a female thread in the case, place a hex socket bigger than the case head (1/2" or 13mm in the case of a .308) with the hex side over the case head. Thread a 1/4-20 bolt thru the socket (probably will want a couple of washers under the head to span the square hole) and into the thread in the case. Hold the die body in a vise or similar and tighten the bolt to draw out the brass case. Adjust the bolt length, add washers etc. as needed. You'll only need to move it a little to free it up. This is essentially the same setup as the RCBS case remover except you may already have all or part of it on hand.
On a part that small, unless you can get REALLY cold (dry ice or liquid N2) I doubt you'll get enough shrinkage actually free it up so I wouldn't bother.
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Forgot to mention, this isn't theory. BTDT
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Yeah, but he broke the base off... The primer pocket is laying on the bench with the rest of the base
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On re-reading, did the entire head come off? Or just the rim? If the entire head came off, leaving the tube of the upper case, ignore my previous post. A similar method could be used but would require a larger fine thread tap. Less readily available but still do-able.
IF the entire head broke off, you've been saved from the case head separation you'd have gotten when firing it.
IF the entire head broke off, you've been saved from the case head separation you'd have gotten when firing it.
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Yea, I'd go to harbor freight and get a set for like $5. Screw it in there, screw it in the press, affix vicegrips and hit it with a big hammer. maybe squirt it with some penetrating oil or Hoppes first.. couldn't hurt
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not saying to try this but you might* be able to take a jeweler's torch or something small like that and heat the outside and then take a wet paper towel that has been frozen in the shape of a pencil and put it into case and see if the rapid cooling of the brass releases it.
conversely you could heat the inside till the brass drips out while you keep a wet rag with some ice on the outside of the die. Either way tho you are probably gonna ruin the die, i would only try this stuff if i was willing to buy a new one if it ruined the die.
conversely you could heat the inside till the brass drips out while you keep a wet rag with some ice on the outside of the die. Either way tho you are probably gonna ruin the die, i would only try this stuff if i was willing to buy a new one if it ruined the die.
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Certain
Kroil is your friend!!!!!!!!!
Sheldon
Kroil is your friend!!!!!!!!!
Sheldon
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I'm no solderer or brazer but maybe affix a protruding rod from it?. and then do the vicegrip hammer thing.
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if you are gonna try to solder it get a stick of silver solder it will hold better
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I don't know if there's enough metal in the thickness of the brass case to thread it without going through the case and getting into the surface of the die. When the base is still intact, it's easy, peazy , lemon squeezy, like you said. I'm not sure even if an eazyout will grab the case on the inside without messing up the inside of the die... that's why I think the safe bet is the factory.... but if you are going get a new die anyway and just want to try to save this one for the sake of trying, the heat cool methods with a eazyout or tap are probably your only bets.
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Just did some measuring and sacrificed one of my valuable berdan primed .308 cases to be sure. If you're just dealing with the totally headless case body, a 7/16-20 tap will do the same thing as my earlier description without having to drill. Just clamp the die in a vise, wind the tap in and cut 3/8 to 1/2 inch worth of thread inside the case. Get a bolt and a matching nut with enough length of thread on it that you can thread nut onto the bolt and then thread the bolt thru the socket into your newly threaded case. Winding the nut down should extract the case nicely without hammers or freezing.
