Lyman sizing die won't release bullet?

I'm perplexed! I have a .359 Lyman sizing die which wants to keep the bullets! I have .358 and .360 dies which work perfectly. The .359 die sizes the bullet fine, but won't let the machine push the bullet back out. I have a rather heavy benchtop and can almost lift it while trying to get the bullet out. I'm using a RCBS lubesizer, and am afraid I'll break the machine. The only way I've been able to get the bullet out is to remove the die and hammer it out with an oak block and hammer.
I'm usually pretty good at trouble shooting, but this one has me.
Any ideas?

Thanks,
Rick

Sounds like a defective die.....perhaps the ejector punch is hanging up or out of alignment for some reason.

The only time I've seen similar problems was when sizing straight linotype more than a few thousandths.

You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore

Try oiling the inside of the die with some light oil. After a few bullets, the die should be well lubed with bullet lube.

If this doesn't work, then it may well be a rough surface on the interior of the die.

Hope this helps.

Fred

After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

sounds like the ejector punch is hanging up.
i'd look at how they are interfacing.
you might be mushing the boolits base at the bottom, or the die might have a bulge in it.

it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.

the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.

Some of my sizing dies are essentially straight from the top, and others has a chamfer. The straight ones tend to hold on the boolit like you mention.

The 313 on the left is barely .316" at the rim whereas the 323 is .336"

Where there is a will, there is a won't

Are you dropping the boolits into water to harden them, then sizing the hardened boolits?
What alloy , what mould, what is dia. as cast ? I'm thinking a hard boolit, trying to size more than .002 and a unchamfered die may be conspiring to give you trouble. Having to hammer the boolit out with an oak block and hammer is rather drastic. Almost like you need to lube the bullet before it goes into the die so it wont stick.
Gary

First thing I'd try is lubrication. Motor oil on a Q-tip swabbed inside the die with enough volume to run down along the punch.
all new dies need lubed in similar fashion. Fluid that looks like oil on new dies is actually rust preventative. Instructions say to clean that off. Then you need oil. I did stick a bullet once in a new die that required me to remove die to place into my half ton arbor press. I'd assumed the fluid on the new die was a lubricant.

Thanks everyone for your replies. The alloy is clip-on wheel weights air cooled, so not really hard. Bullets drop @ .362'ish so .003 or less shouldn't be too much sizing. The .358 die works fine with the same bullets. I did not lube the die before using, actually haven't lubed any of my dies before using. I've learned something. I'll clean die and punch, lubricate, and check for smooth travel. I'll also inspect the inside for rough spots.
Thanks again,
Rick

You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules

Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

View the original article here