Round stuck in crimp die

[Rye Miles #13621]

Well this is a first, I had a round stick in the factory crimp die. I had to take the die out and try and remove the round. It won’t come out! I tried everything that thing is stuck tight as heck!
I ordered a new one from Midway. 

[Rip Snorter]

Depending on the die, position of the case and your situation there are a few tricks.  I have put the die in a Rock Chucker, brought the ram up and slid the correct shell holder onto the ram and the case - then lowerd the ram.  Considerable leverage.

[Rye Miles #13621]

8 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Depending on the die, position of the case and your situation there are a few tricks.  I have put the die in a Rock Chucker, brought the ram up and slid the correct shell holder onto the ram and the case - then lowerd the ram.  Considerable leverage.

I may try that, thanks!

[Broke N West]

You Tube has a couple of items on case removal.  
There’s a RCBS case removal kit mentioned.  

Requires some blacksmithing, including drilling and tapping the case.   
BNW

 

Cancel the thought.      Rye has a problem with the crimp station die.  I was erroneously assuming the first die - de-cap.     Obviously not a good idea to start drilling into a newly primed round………..

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

If you have the carbide crimp die for straight wall cases make sure to use a little One Shot next time.  Makes sizing and crimping a lot easier and keeps stuck cases from happening.  The crimp die for the bottleneck cases (e.g. 44-40) uses a collet so are a little different in how they operate.

[Rip Snorter]

9 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

If you have the carbide crimp die for straight wall cases make sure to use a little One Shot next time.  Makes sizing and crimping a lot easier and keeps stuck cases from happening.  The crimp die for the bottleneck cases (e.g. 44-40) uses a collet so are a little different in how they operate.

Excellent product and easy to use.  Don't forget to wipe down the loaded rounds.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

OP, what caliber?

OLG 

[Shooting Bull]

14 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Excellent product and easy to use.  Don't forget to wipe down the loaded rounds.

 

Hope I don't derail this thread by asking but, why?  One Shot dries completely in my experience.  And it seems slick rounds would slide into the rifle chamber easier.  Not at all trying to be snarky here, I'm legitimately curious.  I certainly don't want to take a chance on loading bad ammo or causing damage to my firearms. Thanks.

[Rye Miles #13621]

9 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

OP, what caliber?

OLG 

.38 

[Rip Snorter]

8 minutes ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

Hope I don't derail this thread by asking but, why?  One Shot dries completely in my experience.  And it seems slick rounds would slide into the rifle chamber easier.  Not at all trying to be snarky here, I'm legitimately curious.  I certainly don't want to take a chance on loading bad ammo or causing damage to my firearms. Thanks.

Could be - old habits are ingrained is some old guys!

[Sedalia Dave]

I am assuming the round is live, otherwise you wouldn't have been inserting it into a Factory Crimp die.

 

If it is in fact live, the safe options for removing said round from the die are greatly limited.

 

The only safe way I can think of is the one suggested by Rip Snorter. Put the die in a single stage press and then slip the shell holder into the ram while also slipping it over the rim of the case. This will give you the greatest leverage while at the same time minimizing the possibility of the round discharging.  Ear plugs and eye/face protection are a must. I would also rig up about 4 inches of soft wood above but not touching the die to capture the bullet just in case the round goes off. Better than a hole in the celling.

[Rye Miles #13621]

22 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I am assuming the round is live, otherwise you wouldn't have been inserting it into a Factory Crimp die.

 

If it is in fact live, the safe options for removing said round from the die are greatly limited.

 

The only safe way I can think of is the one suggested by Rip Snorter. Put the die in a single stage press and then slip the shell holder into the ram while also slipping it over the rim of the case. This will give you the greatest leverage while at the same time minimizing the possibility of the round discharging.  Ear plugs and eye/face protection are a must. I would also rig up about 4 inches of soft wood above but not touching the die to capture the bullet just in case the round goes off. Better than a hole in the celling.

I got a better idea, I ordered a new one! Thanks for the suggestion though. That round is stuck in there like you won’t believe . First time in 25 yrs of reloading that that’s happened! 

[Rip Snorter]

1 minute ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I got a better idea, I ordered a new one! Thanks for the suggestion though. That round is stuck in there like you won’t believe . First time in 25 yrs of reloading that that’s happened! 

Discretion is the better part of valor! If it is the Lee with the open top, you can always drip in a little of one of the super lubricants or liquid Wrench in and let it sit neck up for a while then try the single stage trick again. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

As to how it stuck - my best guess would be that the case split at the mouth when bullet was seated.  Then the case mouth peeled away from the bullet when first inserted into the collet of the FCD.   That could shove a strip of brass from the case into the gap between collet leaves,  or between outside of collet and the die body where it puts pressure on the collet to close down to correct size. 

 

If you ever get the case out, I'd like to see a pic or a description of what  seemed to cause the jam.

 

Lee FCD dies in .38/.357 will have a stem in the center of the die, and that is probably involved in the jam so the stem cannot be removed with the case stuck in the collet.   If the stem could be wrestled out, a brass punch could probably drive out the loaded round.

 

good luck, GJ

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

.38 

Can you remove the top thumb screw?

OLG 

[Hendo]

1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

As to how it stuck - my best guess would be that the case split at the mouth when bullet was seated.  Then the case mouth peeled away from the bullet when first inserted into the collet of the FCD.   That could shove a strip of brass from the case into the gap between collet leaves,  or between outside of collet and the die body where it puts pressure on the collet to close down to correct size. 

 

If you ever get the case out, I'd like to see a pic or a description of what  seemed to cause the jam.

 

Lee FCD dies in .38/.357 will have a stem in the center of the die, and that is probably involved in the jam so the stem cannot be removed with the case stuck in the collet.   If the stem could be wrestled out, a brass punch could probably drive out the loaded round.

 

good luck, GJ

This is what I was thinking. 

Hey @Rye Miles #13621, if you get backordered, send me a PM, I got one you can borrow for however long you need.

[Thunder Creek Kid]

2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I got a better idea, I ordered a new one! Thanks for the suggestion though. That round is stuck in there like you won’t believe . First time in 25 yrs of reloading that that’s happened! 

Time for you to switch to 32’s or maybe 22’s. 

[largo casey #19191]

Punch & Hammer.Give the primer a good sharpe rap.

                                                                                                                   Largo

[Marshal Chance Morgun]

7 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Well this is a first, I had a round stick in the factory crimp die. 
I ordered a new one from Midway. 

I'm Larry Potterfield. Thanks for your business.

[Rye Miles #13621]

12 hours ago, Thunder Creek Kid said:

Time for you to switch to 32’s or maybe 22’s. 

Hey I won't have to reload .22's!!! Great idea!!

[Tarheel Doc]

What manufacturer is your crimp die?  The only dies I have had stuck are Lee dies.  After having this happen multiple times I stopped using them.  I have had zero problems with Dillon dies and that is all I use.  

[Rye Miles #13621]

21 minutes ago, Jan Hawkins said:

What manufacturer is your crimp die?  The only dies I have had stuck are Lee dies.  After having this happen multiple times I stopped using them.  I have had zero problems with Dillon dies and that is all I use.  

Lee factory crimp die

[El CupAJoe]

I had a improperly seated bullet get jammed into the stem above the crimp die or seat die, I don't recall which.  It was a pain getting out of there. Ended up dropping the whole stem in my lead pot and melting the bullet out.  If you can disassemble the die you might be able to pull the offense out with a pliers... if your name was Adam savage, you could take it to the bomb range and drop the die on it's own primer and let it disassemble itself.. Pressure may be able to escape safely and not grenade but probably not without case head separation, but then you might be able to unscrew the thing with no rim left etc...

[Rye Miles #13621]

7 minutes ago, El CupAJoe said:

I had a improperly seated bullet get jammed into the stem above the crimp die or seat die, I don't recall which.  It was a pain getting out of there. Ended up dropping the whole stem in my lead pot and melting the bullet out.  If you can disassemble the die you might be able to pull the offense out with a pliers... if your name was Adam savage, you could take it to the bomb range and drop the die on it's own primer and let it disassemble itself.. Pressure may be able to escape safely and not grenade but probably not without case head separation, but then you might be able to unscrew the thing with no rim left etc...

Tried the pliers, tried tapping it out in a vise (from the top) no workie. Throwing it away!!

[Sedalia Dave]

57 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Tried the pliers, tried tapping it out in a vise (from the top) no workie. Throwing it away!!

 

Please find a safe way to expend the round before throwing it in the trash. as it is it is an accident looking for a place to happen.

[Rip Snorter]

5 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Please find a safe way to expend the round before throwing it in the trash. as it is it is an accident looking for a place to happen.

Had been thinking about that very issue.  The only ways I can think of to make it safe is to carefully punch the bullet back into the case and flood with gun oil, which should kill the primer, and / or to bury it deep.

[Frontier Lone Rider]

20 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Well this is a first, I had a round stick in the factory crimp die. I had to take the die out and try and remove the round. It won’t come out! I tried everything that thing is stuck tight as heck!
I ordered a new one from Midway. 

As I read this, that is the same solution I first thought of, just by a new one.

 

I started loading 38-55s last week and even though the RCBS Cowboy Dies will crimp, I ordered two of the LEE Crimping Dies from Midway.  

[Rye Miles #13621]

57 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Please find a safe way to expend the round before throwing it in the trash. as it is it is an accident looking for a place to happen.

I filled the die with oil, put the top back on and wrapped in a double plastic bag. II also put some grease on the primer. It'll go in my trash and it'll be fine!

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

sent you a PM.

[J.S. Sooner, SASS #73526]

On 2/25/2022 at 11:39 AM, Rye Miles #13621 said:

I filled the die with oil, put the top back on and wrapped in a double plastic bag. II also put some grease on the primer. It'll go in my trash and it'll be fine!

 

Watch out, a liberal agitator may report you for making a pipe bomb with exotic materials, double wrapped, concealing for transportation on public thoroughfares to disable public services.  

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, J.S. Sooner, SASS #73526 said:

 

Watch out, a liberal agitator may report you for making a pipe bomb with exotic materials, double wrapped, concealing for transportation on public thoroughfares to disable public services.  

 

That's pretty funny!!