Boy did I screw up!

[Encore 280]

A couple weeks ago I reloaded some 300WSM's and just left the press and everything out. So yesterday I go to reload some 308's so I grab the first case and set it in the shell holder and run it up into the resizing die and the primer drops out  which is want we want so I bring it back down and no case! WTH!! Yep, forgot to change out shell holders! I tried a bunch of things for about a half hour to try to get the case out and nothing worked so I had to made a call to Sportsmans Whorehouse to see if they had a stuck case remover and they did so it's off to Silverdale. Get home and back in the shop and had it out if few minutes and back to reloading. In all the years I've been reloading that's the first time that's happened! I guess that's what happens when one starts to get old and retires and has nothing better to do. But I'm loving it!

[headshot5]

You definitely are not the first one to stick a case.  They make the stuck case removal tools for a reason!  I've been reloading for quite a few years and the stuck case removal tool has saved me a few times.    

[Encore 280]

I had that Midway USA commercial of Larry Potterfield pulling a stuck case going thru my head the whole time! I think that's why it was so easy to do cuz I've seen it done.

[CAMPMEAT]

I'm guilty too. I didn't know you had to let the case lube do it's magic.

[Encore 280]

  :chuckle:All the case lube in the world won't help a bit if the shell holder don't hold the shell to pull it back down.

[C-Money]

Glad it worked out! I guess most everything I load is the same shell holder, all are descendants of the ole 30-06. I only change when I load .357 or 7mm rem mag. I am sure I am bound to stick one eventually.

[yorketransport]

There's a trick where you screw the die into the press upside down, then use a 1/2 socket and a long screw to pull the case out.

After you screw the die into the press upside down, soak the case/die in a penetrating oil. Kroil is great for this. Then place the socket over the base of the case that's sticking out of the die. Get a long screw (even a wood screw will work) and a washer and put the screw through the washer, then drop it through the socket. Now just thread the screw into the primer pocket of the case. If you want to get fancy you can drill and tap the primer pocket before hand.

The other option is to pull the decapping rod out of the die and beat the case out with a punch. That makes an awful lot of noise though!

I've never had a case stuck that bad, but I've torn the rim off of a few over the years and been pretty close! I have use the above method on a dies while teaching new reloaders the importance of proper case lubing.

Andrew

[Bill W]

If the case is still stuck but the case is protruding from the base of the die then this might work.   Take the wrong shellholder out and push the ram up to close to the base of the protruding case.  Push the correct shellholder on to the ram to where it also engages the case base.   Push it on enough and it should pull the case out.

This method also works if the sides of the case are yanked off. Rotate the die 90 degrees and push the shellholder in in the manner above.