I'm having a hard time sizing military brass

[daclamdvm]

Looking for some input from the group. I am having a difficult time sizing military brass for my 308. This is Indian military brass. I sized, reamed the primer pocket, and loaded it once, fired it in my Mauser, and now am sizing it a second time. I am using Lee dies. It is really difficult on the down-stroke, and even harder coming up. I finally stripped off the rim and got a case stuck. I'm using Hornady 1-shot lube. Normally, I don't don't have any problems with my set-up.

Can the brass be too hard? Do I need to go back to a grease-type lube? I've had uniformly good luck with Lee dies, but these are not small base or anything like that. I've used this exact brass before and this is the first time I had this type of problem.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SSGSAD]

I use RCBS dies, and RCBS lube, and I reload M-60, machine gun brass,
and I have no problem...

 

[Aszerigan]

Yeah, you need to use a different lube. I use Hornady one-shot and for sticky cases, Hornady Unique in a tub. Good luck.

 

[Leadeye]

STP oil treatment makes great case lube.

 

[daclamdvm]

I'll give the lube a try. Thanks.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

Definitely a lube issue. Two suggestions - Lee's resizing lube or the RCBS lube/pad combo. Lee rifle dies like a lot of lube - don't forget to hit the inside of the neck with a q-tip.

You may or may not want to try Astroglide if you can't find the RCBS or Lee locally. This may or may not work and I make no specific claims.

Additionally - if you've fireformed the brass in your Mauser chamber, you should consider picking up the neck-size only dies. You'll never case-lube again and your brass life DOES increase!

 

[Aszerigan]

Astroglide? *snickers* Never got my case stuck with that stuff.

 

[acyork50]

Use a brush and lightly lube the inside of the mouth of the case.

 

[Cat-Herder]

if you're just shooting it out of your mauser, i'd just neck size them once they'd been sized to it's chamber. otherwise, you're definitely going to have to change the oil!

 

[workinman]

hornady or imperial sizing wax works great for your application... typically you need to put it on with your fingers on at a time though. i use one-shot for 223. anything bigger i use hornady wax