Dented shoulder

[Slimfinn]

I was sizing some 264WM and when i was cleaning the lube off I noticed some dented shoulders. Checked the die and there wasn't anything, cases weren't over lubed, and only happened to a few. Cases are once fired from Nosler factory. Sizing seemed to be normal, some maybe a little more force on the return stroke expanding the neck back out.
Any thoughts

 

[RL338]

You may have to much lube built up inside your die. Give your die a cleaning snd I bet your dents go away.

 

[JD338]

Too much lube will create hydraulic pressure dents. They will fire form to the chamber when they are fired.

JD338

 

[Slimfinn]

I'll take it apart and clean it good, this is the first time I've noticed something like this.

 

[sako2]

To much lube or the vent hole in the dies is blocked with lube.

 

[TackDriver284]

I used to roll cases on a lube pad when I first started reloading 30 years ago, and had dents like those from too much lube. Stopped using the roll pad and used One Shot spray lube or Imperial wax, never looked back. Never had dents again.
I would clean out the dies.

 

[jimbires]

check the vent hole .

 

[George Foster]

The shoulder dents will blow right back out when you fire the cases, nothing to worry about. I have had some like this.

 

[ShadeTree]

Too much lube will create hydraulic pressure dents. They will fire form to the chamber when they are fired.

JD338

To much lube or the vent hole in the dies is blocked with lube.

Yep, and yep. Unless my brain is blocking me from thinking of anything else, the only things I know of that can cause it.

 

[Slimfinn]

check the vent hole .

Got looking and can't find a vent hole so assume it would vent around the loose threads for the decapping rod, which were pretty gummy and tight, hope this will fix it.
The lube I use is hornady's unique and appy it by rolling the case between my fingers just leaving a thin film, but maybe there was buildup

 

[Charlie-NY]

Not all sizing dies have vent holes. Some reloaders do not put lube on the shoulders and still have good results. I'd clean the die and try lubing the cases while avoid getting any on the shoulders and see how that works.

 

[DrMike]

There was almost assuredly a residue that had built up. Cleaning the dies should resolve the problem. I clean my dies after every use. I use a wooden dowel wrapped with a large patch used for swabbing the barrel. I dip this in Hoppes and swab the die, drying afterward with a dray patch. Using this routine, I've avoided the dreaded hydraulic dent.

 

[ShadeTree]

There was almost assuredly a residue that had built up. Cleaning the dies should resolve the problem. I clean my dies after every use. I use a wooden dowel wrapped with a large patch used for swabbing the barrel. I dip this in Hoppes and swab the die, drying afterward with a dray patch. Using this routine, I've avoided the dreaded hydraulic dent.

I certainly don't clean my dies after every use so I can't claim to be that routine, but I do as you do when I want to clean a die........use a wooden dowel rod with a piece of T-shirt material usually.

Only thing I do different is take them apart and give them a good spray with carb cleaner or 2+2 gum cutter. I then use the wooden dowel rod and the piece of cloth to push back and forth to dry them well. I rarely clean my dies after initial cleaning but as long as they've had the initial factory oil cleaned out of them and I keep oil off the case shoulders and keep cases minimally lubed just as much as necessary, I've never had a problem with dented shoulders. I use a roll pad to lube cases.

 

[DrMike]

I have used roll pads with RCBS Case Lube, One-Shot spray, Imperial Wax, and a couple of other lubes over the years. All work, some with greater lubricity than others; none were problematic in my experience. Any more, I almost always use Imperial Wax on the body and motor mica on the neck and shoulders.

 

[TackDriver284]

Got looking and can't find a vent hole so assume it would vent around the loose threads for the decapping rod, which were pretty gummy and tight, hope this will fix it.
The lube I use is hornady's unique and appy it by rolling the case between my fingers just leaving a thin film, but maybe there was buildup

Did you put lube on the shoulders as well or just on the case body?
I would put lube on the case body only and see if those dents goes away.

 

[sako2]

Got looking and can't find a vent hole so assume it would vent around the loose threads for the decapping rod, which were pretty gummy and tight, hope this will fix it.
The lube I use is hornady's unique and appy it by rolling the case between my fingers just leaving a thin film, but maybe there was buildup

Check under the locking ring for the vent hole. It's very small about the diameter of a paper clip.

 

[HeathSexton]

Don’t lube the shoulders

 

[Slimfinn]

I would put lube on the case body only and see if those dents goes away.

This has seemed to work, along with cleaning the die again. I came across 30 cases and was careful not to get any lube on the shoulder, one slight flat spot on one half way through all others were good. Only other difference was R-P brass this time vs Nosler before. Will still keep paying attention once i get a chance to shoot again

 

[Lazy Bushman]

I wouldn't be too worried about lubing cases and not getting it on the shoulder. I spray all mine with Hornady Oneshot and while some have had issues I never had....no idea what they do to have issues but I never had in a decade and a half. Regardless, I do occasionally give my dies a good spray out with brake cleaner occasionally, but only once or twice a year depending on how much a particular set of dies have been used. To this day no issues. I did get your issue back in the day when I used a lube pad and over lubricated, but you can send 'em no issue

 

[TackDriver284]

This has seemed to work, along with cleaning the die again. I came across 30 cases and was careful not to get any lube on the shoulder, one slight flat spot on one half way through all others were good. Only other difference was R-P brass this time vs Nosler before. Will still keep paying attention once i get a chance to shoot again

That is great. I like using only One Shot Hornady lube, spray one way on one row, and spray the opposite direction on another row and repeat to the last row, flip the tray around, and repeat and let it sit a few minutes, then size away. On some occasions, if there isn't enough lube on a few stubborn cases, I open a can of Imperial wax, and add a thin film to the case body and its all I use. With Imperial wax a little goes a long way.