Lyman stuck case remover
Posted: 28 Oct 2021 20:47
Never had a stuck case but I've come close a time or two and I know at least 4-5 folks who have stuck .308 over the years and one of them at least three times so I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to lay in the removal gimmick before the problem cropped up as I've got plans to load a couple cases of 5.56 and maybe a case or two each of .308 & .30-06 in the near future.
Picked up one of the Lyman versions from Midway last week on sale. Had a gift cert and wanted to burn it before I forgot about it.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/stuck-case-remover
The Lyman kit includes a #7 drill bit, a 1/4-20 tap, a 1/4-20 cap head screw, a long arm Allen wrench, a threaded collar that acts as a drill bushing and fulcrum for the cap head screw and finally a tap knob*. Essentially the Lyman version includes all the required bits and doesn't assume you have your own tap set or a spare handle that happens to fit or require you to break out the Vise Grips as a substitute.
The 'Tap Knob' is essentially a single size square drive recess that is supposed to fit the square shaft on the 1/4-20 tap and when the Hex key is inserted sideways through the knob it acts as a tap handle to thread the stuck case.
For instructions, illustrations and part #s see:
https://www.lymanproducts.com/stuck-case-remover
Well, as it turns out on the one I got, the square hole in the tap knob is smaller than the tap shaft. It appears the final broach operation didn't happen OR the broach is so worn it doesn't bring the hole up to the required dimension OR the tap shaft is oversized for this application... And the Q/A guys didn't bother with a check fit.
Now I could file down the tap shaft to fit, BUT IF I file on the tap shaft I'll have to do the same on any replacement tap in the future. OR I MIGHT be able to file open the recess on the tap knob to accept the tap BUT that's potentially a lot of elbow grease work with one or two tiny needle files and likely to ruin them in the process if the tap knob is half as hard as I think it might be and I'm not board enough to waste a couple hours or more screwing around with it. So Let's see if it can be 'fixed' without a lot of effort on my part.
I called Lyman and they said 'We'd send you the part but we ain't got any in stock right now. Can you check with the supplier and see if they'll exchange it?'
Midway has them in stock still and says 'Fill out the online return form and send it in and we'll send you a new one and IF it really was defective we'll refund the exchange shipping...'
Picked up one of the Lyman versions from Midway last week on sale. Had a gift cert and wanted to burn it before I forgot about it.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/stuck-case-remover
The Lyman kit includes a #7 drill bit, a 1/4-20 tap, a 1/4-20 cap head screw, a long arm Allen wrench, a threaded collar that acts as a drill bushing and fulcrum for the cap head screw and finally a tap knob*. Essentially the Lyman version includes all the required bits and doesn't assume you have your own tap set or a spare handle that happens to fit or require you to break out the Vise Grips as a substitute.
The 'Tap Knob' is essentially a single size square drive recess that is supposed to fit the square shaft on the 1/4-20 tap and when the Hex key is inserted sideways through the knob it acts as a tap handle to thread the stuck case.
For instructions, illustrations and part #s see:
https://www.lymanproducts.com/stuck-case-remover
Well, as it turns out on the one I got, the square hole in the tap knob is smaller than the tap shaft. It appears the final broach operation didn't happen OR the broach is so worn it doesn't bring the hole up to the required dimension OR the tap shaft is oversized for this application... And the Q/A guys didn't bother with a check fit.
Now I could file down the tap shaft to fit, BUT IF I file on the tap shaft I'll have to do the same on any replacement tap in the future. OR I MIGHT be able to file open the recess on the tap knob to accept the tap BUT that's potentially a lot of elbow grease work with one or two tiny needle files and likely to ruin them in the process if the tap knob is half as hard as I think it might be and I'm not board enough to waste a couple hours or more screwing around with it. So Let's see if it can be 'fixed' without a lot of effort on my part.
I called Lyman and they said 'We'd send you the part but we ain't got any in stock right now. Can you check with the supplier and see if they'll exchange it?'
Midway has them in stock still and says 'Fill out the online return form and send it in and we'll send you a new one and IF it really was defective we'll refund the exchange shipping...'