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Is this happening to you?
Where the reloading brass and the powder funnel get stuck together?
In this video, we discuss why this happens and what can be done about it.
The reason the brass and the powder funnel are sticking together, is because there's too much friction
between the interior of the brass and the exterior of the powder funnel.
When you lower the press on .. to charge your brass.
The powder funnel is being pushed into the brass.
This accomplishes two things. First, it drops a powder charge into the brass.
Second, it bells the mouth of the case to make bullet seating easier.
Let's take a close look at the powder funnel fully inserted into a case.
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When you raise the press's arm. The press is trying to remove the powder funnel from the case.
But if there's too much friction.
As the funnel and the case slide against each other.
It can become difficult to remove the funnel from the brass.
This problem occurs much more frequently with new brass than it does with used brass.
Now let's take a look at how we should prepare new brass for reloading.
And understand why used brass typically does not have this issue.
To solve the sticking problem with new brass, you need to do two things.
First .. you want to tumble your new brass for about 30 minutes to remove
any of the loose brass residue left over from the manufacturing process.
I prefer a vibratory tumbler, using the same media, that I use to clean the brass.
To help remove the residue from the brass.
Second, you want to lubricate the inside of the brass.
And let's discuss each more in detail.
You may not be able to see it.
But new brass will have small amounts of brass residue when it comes from the manufacturer.
If you do not remove it, it can build up on your powder funnel.
In this area, right where the powder funnel goes into the brass.
Let's take a close look at a powder funnel
that was used to reload a couple hundred rounds of new brass that was not properly prepared.
You see the vertical and horizontal lines on the funnel that look like brass?
That's because it is brass.
And the brass buildup on the powder funnel increases the diameter of the funnel.
Which contributes to the sticking problem. And actually scratches the interior of your brass.
Let's take a close look at that.
You see the scratch marks?
Now, look closely at your powder funnel in this area right here.
If you see brass buildup, we will discuss later in this video how to remove it.
So to help reduce brass buildup on the funnel,
tumble your new brass for about 30 minutes.
Next, you want to lubricate ... the interior of your case.
I do not recommend a wet lubricant.
Wet lubricants will cause powder to stick near the mouth of the case.
And stick to the sides of the funnel.
I use the dry lubricant familiar to those who reload bottleneck cases.
Specifically, I use a product made by Redding.
Called the Imperial Applicant Media with Dry Neck Lube.
It contains small ...
it contains small balls covered with a dry lubricant.
To lubricate your brass.
I first .. turn the container upside down
and just shake it for a little while to get the lubricant dispersed evenly across the small balls.
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And then all you do is take your new brass and dip it into the media.
And it will leave a fine coating of dry lubricant
on both the outside and the inside of the brass.
Once you do this, you don't want to be handling the parts of the brass that have lubricant.
Because the lubricant will come off the brass and onto your hands.
And what you want to do is keep the lubricant on the brass.
The plus side of this technique, is it also lubricates the exterior of the brass.
Which will help with resizing the brass.
The downside is, you cannot just throw your brass in a box and spray it down.
You have to lubricate each piece of brass individually.
However, you do not have to do this forever. And we'll explain why.
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Over time, as the brass gets fired. It'll develop a thin carbon coating
on the interior of the case that not even stainless steel wet tumbling will remove.
Let's take a close look at this carbon buildup.
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This carbon buildup is actually a good thing.
For it is this carbon coating, that acts as your interior lubricant.
And once you have a sufficient buildup of this carbon.
You will no longer need to individually hand dip each case as described earlier.
And you can return to your wet lubricant.
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To remove the brass buildup from your powder funnel you'll need three things.
An emery board, small flashlight and a paper towel or a cleaning patch.
I use the small flashlight, to just be able to check where the brass actually is.
And check my progress.
But to remove the brass, you just hold the powder funnel still.
And then gently scrape the brass off.
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You can check it by .. wiping away any residue.
Use a flashlight to check the progress.
And when it gets removed from that section, you just slightly turn it.
And start on the next section.
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The emery board does a really good job at removing it.
And once it's all removed. You'll be back in business.
Now some of you may decide.
Instead of trying to clean your powder funnel. You might just go ahead and order a new one.
Well, if you do, make sure when you order from Dillon, you get the proper sized powder funnel
for the caliber you're reloading.
And when you get it, look it over. Because sometimes occasionally I see rust on the outside.
I just take a cleaning patch, with some oil on it,
and rub it down, to remove any of the rust that may have been on the outside.
Also, I'll just take a Q-tip.
A dry Q-tip, and run it through the funnel just to remove
any possible manufacturing grease or oils that may be left inside.
Once the funnel is prepared. We need to remove the old one.
First, we want to remove the arm. So we disconnect it from the ram.
And then we disconnect it from .. the powder hopper.
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Then we want to remove these two screws.
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And remove this .. latch right here.
Then you just raise the hopper straight up.
And set it aside.
Then .. remove the old powder funnel.
And then insert the new one.
Put the hopper back on.
If you look on this catch, there is a little protrusion here. It goes into that opening.
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And then we insert the screws, but don't tighten them all the way.
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Make sure it still turns freely here.
And you want to reattach the arm. The arm goes through both openings.
So you'd have to bring them together.
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Reattach the arm ... to the press.
And what you're looking for is, you want to make sure this arm is straight up and down. And not at an angle.
Once it's straight up and down. Now you'll tighten these two screws.
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At this point, you have a brand new powder funnel in your press.
Now with a clean, or replaced powder funnel.
And using the dry lubricant. Let's see how it works.
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Much better.
I hope this video was useful to you. And thank you for watching.