Trash or replace?
 

OK all you gunsmith types out there. Question - I was resizing some 7-08 cases last night and after doing about 20 or so, I found it starting to get difficult to run the case into the die. The next caseI examined prior to and after sizing and found scratches on the case. I pulled the die and there is 4 or 5 scratches in it near the mouth of the die. I must have picked something up really hard to scratch the die. I was wondering if I should lap the inside of the die with something like JB compound on a suitable size bore mop/drill to remove them or just trash the die and get a new one?

RE: Trash or replace?
 

I'd try some polishing compound before i replaced the die. Then clean it out real good with airbrake cleaner and spray it with oneshot case lube. Are you loading nickle plated cases? They can be murder on a die if there is any grit on them.

RE: Trash or replace?
 

You did not mention the mfr. of the die. If I were you I would send the die back to the mfr.Most of the mfr's. are very nice, and are very proud of their customer service. I would bet that they would polish it out for you for free. If not then write the die off and buy a new one. Be sure to enclose enough money to guarantee return shipping. Make it easy for them with a good shipping box, and have the small box pre-addressed. You just might be surprised. I did it before and it worked.

The reason for asking the make of the die is simple. If it is a cheap die then it would probably just be easier to replace. Tom.

RE: Trash or replace?
 

Do you clean your cases before sizing? If you don't, your die's will get dirty quickly. Powder and carbon residue is hard enough to score dies deeplyand can cause cases to stick.
Clean your cases first, clean your die's periodically. For really dirty dies, put a small bore brush on a length of sectional cleaning rod. Wrap some 000 steel wool around the brush, put the rod in a lowrpm drill (cordless), use oil and polish the die. De-grease die, inspect it for deep scores.

RE: Trash or replace?
 

well its not worth the aggrivation of trying to polish out the scratches. This die has been around a while and polishing enough to remove the scratches will probably get the dimensions out of spec. So in the trash it went. Got me a brand new set of dies.

RE: Trash or replace?
 

Good choice. But don't discount polishing. You only polish to remove carbon and lube deposits so you can inspect for scoring. 000 steel wool with oil at low rpm won't change dimensions

RE: Trash or replace?
 

Small scratches, I would just polish them out. No big deal I think. It will be darn hard to polish it out of spec.