9mm brass prep. Skip the flare?

[thefish]

Hi guys, after de prime and full length resize, I usually prime and flare in one step on the press.

I have some 9mm to prime, and was wondering if anyone skips the flare.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jmorris]

I use almost zero flare with my GSI pistol bullet fed machines even with cast and coated bullets. Very little with others but some demand it for good results.

Yet another "it depends" answer. Results are what is the deciding factor.

 

[nettlle]

If the case doesn't shave lead and you can hold your crimp diameter go for it. I have to flare.

 

[CZ9shooter]

I do like you. On a single stage press, flare on upstroke, prime on downstroke. I do it with all loads. Some more than others. Without some flare I cant get even FMJ's with nice rounded bottom edges to seat consistantly unless I maticulously handle each bullet. Maybe be resizing die is on the tight side?

Boat tails like 147gr XTP's might be an exception.

 

[thefish]

Thanks. Maybe ill do a small test batch without the flare. I have a hand primer id like to use but if I need to flare I might as well as do it all on the press in one step anyway.

 

[gamestalker]

I haven't belled a piece of brass since the .40 cal. came into production.

I only load jacketed bullets, so I'm sure that has some bearing on why it works so well for me, that said this is how I do it.

I resize, chamfer the inside of the mouth enough to create a small shelf for the bullet to sit up straight on, then I just seat them. They always seat straight and smooth.

GS

 

[FROGO207]

Jacketed bullets, even flat based ones generally will go in OK if the mouth of the brass is chamfered internally before loading. Only needs to be done once with straight walled pistol brass. I do flare minimally with lightly plated or lead bullets just to keep the chances of shaving the bullet out of the reloading equation. But if you do flare then you have to at least taper crimp the casings back to a diameter that will slide into the chamber easily. I usually just kiss the casing when seating with a taper crimp to bring the neck back into spec.

 

[splattergun]

Minor flare, minor crimp. Just enough to help align the bullet for seating, just enough to remove the flare.

 

[Steve C]

The expanding/flaring step does more than just flare the case mouth, it also expands the ID of the case to proper diameter to receive the bullet (see the picture below). Skipping the operation is not a good idea regardless of caliber as one can have issues with bullet seating.

 

[Mad Chemist]

I was going to write "ask Gamestalker about this" but he already chimed in.

I have shamelessly stolen his technique and used it very successfully for SD ammo where multiple chamberings of the round can be expected. In this scenario, maximum neck tension is desirable to avoid any bullet setback that could be caused by frequent chambering of a round. Watch your OAL especially on some progressive presses. You will occasionally get a little "spring back" from tighter brass when no belling is used. If that happens, just run them through the seater die again.

 

[jmorris]

The expanding/flaring step does more than just flare the case mouth, it also expands the ID of the case to proper diameter to receive the bullet

Expanding and flaring are two different things though some dies will allow you to both at the same time, you don't have to flare to expand.

Most rifle dies expand with the decapping pin, because powder would bridge even worse than it already does if they tried to expand with a powder drop die, but most don't flare at all.

The 1050 also expands at a different station than it flares cases.

This is how little I use with the GSI bullet feeder, loading my cast and coated bullets.

 

[GBExpat]

9mm brass prep. Skip the flare?

If I am loading jacketed or plated rounds, I only chamfer the mouth.

 

[vaalpens]

I used to flare and prime in one step but decided to separate them. This allows me to better verify and check for split brass during the flaring process. I am a low volume reloader so the additional time is not a big issue.

 

[thefish]

Thanks for the response guys. I did a test last night and without a small flare it's difficult to get the xtreme jacketed flat points to sit in the case mouth, so I'll continue to prime and flare on the press in one step for this batch. The hand primer will have to wait for another day.

 

[Potatohead]

Everything in moderation..

A little flare and a little crimp. That's my view on it.

 

[gamestalker]

Jmorris hit the nail on the head! Expanding and flaring / belling are in fact two completely different functions. When I powder my cases they get expanded, I just don't adjust the die to bell them. So if there is a right way to skip belling, I think this would be the correct process, been working fine for me for at least a couple decades.

But when I'm loading my wheel gun stuff I don't expand them at all. And considering all my reloading is at the upper end of the tables, I always place a firm roll crimp on them to prevent bullet jump.

GS