are powder coated cast bullets fatter?

[roval]

I'm used to reloading plated xtreme 230 gr round nose bulet's with .452 diam and having them easily go to my case gauge.

Today I was loading 200 gr swc .452 powder coated bulet's from mbc when I noticed they wouldn't fit in my case gauge. I had to seat the bullet deeper to make it fit better. Seems 1.260 coal was good enough for plunk testing in the 2 barrels I was going to be using it for. But most of the bullets still won't freely drop into the case gauge... the dummy round seemed to feed and extract OK in other guns. Hopefully there won't be any issues witu theI ever rounds I did.

Is this a common thing with this type of Bullet?

 

[Urban_Redneck]

I don't have a case gauge but, I do plunk all my rounds.... I load coated and LSWC to 1.230- 1.235. They plunk and feed without issue.

 

[steve4102]

Bullet style,shape and design is the reason for the need to adjust your OAL, not the coating.

Read this.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678

 

[Toprudder]

Exactly what Steve said. I can seat Xtreme 230gn RN bullets to 1.260 with no problem, but I have to seat RMR 230gn to 1.200 or less, otherwise they won't chamber or pass the plunk test. It all has to do with the shape of the bullet.

 

[roval]

I made another dummy round at 1.235 and it went into my case gauge and again fed from my 1911 and sig 227 without a problem... so you can seat this swc with its edge almost flush with the edge of the case? I thought you'd leave 1/16 of an inch sticking out of the case.

after I shoot the ones I loaded and figure out the good bullseye load i'll try the same load with the deeper seated bullet.

 

[PO2Hammer]

My .452" coated SWCs @ 1.250" do seem to behave 'fatter' in my cartridge gauge. They need a little push to get them in all the way. No problems in the gun though. I wouldn't worry about what the gauge likes, they tend to be tighter than the guns.

 

[mdi]

Whenever there is a "fit" issue measure!. Measure the diameter of the PCed bullets. PCing usually adds .001"-.002" to the diameter of the bullet. If the ogive of your bullet just fits the chamber, a bullet's ogive .0015" larger may not fit...

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

PCing usually adds .001"-.002" to the diameter of the bullet.

They are supposed to be sized after they are coated. I size mine after coating as well. If the diameter is larger than what they are suppose to be I would return them or resize them before loading.

 

[PO2Hammer]

My coated SNS SWCs measure .4523" with my calibrated mic.

 

[roval]

I just measured around the bullet with the bullet lying on its side between the calipers and it was .452 except for one spot where it measured .453. If the finished rounds both plunk tested well what would shoot better the longer seated or the shorter one, in general.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

If the finished rounds both plunk tested well what would shoot better the longer seated or the shorter one, in general.

Doubt you would see much difference from self defense ranges. Might at longer distances 25-50 yds.. Maybe....

 

[MifflinKid]

Is your case gauge clean? If it's not clean it is not reliable.

I've noticed that the Dillon case gauges I use pick up bullet lube over time. A little Hoppe's #9, a bore brush and some Gun Scrubber get them clean and back into working order.

 

[roval]

Case gauge was clean and the was the first thing I checked.

 

[MifflinKid]

Are the cases from the same manufacturer? Case wall thickness does vary somewhat by head stamp and over time.

 

[roval]

Mixed brass... but I also use mixed brass with the 230 rn plated with the same diameter
. With a repeat dummy round I seated.at.1.235 the round went in and out of the case gauge easily so I'll probably seat future rounds that deep. What I still don't get is why the difference between the round nose and the swc fit in the gauge when the diameter is supposedly the same and the cartridge head spaces off the case mouth.