Brass Dented After Sizing...

[Ed Gallop]

Once in a while I've had brass buckling in the shoulder when sizing 30.30 and I used them anyway in the lighter lead cowboy loads. I'm starting to reload Russian 7.62x54 brass and not only buckling in the shoulder occurs on every cartridge, some are even buckling in the body. I'm afraid to use those. If it is unsafe then I wasted money on reloading components and dies.

I assume the 7.62x54 is expanding the cartridge more than the 30.30 and the buckling occurs when pushing back to size. I have tried different sizing lubes and lubing inside the neck more than normal with the same results. Is there something I can do to help prevent this problem? Is it unsafe to use the buckled brass? Ed.

 

[Afy]

I dont thin the buckling will really effect the shooting properties.

Generally from what little I know the buckling/denting is occuring because youre using too much lube.

 

[Slamfire]

You have too much lube on the case. The stuff migrates to the top of the die and puddles there.

I tumble my cases with a case lube saturated patch. If I misjudged and put too much lube in the tumbler, I get shoulder dents. I am often wiping the upper third of my cases with a paper towel, before the case gets sized.

If the case gets a shoulder dent, well, I fire them. In theory dents could cause a stress point, may increase the chance of a split. In practice, the brass flattens out and nothing bad happens.

 

[ReloaderFred]

It's another case of too much lube on the case before it's sized. Shooting them will only fire form them to the chamber, and won't do any harm. Cut back on the lube. With thin brass, all you really need is lube on the bottom half of the case.

Clean your die of excess lube before you try to size cases again with less lube on them, or you'll have the same problem.

And no, you didn't waste your money on dies and components. You just need to learn the fine points of case sizing, which means just enough lube to get the job done, but enough that you don't get a case stuck in the die.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[matrem]

Loading sure does have a "learning/fine tuning period"Don't even think about getting discouraged.Sounds exactly like too much lube getting on the shoulder.After 30 years of rolling cases around in lube,I was enlightened.Try (Hornady-One Shot)Folks I know that have tried it,won't go back.

 

[NCsmitty]

Are they buckled or dented? do you have pics you can post?

NCsmitty

 

[Hunter0924]

I also believe you have too much lube or the seater/crimp die adjusted too far down.
What sort of lube do you use?

 

[The Bushmaster]

What ReloaderFred said...

 

[Ed Gallop]

Ahhh... Thanks a bunch. I didn't realize over-lubing would cause such a problem. Guess the fear of a stuck casing made me over-react. I can take pics but not necessary. I know I used way too much lube. Will also get some One Shot.

 

[Ed Gallop]

Problem solved by cleaning dies and lubing very lightly. Cases look great. When the 7.64x54 expands to chamber when fired it requires a lot more effort to resize. There is a ring formed near the rim where the sizer stops, as if it shaved a small amount of brass when sized. Not sure if the second and subsequent sizing will do the same. Reloading high power bottlenecks are different than what I'm used to. Thanks to all for your help. Ed.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Your resizing die is just shinning up the case where the web starts to get thicker...As long as you don't see this ring forming on just fired brass you are just fine...

 

[243winxb]

There is a ring formed near the rim where the sizer stops, as if it shaved a small amount of brass when sized.

You may need to adjust you full length sizing die a little different and/or reduce your powder charge.

 

[qajaq59]

Clean your die and cut back a bit on the lube and you'll do fine.

 

[Ed Gallop]

Thanks. I feel much better about reloading these higher power rounds. Ed.