Case bulge

[kestak]

Greetings,

I am not sure how to explain it, but I think experienced reloaders will understand my question:

The first station on a dillon 550 is primer removing and resizing the case.
I noted that when those actions are done, there is still a small bulge at the base of the case (right now I reload 45acp and 38spl/357mag) because the die does not go all the way down (And it is normal, because the case is held in place by the shellplate.)


My question is: Do I have to be concerned by that small bulge?

Thank you

 

[Walkalong]

Sizers do not size cases all the way down. It would take an expensive roll sizing machine for that. It is normal and unless it is a severly buldged case it will be fine. Use a case gauge or your barrel to see if it is sized enough to chamber. If it is you are good to go.

Welcome to THR kestak

 

[FieroCDSP]

When adjusted right, the Lee carbide sizing dies get almost entirely to the bottom. The caliber this is most prominant on is the 40S&W. As an experiment, I've sized Glocked ( large buldge from feed-ramp intrusion) 40 brass back to spec and they chamber just fin in my Smith 40 cal. It was just an experiment and I refuse to load a previously buldged case, but you get the idea. I'm sure others can do a sizig that can get almost all the way down, but not sure which ones.

 

[rcmodel]

It is normal.
Don't worry about it as long as they fit in the chamber.

The only way to size all the way down is with a manual sizing die in an arbor press.
You drive the case in till it is flush with the base of the die, then you drive it back out with an inside punch.

Bench-rest shooters do it because of the minimum chambers on their guns.
For the rest of us, it's a non-issue.


rcmodel

 

[Starter52]

+1 to walkalong and rcmodel.

I've loaded a hundred thousand revolver rounds over the years. What you described happens all the time. Nothing to worry about.

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

(Here is what I posted on another forum where I asked the question. You may find it interesting)

Finally, I had time during lunch to drive hoem and make some measurements.

First of all, my press is setup for 375/38spl right now, so I was able to put my hand on only one 45acp resized case.
Secondly, I noticed the bulged cases are not from my 45 xd, but from once fired brass I picked up at the range from a shooter I got the permission to pick from. I do not recall what handgun he was using.


.45acp Mouth: bulge:
.4665 .473

I was able to resize the 357 cases shot by me with my Taurus revolver. I did 5 of those and here are the measurements:
Mouth Bulge
.3755 .3805
.3750 .3805
.3750 .3815
.3750 .3800
.3756 .3795


In conclusion:
- It is quite a small bulge
- My XD does not produce any bulge
- The 357 produces a bulge
- I checked the 38 spl cases and they have a bulge too. I did not measure them, I was out of time.


What do you think?

Thank you

 

[Walkalong]

Cartridge Specs

No Problem.

 

[rcmodel]

Couple of observations:
Older carbide dies, and even some newer ones, produce much more of a ridge then steel dies.

Lee carbide dies seem to produce much less ridge then RCBS carbide dies.

Magnum revolvers always produce more of a ridge then standard caliber auto pistols. Due no doubt to the much higher pressure expanding the cases more.


rcmodel

 

[Master Blaster]

Actually there is nothing bulged and nothing wrong with you sizing die or set up. You have to remember the case head which extends to just above the extractor groove is solid, and does not resize.

If you look carefully at the diagram above you will note that .45 acp is a tapered case, as are most all auto loader calibers. The dimensions you have noted for your resized cases are smaller than the dimensions in the diagram.
You are resizing them smaller than saami spec for the cartridge.
The .45 acp case like all brass cases has a solid case head with a flash hole in the middle. The solid case head is not going to resize as far as the hollow body of the case. You are resizing the area above the case head to .473, that makes the solid case head at .476 look like it is a bulge.

Everything is fine, relax.

 

[kestak]

Thank you very much guys!

I understand the predicament (or lack of it) now.

Thank you again!