Nickel cases crumpling while loading.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Just thought I'd post this as a FYI. While setting up my Lee 3 hole turret press to load .357 I discovered some of my nickel cases were buckling while belling them and charging them. None of the brass buckled. I reset the belling and charging die and the seating/crimping die and all was well.

Obviously the nickel must be more brittle. Never had that happen on my Dillon 550B.

 

[JDGray]

I've yet to see nickle cases split or be any weaker than brass, it sounds like you fixed your problem. I prefer the plated cases, myself, clean up time in the tumbler is minutes not hours

 

[The Bushmaster]

You're correct...Your charging die was set wrong and it seems you've fixed that...Next question?

I use a Lee three station press also and have had no problem with the system unless I have something set up wrong. My problem is, I try to bell my cases as little as possible and end up crunching a case when seating a bullet...But that's my fault...

You shoot grandpas?? I'm in trouble here...

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Yeah, I got it fixed. Thought it odd that the nickel crunched but the brass never did. I actually prefer the nickel also. Got two presses set up side by side. My son was running the Dillon for 9, and I was running the Lee for .357. Going out Grandpa shooting tomorrow, sine they are the slowest targets around.



Problem is they sometimes shoot back