You learn something every day

[HighRoadRover]

One thing I learned recently, and would like to pass along to any other reloaders who are slow as I am, since I didn't know you could do this:

When using the bullet seating die, I occasionally put ripples in a case if I set the crimp too low to start out. The rounds won't fit into the revolver if they have these small bulges near the bullet. This caused me to lose a couple of rounds, as I have to pull them apart to salvage the primers, and I guess this happens to other reloaders, too.

I discovered the solution this weekend: remove the collet and screw-in de-primer rod from the sizing die, and run the loaded round back through the sizer. The neck gets straightened out, and a very mild crimp is still visible. This worked for plated (Rainier) bullets anyway -- might not work for a "hard" jacketed round.

 

[Walkalong]

You'll ruin neck tension doing that.

 

[rcmodel]

Not only that, but you will ruin the bullet too.

You will size the bullet inside the case Several thousands under bore size.

You might have noted that a sized case needs to be expanded to make it big enough to seat the bullet in it.

So when you size a loaded round, you sized the bullet down a whole bunch too!

Don't do that again!!

MmmKay?

rc

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I made the overcrimp mistake. Followed the advice of Walkalong and rcmodel and pulled the bullets. And I still have 10 fingers and 9 toes!

 

[HighRoadRover]

Makes sense. Those bullets, being plated (essentially lead, with a thin copper layer) presumably re-sized in the die (for the sake of science, I will check them with the caliper tomorrow, to see how much). I have the two rounds I "fixed" here on the desk and will pull the bullets and try to save the case. Thanks for the info/advice. You really do learn something every day.

 

[45lcshooter]

Yes if you crumple the case in after you have your bullet it. You pull the bullet and straighten out the case, that is like working the case 2 times as much. You will have poor neck tension, and you will crack a neck sooner. When I did a few crumpled cases, I separated them for it I totally run out of brass, that I'll use them.

 

[Walkalong]

Here is a sample of a purposely over crimped bullet. It would spin in the case. Soft lead does not spring back like brass does.

 

[Captaingyro]

When using the bullet seating die, I occasionally put ripples in a case if I set the crimp too low to start out.

There is a specific method (probably outlined in your die instructions) for adjusting seating depth and crimp separately so as to avoid the problem you're having. If you have a dummy round, skip the first three steps.

1. Before installing the die, back the seating stem way out (temporarily removing it from the equation) and then run a case up into the press. Now, screw the die into the press until you feel resistance. Thats the crimp feature contacting the case. Back the die out a little, to temporarily avoid crimping, and snug up the lock ring.

2. Next, place a bullet in the case mouth, run it up into the die, and screw the seating stem in until you make contact. Lower the ram, screw the seater in a little, and run the round up into the die again, pushing the bullet deeper. Repeat this step until you've got the seating depth just right.

3. Unscrew the seater stem (again, removing it from the equation.) You'll use your loaded round as a guage to re-set it later.

4. Run the loaded round back up into the die, loosen the lock ring, and slowly screw the die down until you feel the crimp feature make contact again. Do the same thing you did with the seating, lowering the die incrementally until you've got the right crimp. Snug up the lock ring again. Your crimp is now set.

5. Run the loaded round back up into the die, and screw the seater in until you re-establish contact with the bullet. Lock it in, and you're good to go.

 

[HighRoadRover]

I think the problem stems from a few cases being longer than others -- based on how many times they have been fired, or what the load was, or who made them (I used a mix of Starline and Federal; this problem has only happened to me with .327 FED MAG). I set the crimp just where I want it, and one out of 100 will not be crimped where I would like it to be, but rather the shell has a little ripple in it. I can feel this happening when I operate the press, but don't stop fast enough. I do not check the length of the cases -- maybe .327 FED MAG is more susceptible to stretching longitudinally than other calibers. Best solution seems to be to pull the bullet, recover the primer, and chuck the case.