The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old May 2, 2006, 10:49 PM   #1
Kayser
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 29, 2002
Location: Illinois :(
Posts: 550
Does brass "un-bell" itself?

Maybe this is just in my mind, but I swear my pistol brass unbells itself after sitting in the tub for awhile. I tend to do reloading in two major passes. Brass preparation (tumble, size, prime, bell). And then charging, crimping. So I often have my brass sitting around for awhile (sometimes a few months when I'm busy).

It seems that every time this happens, I find my previously belled brass not happily accepting bullet seating. Not completely reset, but it definitely doesn't pass the "bullet sits happily there on it's own" test.

What's the deal? Perceived effect or real?
__________________
-----------------
Box Of Truth Afficionado!
Kayser is offline  
Old May 2, 2006, 10:51 PM   #2
WIL TERRY
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2000
Location: BLACK HILLS
Posts: 1,322
Perceived.

...
WIL TERRY is offline  
Old May 3, 2006, 03:26 AM   #3
caz223
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 15, 2002
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,429
That's another reason to load on a progressive or a turret.
And have extra toolheads.
__________________
I'm not just a gun.
I'm YOUR gun.
(Hold me.)
caz223 is offline  
Old May 3, 2006, 07:43 AM   #4
Superhornet
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 24, 2005
Location: florida
Posts: 292
No, but when stored for a while before the final reloading it has a tendancy to get mix....
Superhornet is offline  
Old May 3, 2006, 10:32 AM   #5
1tomcat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 27, 2005
Posts: 147
if you dont trim all your cases to the same length, you might not be belling them enough to start with, I do not trim my 38 and 357 cases but check each case individually as I bell them to be sure.
1tomcat is offline  
Old May 3, 2006, 03:48 PM   #6
JDG
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2005
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 673
I too have seen brass shrink back enough to not accept a bullet, had to re-expand. That was back in the single stage, batch reloading, days. Now I just mass produce sized, primed brass, waiting for more bullets to show up, so I can fire up the turret press
JDG is offline  
Old May 4, 2006, 11:08 AM   #7
44 AMP
Staff
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,677
Brass

The same flexibility and "memory" of brass cases that we rely on for firing doesn't go away. Just as the case "springs" back away from the chamber walls to allow extraction, it could be "unbelling", over time. I have never had it happen to me, or heard of it, but it is theoretically possible.

It sounds like you are using an absolute minimum amount of inside expansion/belling, and if the brass "springs back" you might not have enought flare left to easily start your bullets. Possible, I guess.

Is it all your brass, or just one brand, or one lot? Does it happen every time, if enough time goes by?, or just once in a while?

Try adding just a little more bell to your case mouths (1/8th turn of the expander, or so) and see if the problem reoccurs. I doubt a slight increase in the bell of the case mouth will noticably shorten your case life.
44 AMP is online now  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10774 seconds with 10 queries