newbie question

M14MSgt · November 4, 2009, 04:07 PM

Hi - just starting in reloading. Got a RCBS turret press with RCBS dies for .44-40. Interested in CAS type loads for steel plinking. When crimping the case during the bullet seating step, the cases showed some slight bulging, which, when I tried to insert finished rounds into the cylinder of my .44-40 pistol, they would not fit. How can I eliminate this? Also, it is vital that I crimp these cartridges? When I did some without the crimp, they fired fine out of my .44-40 pistol.

crimsondave · November 4, 2009, 04:25 PM

Did you expand your cases enough before seating the bullet?

M14MSgt · November 4, 2009, 04:55 PM

yes...pretty sure. Not too much that the bullet would "drop" right in, but enough so you could just set it into the mouth of the case.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · November 4, 2009, 05:10 PM

You are probably applying too much crimp. Back off on the crimp a little and see if that helps. Good luck!

Christchild · November 4, 2009, 05:24 PM

*1) Make sure the case mouths are Belled/Expanded. This is done with the Expander Die. The Expander Die houses an Expander Plug. Adjust Die Height to adjust the amount of Bell/Expansion.

*2) Seat all the bullets (in the batch) first, then crimp them all, seperately.

The best way to get uniform crimping is to make sure Your cases are trimmed to a uniform length. Uniform case lengths encourage uniform crimps, which helps with more uniform pressures, usually improving accuracy.

November 4, 2009, 04:07 PM	#1
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	newbie question Hi - just starting in reloading. Got a RCBS turret press with RCBS dies for .44-40. Interested in CAS type loads for steel plinking. When crimping the case during the bullet seating step, the cases showed some slight bulging, which, when I tried to insert finished rounds into the cylinder of my .44-40 pistol, they would not fit. How can I eliminate this? Also, it is vital that I crimp these cartridges? When I did some without the crimp, they fired fine out of my .44-40 pistol.

November 4, 2009, 05:10 PM	#4
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	You are probably applying too much crimp. Back off on the crimp a little and see if that helps. Good luck! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

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November 4, 2009, 04:25 PM	#2
crimsondave Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2009 Location: North Augusta, SC Posts: 490	Did you expand your cases enough before seating the bullet?

November 4, 2009, 04:55 PM	#3
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	yes...pretty sure. Not too much that the bullet would "drop" right in, but enough so you could just set it into the mouth of the case.

November 4, 2009, 05:24 PM	#5
Christchild Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2009 Location: Loadbenchville, Bolt 02770 Posts: 544	1) Make sure the case mouths are Belled/Expanded. This is done with the Expander Die. The Expander Die houses an Expander Plug. Adjust Die Height to adjust the amount of Bell/Expansion. 2) Seat all the bullets (in the batch) first, then crimp them all, seperately. The best way to get uniform crimping is to make sure Your cases are trimmed to a uniform length. Uniform case lengths encourage uniform crimps, which helps with more uniform pressures, usually improving accuracy.