Crushed brass while seating bullet, waht hapened?

AL45 · January 11, 2014, 07:52 PM

I have a 2 die set for my 7.35 mm. The bullet seating die says to screw the die into the press until it touches the shell holder. If you want a crimp, screw it IN another 1/4 turn. If you don't want a crimp, screw it OUT 1/2 turn. I decided to crimp and the first one worked fine. The second one crushed the brass down and caused the base of the shoulder to flare out. I could not remove the bullet with a puller. I decided to forget the crimp and everything worked fine. Was it the crimp that caused the crush or something else?

5whiskey · January 11, 2014, 08:29 PM

It is the crimp that crushed the case. Easiest thing to do is skip the crimp altogether. Neck tension is sufficient to hold the bullet in place. If you are going to crimp, I would not try to apply the crimp with the seating die in any rifle caliber. Get a separate crimp die, as using a seating die to crimp as well is finicky.

Seat and crimp isn't that hard to do in a pistol caliber, especially when applying a roll crimp for a revolver round. Again, though, you really don't have to bother with crimping a rifle round... especially when you're going to shoot it out of a bolt rifle.

steve4102 · January 11, 2014, 09:03 PM

Quote:

I have a 2 die set for my 7.35 mm. The bullet seating die says to screw the die into the press until it touches the shell holder. If you want a crimp, screw it IN another 1/4 turn. If you don't want a crimp, screw it OUT 1/2 turn. I decided to crimp and the first one worked fine. The second one crushed the brass down and caused the base of the shoulder to flare out. I could not remove the bullet with a puller. I decided to forget the crimp and everything worked fine. Was it the crimp that caused the crush or something else?

What dies are you using?

All of my dies, Lee, RCBS, Redding, Forster have different direction then you have posted.

The direction should read.

Place a sized case in the shell holder.
Raise the ram all the way to the top.
Screw the seating die into the press until you feel in make contact with the brass case. (not the shell holder)
For no crimp back the die out of the press at least one full turn.

bt380 · January 11, 2014, 10:22 PM

That 7.35mm sounds interesting. The only manual I have that wrote about the cartridge opportunities is Lee 2nd edition. How do you like that round? Do you have a common round you could equate it's behavior to?

Metal god · January 11, 2014, 10:36 PM

steve has it right

The one thing I could add is making sure all the brass is trimmed to the same length . The longer cases will get much more crimp then the shorter ones .

AL45 · January 12, 2014, 12:08 AM

Steve you are right. I should read the instructions better. These are Lee dies and it is now obvious what happened. Most of my reloading has been with the .45 Colt and that die was set a long time ago with a double nut so I don't have to adjust it each time. The brass was all trimmed. I am told that the 7.35mm has similar ballistics to the .300 Savage. It was a caliber that was produced by the Italian army for a short time for their Carcano rifles. Ammunition is hard to find and expensive which is why I am reloading it.

AL45 · January 12, 2014, 12:43 AM

I just re-read my Lee .223 3 die set instructions, and on the bullet seating die, it does say to screw the die until it touches the shellholder and not the case. But that die doesn't crimp since it has a separate factory crimp die. Nonetheless, I need to do a better job of reading instructions. Thanks for setting me straight.

steve4102 · January 12, 2014, 12:56 AM

Quote:

I just re-read my Lee .223 3 die set instructions, and on the bullet seating die, it does say to screw the die until it touches the shellholder and not the case. But that die doesn't crimp since it has a separate factory crimp die. Nonetheless, I need to do a better job of reading instructions. Thanks for setting me straight.

Lee makes two different seating dies. The standard seating die with a built in crimp feature which is what your 7.35 has and their "dead Length" seating die which may be what your 223 die set has.

Your 7.35 instructions.
http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/RM3508.pdf

Your 223 instructions, IF you have the "Ultimate" set.

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/ins...eRifleDies.pdf

January 11, 2014, 07:52 PM	#1
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 761	Crushed brass while seating bullet, waht hapened? I have a 2 die set for my 7.35 mm. The bullet seating die says to screw the die into the press until it touches the shell holder. If you want a crimp, screw it IN another 1/4 turn. If you don't want a crimp, screw it OUT 1/2 turn. I decided to crimp and the first one worked fine. The second one crushed the brass down and caused the base of the shoulder to flare out. I could not remove the bullet with a puller. I decided to forget the crimp and everything worked fine. Was it the crimp that caused the crush or something else?

January 11, 2014, 10:36 PM	#5
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	steve has it right The one thing I could add is making sure all the brass is trimmed to the same length . The longer cases will get much more crimp then the shorter ones . __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again .

January 11, 2014, 08:29 PM	#2
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	It is the crimp that crushed the case. Easiest thing to do is skip the crimp altogether. Neck tension is sufficient to hold the bullet in place. If you are going to crimp, I would not try to apply the crimp with the seating die in any rifle caliber. Get a separate crimp die, as using a seating die to crimp as well is finicky. Seat and crimp isn't that hard to do in a pistol caliber, especially when applying a roll crimp for a revolver round. Again, though, you really don't have to bother with crimping a rifle round... especially when you're going to shoot it out of a bolt rifle.

January 11, 2014, 10:22 PM	#4
bt380 Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2012 Posts: 331	That 7.35mm sounds interesting. The only manual I have that wrote about the cartridge opportunities is Lee 2nd edition. How do you like that round? Do you have a common round you could equate it's behavior to?

January 12, 2014, 12:08 AM	#6
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 761	Steve you are right. I should read the instructions better. These are Lee dies and it is now obvious what happened. Most of my reloading has been with the .45 Colt and that die was set a long time ago with a double nut so I don't have to adjust it each time. The brass was all trimmed. I am told that the 7.35mm has similar ballistics to the .300 Savage. It was a caliber that was produced by the Italian army for a short time for their Carcano rifles. Ammunition is hard to find and expensive which is why I am reloading it.

January 12, 2014, 12:43 AM	#7
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 761	I just re-read my Lee .223 3 die set instructions, and on the bullet seating die, it does say to screw the die until it touches the shellholder and not the case. But that die doesn't crimp since it has a separate factory crimp die. Nonetheless, I need to do a better job of reading instructions. Thanks for setting me straight.