223 case bulge ?

rebs · August 15, 2012, 03:32 PM

I loaded some 223 using dog town 55 gr soft point flat base bullets and a few came out with a bulge right at the shoulder where the pen is pointing, is this from the flat base bullet pressing the case before the bullet slide in the case ? Any other cause ?

**Brian Pfleuger** · August 15, 2012, 05:06 PM

I'm going to guess that you've got the body of the seating die too far down.

snuffy · August 15, 2012, 05:12 PM

Case length is too long, those are over-crimped. Trim them all to the same over-all-case-length, then set the crimp to one, they'll all crimp the same.

oldpapps · August 15, 2012, 05:12 PM

Re-adjust the seating die. You are causing a set back, shoving the neck into the shoulder. Other than not being able to chamber, they are ok

Enjoy and be safe,

OSOK

603Country · August 15, 2012, 06:12 PM

If you didn't chamfer the mouth of the case, you could have hung the flat base on the case rim and caused the problem. The other answers are all good ones, and are more likely to have caused the bulge, but nobody answered your specific question.

m&p45acp10+1 · August 16, 2012, 07:52 PM

That picture screams of too much crimp. As has been said back the seating die off some. Follow the die makers instructions for seating without crimping. If you still wish to crimp then seat, and crimp in seperate steps. That will more likely than not solve the problem.

rebs · August 17, 2012, 01:15 PM

I loaded 50 rounds with no change idie adjustment and only 3 cases came out this way. Is this possible because of loading flat base bullets and some didn't enter the case mouth right ?

rebs · August 17, 2012, 01:18 PM

Quote:

That picture screams of too much crimp. As has been said back the seating die off some. Follow the die makers instructions for seating without crimping. If you still wish to crimp then seat, and crimp in seperate steps. That will more likely than not solve the problem.

I am not crimping at all. I know the bullets have a crimp groove but I seat only to the middle of the groove. Not using any crimp.

**Brian Pfleuger** · August 17, 2012, 02:39 PM

If your bullet was catching on the neck it would crush the neck where it was catching, not nearly uniform around the whole body.
If the case looks like that after seating and not before, I'd virtually guarantee that the seating die is adjusted far too low in the press and it's crushing the case.

Simple solution. Unscrew the seating plug almost all the way. Remove the die from the press. Insert a sized case and raise the ram. Screw the die down until it contacts the case. Unscrew the die 2 turns and tighten the lock ring.

Now go back trying to seat bullets and adjusting the seating stem until you get the length you want. The cases won't be crushed anymore.

snuffy · August 17, 2012, 03:47 PM

Quote:

I am not crimping at all. I know the bullets have a crimp groove but I seat only to the middle of the groove. Not using any crimp.

Yes you are!

Because as I said, you have a few cases that are longer, those ran into the crimp ring in the die. Simple to solve. 1, trim all the cases to the same length AFTER sizing. 2, back the die OUT/UP/AWAY from the the shell holder one turn. Now adjust the seater back down to seat to whatever length you want.

rebs · August 17, 2012, 03:55 PM

I will adjust the seating die like suggested.
Thank you for the replies I appreciate it

hunter52 · August 18, 2012, 04:37 PM

I agree with the others that your seating die needing adjusted as to a possible cause for bulged shoulders but...From where I sit it does appear that the bullet has contacted the lip and pushed it down, there is a noticeable dip in the case mouth just above the shoulder bulge. So it is quite possible that had something to do with the bulging.

August 15, 2012, 03:32 PM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 1,599	223 case bulge ? I loaded some 223 using dog town 55 gr soft point flat base bullets and a few came out with a bulge right at the shoulder where the pen is pointing, is this from the flat base bullet pressing the case before the bullet slide in the case ? Any other cause ?

August 15, 2012, 05:06 PM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,522	I'm going to guess that you've got the body of the seating die too far down. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. -C.S. Lewis He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

August 15, 2012, 05:12 PM	#3
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 2,513	Case length is too long, those are over-crimped. Trim them all to the same over-all-case-length, then set the crimp to one, they'll all crimp the same. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

August 16, 2012, 07:52 PM	#6
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,117	That picture screams of too much crimp. As has been said back the seating die off some. Follow the die makers instructions for seating without crimping. If you still wish to crimp then seat, and crimp in seperate steps. That will more likely than not solve the problem. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

August 17, 2012, 02:39 PM	#9
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,522	If your bullet was catching on the neck it would crush the neck where it was catching, not nearly uniform around the whole body. If the case looks like that after seating and not before, I'd virtually guarantee that the seating die is adjusted far too low in the press and it's crushing the case. Simple solution. Unscrew the seating plug almost all the way. Remove the die from the press. Insert a sized case and raise the ram. Screw the die down until it contacts the case. Unscrew the die 2 turns and tighten the lock ring. Now go back trying to seat bullets and adjusting the seating stem until you get the length you want. The cases won't be crushed anymore. Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; August 17, 2012 at 04:51 PM. Reason: Correct the spell correct.

August 15, 2012, 05:12 PM	#4
oldpapps Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2011 Location: Middle America Posts: 297	Re-adjust the seating die. You are causing a set back, shoving the neck into the shoulder. Other than not being able to chamber, they are ok Enjoy and be safe, OSOK

August 15, 2012, 06:12 PM	#5
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 1,711	If you didn't chamfer the mouth of the case, you could have hung the flat base on the case rim and caused the problem. The other answers are all good ones, and are more likely to have caused the bulge, but nobody answered your specific question.

August 17, 2012, 01:15 PM	#7
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 1,599	I loaded 50 rounds with no change idie adjustment and only 3 cases came out this way. Is this possible because of loading flat base bullets and some didn't enter the case mouth right ?

August 17, 2012, 03:55 PM	#11
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 1,599	I will adjust the seating die like suggested. Thank you for the replies I appreciate it

August 18, 2012, 04:37 PM	#12
hunter52 Member Join Date: January 27, 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 86	I agree with the others that your seating die needing adjusted as to a possible cause for bulged shoulders but...From where I sit it does appear that the bullet has contacted the lip and pushed it down, there is a noticeable dip in the case mouth just above the shoulder bulge. So it is quite possible that had something to do with the bulging.