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Old March 13, 2012, 03:14 PM   #1
Ethan.G
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help, having Problem when bullet seating/crimping

Iv been reloading for a while now (couple thousand rifle rounds even more on pistol) on a friends RCBS press but another friend and i finally got around to getting our own, we got Lee because were students and its all we can afford. We are just doing 30/06 rounds now and we ran into a problem i have never seen before.
When seating/crimping (with a lee die) we got about ten through it seemed i set it up correctly they where coming out just Perfect, i was so impressed with myself for setting it right on my first try just using calipers and my brain and some drawings when all of the sudden, I seat one and it feels Terrible, i pulled it out and the shoulder has been pushed down causing a bulge right on the shoulder. I thought maybe i had the die too low but the last 10 where perfect and if i back it out even a quarter of a turn it doesn't crimp. I continued to reload and got 55 out 58 cases perfect with the same die setting please help.

using 30/06 with Hornady 150gr FMJ BT. and 47gr of varget (I know not the best choice, guy at sportsman's convinced me to buy it did research when i got home, now ill never trust the guy again)
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:24 PM   #2
sako2
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are all casings trimmed to the same length.
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:24 PM   #3
m&p45acp10+1
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Did you trim the cases before you started seating bullets?

Also back off the die until it does not crimp. Crimping is not needed on most rifle rounds, until you get to the hard recoiling large bore rounds, or are feeding a tube magazine fed rifle like a lever action. Also it tends to help accuracy a bit as well.

I would place my wager on one of two things. Possibly a little of both.

1. Brass not uniformly trimmed.
2. Over crimp
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:28 PM   #4
Ethan.G
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:31 PM   #5
Ethan.G
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i trimmed them using the lee case trimmer with the gauge that goes in though the neck and out the primer pocket, some of them where Just short of it so they didnt get trimmed. all where reading 2.46 +/- .02. i know its not the best but like i said, broke students
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:34 PM   #6
m&p45acp10+1
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The picture screams over crimping. You do not need to crimp at all for '06. Neck tension should hold the bullets just fine. Back off the die until you seat without crimping.
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:37 PM   #7
Ethan.G
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i thought the same thing about crimping but when i seated the bullet i could push and pull on the bullet and it would slide, i didnt like it so im trying to get the least amount of crimp possible while still having some proper tension.

also thanks for the advice everyone, this forum is full of awesome people
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Old March 13, 2012, 03:44 PM   #8
m&p45acp10+1
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Crimping is not going to help if there is no neck tension. Screw your sizing die down another quarter turn, then check with the seating die to see if there is enough neck tension. If not go down another quarter turn. Sometimes you have to realy cam over a press to get the proper sizing for FL sizing. If it is nekc sizing, do go down another quarter turn at a time, and hold the ram with pressure for a few seconds, some brass is more springy than others, even out of the same box of ammo at times.
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Old March 13, 2012, 04:03 PM   #9
Ethan.G
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alright that makes sense, im using a FL sizing die but ill check it again and holding it down makes sense too, thanks.
Also im not sure if the "decapper" in said die is set properly, is it possible to have it too low? if so would it cause a problem?
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Old March 13, 2012, 04:10 PM   #10
Wyoredman
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I've had cases look exactly like that!! Don't feel bad. You just need to loosen your seating die a turn or so. Also, when sizing, like was mentioned before, turn the die down an extra 1/8 to 1/4 turn more. It will size the neck so you get tension and don't need crimp.

I think we all have made these mistakes when learning. Pull the bullets and save the powder. The cases and primers are probably shot.

Set yor decapper/neck expander so that the pin just clears the case, that way you are not botoming out the expander ball on the case head.
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Old March 13, 2012, 06:28 PM   #11
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Your other contributing problem is that you are not seated deep enough to get the crimp into the deliberate-designed depression of the crimping groove. That will nail you every time when seating and crimping in one operation.
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Old March 14, 2012, 01:57 AM   #12
Ethan.G
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Wyoredman- thanks man, glad to know im not alone here, i was thinking the exact same thing on pulling them, i dont have a problem losing brass and caps if it means i get to keep my face when i shoot



mehavey- i know that one was seated short but i didnt see the point in fixing it for that round, all the other ones where perfect hahaha im not That new to reloading and shooting
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