Lead Bullet Question

drklude · May 15, 2013, 09:57 AM

I just got a box of .358 LSWC from Missouri Bullet Company. Up until now I had been loading only plated bullets. I adjusted the depth for the LSWC, but noticed that the seating die was scraping lead off the sides of the bullets. Nothing major, just a slight shaving.

I tried putting slightly more bell in the case mouth to give the bullet more space to seat, and that seemed to solve the issue. After a run through the crimp everything seems back to normal.

I just wanted to double check that this all makes sense. I didn't have any issues with the plated bullets, and I thought the .358 LSWC being a thousandth bigger might have been the cause.

Thanks

TATER · May 15, 2013, 10:20 AM

Your thought process is linear and rational

You increased the bell so you knew it was not the seating die, it was the case its self ..I think you mis-typed.

**Unclenick** · May 15, 2013, 10:29 AM

Yep. Lead is a lot softer than copper and scrapes off more easily. However, take a magnifying glass and look at the case mouths of ammo loaded with jacketed bullets, even commercial ammo, and it's not uncommon to see a thin ring of shaved copper there. To avoid the problem completely you need to bell cases adequately and to burnish the wire edge left by your chamfer tool. It was pointed out to me, I think maybe by Bart B, that a broken screw extractor (e.g., an E-Z Out), with its left hand spiral, can be spun clockwise in a bore with a drill to do the burnishing. Since this doesn't stress the screw extractor significantly, the cheapest ones you can find are good enough.

drklude · May 15, 2013, 02:13 PM

Sounds good. I figured I was heading down the right road, but I wanted to check with people who have infinitely more experience than myself.

Thanks

mehavey · May 15, 2013, 03:57 PM

Quote:

check with people who have infinitely more experience than myself....

That greater "experience" is simply (and directly) correlatable to greater number of mistakes.

Mike / Tx · May 17, 2013, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Quote:
check with people who have infinitely more experience than myself....

That greater "experience" is simply (and directly) correlatable to greater number of mistakes.

There's a WHOLE LOT of truth in that right there.....^^^

drklude · May 18, 2013, 07:51 PM

Haha can't argue with that, I've already made a few mistakes myself, nothing serious, but I'm glad to help others avoid them if possible.

May 15, 2013, 09:57 AM	#1
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 40	Lead Bullet Question I just got a box of .358 LSWC from Missouri Bullet Company. Up until now I had been loading only plated bullets. I adjusted the depth for the LSWC, but noticed that the seating die was scraping lead off the sides of the bullets. Nothing major, just a slight shaving. I tried putting slightly more bell in the case mouth to give the bullet more space to seat, and that seemed to solve the issue. After a run through the crimp everything seems back to normal. I just wanted to double check that this all makes sense. I didn't have any issues with the plated bullets, and I thought the .358 LSWC being a thousandth bigger might have been the cause. Thanks

May 15, 2013, 10:20 AM	#2
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	Your thought process is linear and rational You increased the bell so you knew it was not the seating die, it was the case its self ..I think you mis-typed. Last edited by TATER; May 15, 2013 at 10:25 AM.

May 15, 2013, 10:29 AM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Yep. Lead is a lot softer than copper and scrapes off more easily. However, take a magnifying glass and look at the case mouths of ammo loaded with jacketed bullets, even commercial ammo, and it's not uncommon to see a thin ring of shaved copper there. To avoid the problem completely you need to bell cases adequately and to burnish the wire edge left by your chamfer tool. It was pointed out to me, I think maybe by Bart B, that a broken screw extractor (e.g., an E-Z Out), with its left hand spiral, can be spun clockwise in a bore with a drill to do the burnishing. Since this doesn't stress the screw extractor significantly, the cheapest ones you can find are good enough. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

May 15, 2013, 02:13 PM	#4
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 40	Sounds good. I figured I was heading down the right road, but I wanted to check with people who have infinitely more experience than myself. Thanks

May 18, 2013, 07:51 PM	#7
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 40	Haha can't argue with that, I've already made a few mistakes myself, nothing serious, but I'm glad to help others avoid them if possible.