The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 15, 2015, 07:16 PM   #1
MrNick
Junior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2015
Posts: 2
Trouble seating bullets

I have been having trouble seating my 45 acp 185 gr JHP bullets. The bullets measure .450" and the case Id after expanding measures .449 to .450. If I don't get the bullet just right on the case I will crush the side of the case. I have set the expander down lower until it touches the shell plate with no improvement. I am using Lee dies on a loadmaster. Has anyone had this problem?
MrNick is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 07:47 PM   #2
F. Guffey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 18, 2008
Posts: 7,249
When I bell the case I put enough bell on it to start the bullet, for pistol. Rifle/bottle neck cases when seating bullets the neck is sized then expanded with the sizing ball and the inside of the case neck is beveled.\

F. Guffey
F. Guffey is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 08:05 PM   #3
Gster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 2, 2012
Location: N.central Pa.
Posts: 302
With the Lee expanding/powder through dies, the .45acp was the only one I had this trouble with when adjusted to the directions screw the die in untill it touches the shell holder then back out one full turn). I crushed a few myself. After i turned the die in to get enough bell to be able to set a bullet to just enter the casemouth...everything started to work as it should. no more crushed cases.
__________________
Gun control means: Being able to hit what you are shooting at.
Gster is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 08:08 PM   #4
condor bravo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
Quick and easy solution it seems. The case necks just need some additional flaring. You seem to say that the expander die is screwed all the way down to the shell holder but is the expander stem within the die screwed down far enough to do the flaring? Or does the Loadmaster use the powder die expander system; those familiar with the Loadmaster can relate to that. At any rate the problem should be solved momentarily or sooner as others check in on the Loadmaster. In the meantime don't crush any more cases. Just a matter of getting the flaring system adjusted properly.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??
condor bravo is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 08:15 PM   #5
Tinbucket
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 17, 2015
Posts: 355
Trouble seating bullets

Some bullets are hard to seat because they have no taper on the heel at all.
I don't like to bell cases for autos too much.
Tinbucket is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 09:01 PM   #6
MrNick
Junior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2015
Posts: 2
Problem solved. Condor Bravo got me thinking. Operator error. I did not have the powder dispenser screwed down all the way. There is a sleeve in the powder dispenser that pushes the expander die down. After screwing the dispenser down I gained another .001" in neck expansion. Just enough to start the bullet. The bullets that I am using have a pretty sharp radius at the base making them a little harder to start anyway. Thanks for the help. Saved by the Forum.
MrNick is offline  
Old July 15, 2015, 09:48 PM   #7
condor bravo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
You're very welcome. Always pleased to be of some service. Thanks and acknowledgements go to all who contributed. We always appreciate a reply of success.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??

Last edited by condor bravo; July 15, 2015 at 10:48 PM.
condor bravo is offline  
Old July 16, 2015, 10:55 AM   #8
Longshot4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2014
Posts: 868
I don't want to get too far off the subject but since I suspect I will soon be purchasing some 230gr. FMJ for my 45 ACP. What make bullets are you having the sharp base problem with?
Longshot4 is offline  
Old July 16, 2015, 11:40 AM   #9
mikld
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 7, 2009
Location: Southern Oregon!
Posts: 2,891
The 45 ACP Lee powder through die I had didn't have enough taper to flare the case before it hit a "ridge" or "step" in the expander. Solution? Flaring die from RCBS...

Hint; don't worry about case life shortening by "over flaring" now. Use as much as necessary to seat your bullets straight. 45 ACP brass is readily available and cheap so if you lose 5 or 8 reloadings to split mouths, no big deal. Get good shootable ammo now, and sweat the small stuff later...
__________________
My Anchor is holding fast!
I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...
mikld is offline  
Old July 16, 2015, 11:45 AM   #10
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,484
Are you getting good "bullet pull" with a .450" bullet in a .449"+ case neck?

I once had some undersize bullets like that and it was the very devil to get them seated firmly enough to not set back against the feed ramp.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old July 17, 2015, 05:52 PM   #11
noylj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 21, 2007
Location: Between CA and NM
Posts: 856
Your bullets are too small. The case should ideally be 0.001-0.002" under bullet diameter for max bullet hold. More is waste as the case will be expanded or the bullet will be swaged down and less gives you the problem you are writing about.
1) Get larger bullets. SAAMI specifies 0.452" nominal for jacketed and 0.453" nominal for lead, though common is 0.451" jacketed and 0.452" lead (as long as the diameter is at least 0.001" over actual groove diameter). Are these really jacketed or are they plated bullets? With plated, I have had problems with undersized bullets, but never with jacketed.
2) Get a smaller expander plug/stem or try not expanding at all.
3) Complain to bullet manufacturer and ask for their "fix."
noylj is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06817 seconds with 10 queries