Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 34

Thread: Brass Prep

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by holmes168 View Post
    Something like this is what concerns me most
    Attachment 26734
    I use range pick up brass. For matches, everything must check OK in my Hundo. Anything that doesn't pass goes into a box marked practice only. Most of the practice ammo runs fine in my Glocks, CZ's, 1911's etc. Once in a while a round won't completely chamber and I just throw it away. Sometimes a round like you have pictured is a bad crimp. I will put them into the hundo upside down to check. I use a Lee sizing die and a Dillon crimp die. I used to use a Lee factory crimp die but quit using it for some reason that I don't remember.

  2. #12
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Wokelandia
    In 9mm, if it chambers I’ll shoot it. In .40... be careful unless your chamber is FULLY supported.
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
    Shabbat shalom, motherf***ers! --Mordechai Jefferson Carver

  3. #13
    Member GuanoLoco's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    I’m assuming 9mm.

    Lee Full Length Sizing Die, not the Lee/EGW U-Die is fine. The U-Die will wear out your arm even with One-shot lubed brass and I’n not convinced it works any better - although it may well overwork your brass and lead to a lot of split cases.

    Heavier bullets that are seated more deeply into a tapered 9mm case may be more problematic.

    Your taper crimp set to about 0.378-0.380”. A hundo case gauge is awesome, but a regular case gauge or even your barrel will do if it is all you have.

    You should be able to minimize the number of case gauge (CG) failures. Check a batch of brass that has been re-size BEFORE you load it - that will give you a clue as to where the problems are starting.

    IMHO stay away from the Factory Crimp Die - by crimping the entire case and (lead) bullet you can reshape it - yes, but the led deforms and doesn’t spring back while the brass case WILL spring back and you are just introducing new problems.

    Separate all your CG failures. You might even try sorting them into 2-3 groups ranging from ‘sticky’ to protrudes the most. Then go shoot them. See what your chamber/gun will reliably chamber and shoot. I’ve learned that my Tanfo Stock 2, Glocks and 9mm Pistol Caliber Carbines seem to run all but the worst CG failures - even split cases, pretty reliably. Other guns may be much pickier.

    Also, some brass is more prone to failing than others - check the head stamps, there may be an avoidable pattern if you want to sort it, but I gave up on that long ago. I’ll pick out stepped brass when I see it but other than that I load everything.

    Good luck with it!
    Last edited by GuanoLoco; 06-02-2018 at 05:42 PM.
    Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?

  4. #14
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Canton GA
    I still load the stepped brass with 124s - see some issues with stepped brass and 147s. YMMV etc.

  5. #15
    I use range pickup brass.
    Subsonic 135 and 147 gr 9mms for IDPA get Dillon sizer, Dillon flare, Hornady seat, Lee CFC. The CFC crimps the mouth and irons out the case near the base where the sizing die radius does not touch. I hardly ever see one with rub marks indicating the Internet Horror of the Squeezed Bullet.
    When I load a batch of 115 gr JHPs for defense load simulation, I use the "U" sizing die. I want to see a pronounced "coke bottle" effect under those short bullets.

    I load 200 SWC -230 gr .45 ACP with Dillon sizer, Dillon flare, Hornady seat, Dillon crimp.
    But 185 - 200 gr JHP get the "U" die, the 185s get a case cannelure, I do not want bullets setting back against the feed ramp.
    I only use a CFC on .45s that fail the gauge.

    I gauge everything. Gauge failures go to practice. I can't recall the last time I had a 9mm that would not chamber in a real gun, but I have seen the very occasional bad .45.
    Code Name: JET STREAM

  6. #16
    Good thread, I need a hundo.
    #RESIST

  7. #17
    Thanks for all the responses. My reloading journey has been by myself so I am just glad I still have all my fingers.
    Will have more questions upcoming.
    This country needs an enema- Blues approved sig line

  8. #18
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Wokelandia
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Watson View Post
    ... The CFC crimps the mouth and irons out the case near the base where the sizing die radius does not touch. I hardly ever see one with rub marks indicating the Internet Horror of the Squeezed Bullet.

    ...I can't recall the last time I had a 9mm that would not chamber in a real gun.
    Exactly. The Lee Factory Crimp die is an excellent way to prevent occasional oversize cases in high-throughput reloading. I don't recommend it for novice reloaders, because as Guanoloco points out it can mask serious problems. I and my buddies have loaded 100's of thousands of 9mm rounds using the Factory Crimp die. The only bullets of mine that got swaged were an out-of-spec batch from a vendor that I do not use anymore. The second ring on the FC die typically doesn't touch, or barely scrapes the case. But, when the case is bulged, the FC die fixes it. It's obvious from the feel of the press stroke, and from inspecting the case, when the second ring of the FC die engages.

    After adding a Mr. Bullet Feeder to my 1050, I lost a station and had to decide between my powder check (RCBS Lockout die) and the FC die. I chose the powder check, and am still not sure it was the right decision. I have more rounds that don't gauge, and that adds a sorting step in my process.

    Oh, yeah, and fucking stepped brass... that causes powder check problems.
    Last edited by Clusterfrack; 06-03-2018 at 11:01 AM.
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
    Shabbat shalom, motherf***ers! --Mordechai Jefferson Carver

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Clusterfrack View Post
    Exactly. The Lee Factory Crimp die is an excellent way to prevent occasional oversize cases in high-throughput reloading. I don't recommend it for novice reloaders, because as Guanoloco points out it can mask serious problems. I and my buddies have loaded 100's of thousands of 9mm rounds using the Factory Crimp die. The only bullets of mine that got swaged were an out-of-spec batch from a vendor that I do not use anymore. The second ring on the FC die typically doesn't touch, or barely scrapes the case. But, when the case is bulged, the FC die fixes it. It's obvious from the feel of the press stroke, and from inspecting the case, when the second ring of the FC die engages.

    After adding a Mr. Bullet Feeder to my 1050, I lost a station and had to decide between my powder check (RCBS Lockout die) and the FC die. I chose the powder check, and am still not sure it was the right decision. I have more rounds that don't gauge, and that adds a sorting step in my process.

    Oh, yeah, and fucking stepped brass... that causes powder check problems.
    Sorting through more brass this morning. Had a few hundred bulged pieces that I tossed into an old coffee can.
    So- just checking before I spend the money...
    The Lee Bulge Buster and the Factory Crimp Die will solve the bulged case problem- then I can throw the formerly bulged cases in with the other brass and then through the Dillon.
    Or do I need the FC Die at all?

    Edit- I am reloading 9mm- the brass bulged out of the cage gauge pretty bad. I am just taking time sorting through up front instead of finding the bulges on the back side.


    Thanks again for the reloading help.

    Matt
    Last edited by holmes168; 06-10-2018 at 10:27 AM.
    This country needs an enema- Blues approved sig line

  10. #20
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Wokelandia
    Quick answers: last time I checked, the bulge-buster is an add-on kit for the FC die.

    My experience is that in 9mm, the FC die will take care of your problems. I've never used a bulge-buster in 9mm.

    They are so cheap, you might as well get both.

    Quote Originally Posted by holmes168 View Post
    Sorting through more brass this morning. Had a few hundred bulged pieces that I tossed into an old coffee can.
    So- just checking before I spend the money...
    The Lee Bulge Buster and the Factory Crimp Die will solve the bulged case problem- then I can throw the formerly bulged cases in with the other brass and then through the Dillon.
    Or do I need the FC Die at all?

    Edit- I am reloading 9mm- the brass bulged out of the cage gauge pretty bad. I am just taking time sorting through up front instead of finding the bulges on the back side.


    Thanks again for the reloading help.

    Matt
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
    Shabbat shalom, motherf***ers! --Mordechai Jefferson Carver

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •