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Posted: 7/9/2008 2:35:48 PM EDT
| I am reloading .45ACP on a Dillon XL650. After I seat a bullet, there seems to be a slight, very slight, bulge on the case at the bottom of the seated bullet. I am using mixed brass, mostly WCC and Speer and loading 230 grain solids. I checked the projectiles and they are .451 so that shouldn't be a problem. Any ideas? |
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Most likely not a problem. Sizing dies often squeeze down a case a smidgen more than necessary. When the bullet is seated, it expands the top part of case very slightly. I’ve never noticed it with .45’s, but it happens all the time when I do 9MM’s. My 9MM die is probably just a bit tight. Try the completed rounds in a cartridge gauge to see if they are in specs. If you don’t have a gauge, remove the barrel from your pistol and use it (carefully) as a gauge. This will tell you if you’ve got a problem or not. |
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That phenomenon is called generally referred to a 'coke bottling' of your pistol case. Its caused by the resizer squeezing the case enough so that the ID of the case is a bit smaller than the OD of the bullet. This is necessary to give good bullet retention on a straightwalled case. Not only is it normal, its usually the sign of a solid reload. The crimp isn't what holds your bullet in place but rather the resistance of the bullet on the case wall. BTW, you should set your FCD to only remove the belling of the case mouth, don't over crimp. |
My Lee sizing Die does this. After seating the bullet and using the Lee Factory Crimp die to apply a slight taper crimp to smooth the bell out, the base and the area where the bullet is seated have the same dimensions, while the area in between are a hair smaller...about .004. All of my rounds have chambered and fired perfectly...today was my third reload of this WWB Brass. Man I need to upgrade from the Lee Handpress to a turret. Just started reloading Monday and have almost gone through 500 LSWC's. |
I'd suggest that you consider a progressive instead of the turret if you plan on reloading that kind of quanity. Dillon's 550B, Hornady's LNL, etc., are presses you could consider. |
Thanks For a minute I was wondering what bug shit has to do with pistol reloads. 
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Your Lee FCD crimps and removes the bulge half way down the case? I don't think that's possible. 'Borg |
The FCD die starts sizing as soon as the round enters it, and has a floating bushing (taper crimper) that you adjust for amount of crimp. So yep, the die will remove a bulge halfway down the case, but only crimps near the case mouth. New guy to reloading so forgive any mis-terminology. |
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