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Posted: 8/23/2013 11:47:48 AM EDT
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After following along here, reading and rereading the Lyman, Hornady and Sierra manuals, I finally started my first reloads last night!
So I have questions this morning, of course. My issue is out of 140 pieces of brass I can't get 4 of them to case gage properly. They are all PMC too. I gaged every case after sizing. Maybe a half a dozen needed a second pass through to gage properly but these 4 still aren't even after 5 or 6 passes through the die. This brass is about an even number of PMC, RP and Federal A/E. I fired the factory rounds out of my pistol (Colt 1911) so I know their history (once fired) and wanted to use them for load development. I will use the same headstamp to compare groups. I'm using a Forster Co-Ax press and Redding dies (carbide sizer). I haven't tried with lube for troubleshooting. I can press them in the gage with a slight amount of effort and then tapping on the bench or pressing with a pencil will get the case out but nothing like the fall right in and fall right action of the gaged ones. I have the die set to lightly contact the shell holder per the instructions. I have tried more and less contact with the same results. These cases fit in my barrel but snugly and again, need to be pushed out. I could see adjusting the die to address this for a bottle necked case to set back the shoulder more but it is only squeezing down the case on the 45 isn't it? How could it squeeze the others and not squeeze these the same amount? Is it possibly a difference in the brass and these bad ones springing back or some thing? Should I discard these cases? Thank you for any input. |
| Compare your sized case measurements here Look for a bulge near the case head. Some feed ramps/chambers, if modified, will leave a bulge form that the die may not remove. |
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Do they drop into a pistol chamber?
Well, no they don't "drop" in. I can get them in with a little force. They won't just fall back out either. If it's bugging you, pitch those cases. Shit... I hate sizing them once.. no damned way I'm doing it multiple times. I might just do that. Make one of Dryflash's pipes out of one and toss the rest. Lifes to short to drink bad beer and deal with 4 cases that won't behave. Test the cases by turning them around in the gage to find out if the hand up is on the rims, either one that is too large in diameter, or has a burr or nick. They spin evenly. Progressively harder as they are inserted into the gage but no gotcha there it is moment. No burrs at all. It's just like they are simply too large to drop in. No rhyme or reason to the location either. Some stop half way up the case and others get pretty close to the head before they stop in the gage. Compare your sized case measurements here Look for a bulge near the case head. Some feed ramps/chambers, if modified, will leave a bulge form that the die may not remove. No bulges. I will have to check the measurements. I guess I might be over cautious since I'm just getting started. The book says to gage them after sizing but this wouldn't be possible on a progressive press. What is normal? Just gaging after seating/crimping? |
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Quoted: Do they drop into a pistol chamber? Well, no they don't "drop" in. I can get them in with a little force. They won't just fall back out either. If it's bugging you, pitch those cases. Shit... I hate sizing them once.. no damned way I'm doing it multiple times. I might just do that. Make one of Dryflash's pipes  out of one and toss the rest. Lifes to short to drink bad beer and deal with 4 cases that won't behave.Test the cases by turning them around in the gage to find out if the hand up is on the rims, either one that is too large in diameter, or has a burr or nick. They spin evenly. Progressively harder as they are inserted into the gage but no gotcha there it is moment. No burrs at all. It's just like they are simply too large to drop in. No rhyme or reason to the location either. Some stop half way up the case and others get pretty close to the head before they stop in the gage. Compare your sized case measurements here Look for a bulge near the case head. Some feed ramps/chambers, if modified, will leave a bulge form that the die may not remove. No bulges. I will have to check the measurements. I guess I might be over cautious since I'm just getting started. The book says to gage them after sizing but this wouldn't be possible on a progressive press. What is normal? Just gaging after seating/crimping? First lets make sure your sizing die is set correctly. I'm thinking it isn't, because cases are not dropping into your chamber. Raise ram all the way up. How much gap is between the bottom of the die and the shellholder? With carbide dies, you don't want them to touch. But there should be just a little gap. Not a lot. Waiting for answer. |
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Dryflash, I should have said a Lemi-Shine scoop. I thought you refered to it the other way in the wet tumbling tutorial. Either way, sorry. I didn't mean to make you frown.
As far as the die setting, I had the die making light contact with the shell holder per Redding's directions. There wasn't any gap set this way. I just backed it off maybe 1/8 of a turn so there is a very slight gap now. I ran these 4 pieces of brass through with no change. I have tried it with light contact on the shell holder, firm contact and now this 1/8 turn backed off. All the same result. The other 136 cases went through the gage fine as well as dropped into and out of the barrel of the pistol. Just not sure what is up with these 4. I'm not worried about 4 cases. More, I'm just trying to sort out the process so I know what is normal and what isn't. |
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With a Coax press, there is a limit how far down you can set the die. I have to push to the limit to get some types of .308 brass to chamber in a couple of my rifles (and pass the case gage).
When shooting a mix of brass, range brass especially, not uncommon to find some that will never pass the case gage no matter what you do. Its more unusual if they will not drop into the chamber of the disassembled barrel (pistol brass). Don't work on them any more, toss them. if its a very small percentage Many of us never use a case gage for reloading straight wall pistol brass. I load all manner of .45 ACP range brass, the only failure I ever have is occasionally I load SWC bullets too long and they hang up on one of my pistols, just have to seat a little deeper. I can't remember when I've had a failure with 9mm reloads with my Glock 19. For me the test is at the range, and I never have a failure due to brass not fitting in the chamber. (I don't shoot competition with handguns, and I use factory loads for self defense.) |
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Quoted: Dryflash, I should have said a Lemi-Shine scoop. I thought you refered to it the other way in the wet tumbling tutorial. Either way, sorry. I didn't mean to make you frown. That was a comment by a poster, meant as a joke. Don't worry about it.  Quoted: Dryflash, I should have said a Lemi-Shine scoop. I thought you refered to it the other way in the wet tumbling tutorial. Either way, sorry. I didn't mean to make you frown. That was a comment by a poster, meant as a joke. Don't worry about it. As far as the die setting, I had the die making light contact with the shell holder per Redding's directions. There wasn't any gap set this way. I just backed it off maybe 1/8 of a turn so there is a very slight gap now. I ran these 4 pieces of brass through with no change. I have tried it with light contact on the shell holder, firm contact and now this 1/8 turn backed off. All the same result. The other 136 cases went through the gage fine as well as dropped into and out of the barrel of the pistol. Just not sure what is up with these 4. I'm not worried about 4 cases. More, I'm just trying to sort out the process so I know what is normal and what isn't. Well sounds like you are sizing all you can. All I know is my RCBS carbide sizer does great on PMC cases, and all other brands. I have my dies adjusted to have about a .025 gap.
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I have similar issues with about 5% of my mixed brass .45 reloads not fully passing the case gauge plunk test - and the failed cartridges have been PMC cases exclusively.
Out of 100 cases, maybe 50% are PMC, and of those about 5 might not case gauge nicely. The other half of the brass (Fed, RP, misc) consistently pass 100% of the time. One had a burr as described above that was preventing it from fully entering the case gauge. The other cases seemed too fat, just as you are describing, right at the web. I'm using Hornady dies on a lock 'n load AP press. Sizing die has light contact with the shell plate. All of the "trouble" cases dropped neatly and "plunked" loud and clear in the one .45 barrel I had handy, a RIA GI. I set those rounds aside for use in that gun. If I have time next time I go to the range, I might try to put those through my Wilson. I'm not sweating it - I would probably sing a different tune if these weren't just plinking rounds. |
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