Another handgun reloading question....

[turd]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I have been reloading .41 Mag for years. I'm no expert, but I have followed all the rules and so far no issues with any of my loads. My die set is a carbide three die set from RCBS that has worked well. My question is when I finish a round, the case walls are not straight, you can see where the base of the bullet is in the case. There is a slight bulge there that continues to the crimp, almost as if the case was resized too much, or the bullet is slightly larger than it should be. Is this cause for alarm? I've had no issues of any kind, it just looks a little weird since new rounds always have a straight case with no variance.

It has been a while since I've done much shooting or reloading (have moved too many times!), but I am looking to start again if I can find components (primers and powder). Thus the questions........

 

[NikA]

Not a concern in my experience. You may be undersizing the brass a bit, which could reduce case life, but in straighwall handguns cases it's probably not worth chasing that down to have them look "factory new".

 

[turd]

Thanks, I was mostly just curious about it.

 

[dannyd]

The only way to get rid of that is with a Redding Duel Ring sizing die, but they don't make one for 41 magnum.

If you look at almost any reloaded rounds you will see that to some extent. Definitely not a problem to shoot just looks.

 

[Cholo]

Nearly all, if not all, of my revolver reloads have that bulge. I also use RCBS dies. I'm about to load 200 357's for the 20th time and then the brass will be retired. The bulge hasn't effected the case life, though NikA is correct in that theoretically it could shorten case life.

One thing's for sure, our cases have one hell of a grip on those bullets LOL

 

[turd]

One thing's for sure, our cases have one hell of a grip on those bullets LOL

That was my thought as well.

 

[DeletedMember275]

My Lyman .357 dies leave the loaded rounds coke-bottle shaped. They fit the chambers and shoot just fine; they just look funny.

 

[Mobuck]

Length of bullet shank may not be compatible with internal case shape.
I had issues when loading Federal 147 HST bullets in non-Federal cases. A LEE factory crimp die (?) did the trick but I sort of wonder what it does to the bullet base when it smushed the case straight again. Better solution: use only FEDERAL cases for those bullets.

 

[OM41]

Use a Lee factory crimp die

 

[Ka6otm]

Use a Lee factory crimp die

I use them in all my handgun loads as well as .223/5.56

They won't fix what the OP is posting about though.

 

[Mobuck]

"They won't fix what the OP is posting about though."
They did on my 9mm loads.

 

[Ka6otm]

"They won't fix what the OP is posting about though."
They did on my 9mm loads.

So you're saying the Lee FCD took out the hourglass shape from the case? The only way that could happen is if it squeezed the bullet in on all sides and thus elongated the bullet. Is that what happened? If so, was it a lead bullet, not jacketed or plated.

 

[turd]

Good question.

 

[noahmercy]

If you are loading for only one firearm, a way to eliminate the "wasp waist" and also extend the life of the brass is to neck size only. By running the case into the sizing die just as far as the bullet protrudes into it, neck tension is maintained, but the rest of the case is not being swaged down and then blown back out during firing. I have also loaded my most accurate ammunition this way, as the cases have been fireformed to the chambers and hold the bullet in alignment better than a loose-fitting cartridge.

Mind you, this is really only applicable to rimmed revolver cartridges. And on magnum rounds, after a couple firings, they will need to be full length sized due to being tough to extract and near impossible to get back into the chambers.

 

[turd]

Thank you. Good info, I think I will try this. I was going to get a Lee Factory Crimp die to try, but this may be a better idea to try. I load very few full bore loads, preferring to use factory ammo for hunting. It will be interesting to see how this works.

As I said earlier, there are no issues with the "wasp waist" loads, they just look strange and I wondered how much the brass was being 'worked' by totally resizing, then blowing back out.....

I have only reloaded .41 Mag, so I'm good with trying this. They are a fairly long case, so it should work to just resize to the depth of the bullet I use. I may make a bushing to set the depth so I am resizing the 'neck' consistently. I mostly use the same bullet as well as the same revolver.

 

[Cholo]

turd, you're not overworking your brass. Right now I'm taking a short break from loading 70's nickel 357 brass for the 20th time and I havn't even had so much as a single split case mouth. They have not been loaded hot. On every single one of the 150 I just loaded I can see the outline of the bullet in the brass, that bulge you're talking about.

I think neck sizing straight walled handgun brass is providing a solution to a non existent problem.

Why not call up the company that makes your bullets and see if they recommend neck sizing 41 Magnum brass?

My 2¢.

 

[turd]

Cholo - yeah, I know. I'm just bored and looking for something to do. This kind of interests me, so...... The same with trimming them. I'm going to do it once, just to see if there is any difference in length, not because I need to. I'm retired, it is cold out, we have about 2 feet of snow covering everything. It has been a number of years and three complete interstate moves since I have reloaded for my .41s, and I am still looking for some of my 'stuff' to get going again.

 

[OM41]

With me it was a bulge like the OP stated, loading plated bullets, it wasn't many but at least one would not chamber, all were put thru a Lee FCD, all chambered and fired.

 

[Cholo]

Cholo - yeah, I know. I'm just bored and looking for something to do.

I understand that! I just hope you're "looking for something to do" doesn't include the ever so endearing task of playing: Now I Need To Pull The Bullets LOL

 

[kmoore]

I never counted how many times any of the handgun brass I load has been reloaded. I am only loading 9mm, 40 S&W, 38spl, 357 and 45 auto rim at range practice power. The nickel cases finally neck split, or the nickel is worn off them and they get tossed.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I use them in all my handgun loads as well as .223/5.56

They won't fix what the OP is posting about though.

Correct. Rifle FCD and pistol FCD aren't the same and don't do the same things.

"They won't fix what the OP is posting about though."
They did on my 9mm loads.

9mm cases are tapered. .41 Magnum is straight wall.

Several things to consider. Bullet profile is "long" for the case (the brass gets thicker as you go from the mouth to the head). The bullet is fat. The dies are under-sizing...those mostly won't hurt anything. Neck size as suggested above.

I like the Lee FCD and use it for pistol and rifle but it won't fix the bulged brass.

 

[harley08]

Nearly all, if not all, of my revolver reloads have that bulge. I also use RCBS dies. I'm about to load 200 357's for the 20th time and then the brass will be retired. The bulge hasn't effected the case life, though NickA is correct in that theoretically it could shorten case life.

One thing's for sure, our cases have one hell of a grip on those bullets LOL

Next time Reload them light as .38 specials.
and use them this way until the brass cracks, them sell them as scrap to a metal recycler.

 

[KRuger]

I run into the same thing using RCBS dies and the Lee FCD. Unless it creates a problem chambering or is so obvious and extreme as to be unable to overlook, I don't worry about it. I've come to believe that neck tension is as critical as the crimp.
Most of my "good" brass (known history) has been loaded 5 times or less and no neck splitting. My "trash" brass (unknown history and light loads only) have been my only splits. Neck splits in nickle brass. I'm talking straight wall pistol brass here.
When it comes to rifle brass; I'm contiually using my Wilson case guage.
KRuger

 

[Cholo]

Next time Reload them light as .38 specials.
and use them this way until the brass cracks, them sell them as scrap to a metal recycler.

They have been loaded light for most of their life--3 grs of Bullseye and a 150 gr wadcutter. That's pretty darn light. They're being retired because the primer pockets are starting to get loose. It takes very little effort to seat the primers.

Second: Old, as in the 70's, Winchester nickel 357 brass is really good brass! I still have some of it unloaded. Unfortunately, it seems to be thicker than Starline brass and I don't believe it's only the nickel coating. None of it will fit in my Ruger Old Model Flattops, though it plunks right into other 357's. Starline loaded brass plunks right into my old FT's. Hmmm...

 

[rotor]

I ammo check everything I load. If it’s good it gets shot. I have never had a cartridge with the slight bullet bulge that didn’t pass the ammo checker. I use Lee dies and a FCD if they make one.

 

[Ride1949]

For that nickel coated, or thicker brass cases, Lee makes undersize case sizer die. (I prefer the carbide dies) They work pretty good.

https://leeprecision.com/undersize-sizing-dies/

 

[Cholo]

↑ I don't see how that would work for the instances we're talking about. As soon as I seat my .358 bullet it will expand the brass to exactly the same width as if I'd used my standard carbide sizing die.

Am I missing something?

 

[Ride1949]

Nope. Didn't notice you were using .358 bullets. You're right. It wouldn't make any difference.

 

[Cholo]

Thanks for the tip, anyway