I meesed up, Can I save them?

[PurpleFox]

So I just got all of my reloading stuff and was prepping my first batch of cases. When it came time to flare the mouth, I thought I had adjusted per Lymans instructions. Well Of course I did about 100 pieces of brass. They are flared too much to go into the bullet seating die, or the sizing die. I should have done one and tested it, obviously, but I didn't.

These are .357 cases. I have a trimmer, and I could trim them all down. I trimmed one to see, and to get it to fit It ends up at 1.21", which is several hundredth's of an inch shorter than spec. Is this OK to do and still load at normal loads, or did I just ruin 100 pieces of brass?

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

How wide are the mouths now? Maybe a sizing or seating die for another cal can squeeze them down enough to fit into the .357 sizer.

 

[PurpleFox]

I thought about that, but the problem is I only have 2 die sets right now. 357/38 and 204 Ruger

 

[mattsbox99]

Try stuffing one in the sizer die... Its tight and you may have to get a head start at it but it should work. I've flared cases too far before.

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If you can't get them sized down, you can trim them to .38 Special length and use .38 Special data to load them, do NOT use .357 Mag data in the shorter case.

 

[BCB]

You must have put one gawd awful bell on them for them not to go back into the sizing die…

You might try putting the sizing die in place and a belled case in the press. Move the case to touch the sizing die. This will help align it properly. Move the lever so the case is about 1/8” below the sizing die and then “tap” the case again the sizing die using the press lever. A bit of tapping, easily, sometimes will start to close the bell enough to let it enter the die…

Trimming would be O.K. but it will reduce case capacity a bit. Starting loads should be O.K. and then go from there…

Are you able to trim them with the exaggerated bell in place?...

Good-luck…BCB

 

[PurpleFox]

yeah, I trimmed one just to see what size it would be. They looked wide when I was done, but I adjusted the die per lyman's directions. Obviously I need to back it out a bit. I'll try tapping it to see if they will fit

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

Or, trim to the SAAMI trim-to length. If they are longer than that, trimming will reduce the bell a bit. Maybe enough to easily get into the sizer.

I have waaay over expanded. Put a .44 mag in the expander set up for .44 Spl. Would not go into the sizer. But would go into the Redding Profile Crimp die. Partially into that, then into the sizer.

 

[J Miller]

Go get a length of steel rod and slip it into the case. Then roll the case on a hard flat surface and that will remove some or most of the excessive flare. After that I'd run them through the sizer again and redo the flare ... carefully.

Joe

 

[Donaldjr1969]

I too have over-flared a couple cases before. My first few looked the Liberty Bell when they came out of the expander die.

PurpleFox, is it possible that you followed the directions on how to adjust the dies for 38 Special? If I recall, the Lyman 357 dies are set up to do both calibers. You could very well have set your expander die for 38 Special. and ran into this issue when expanding the 357 case.

I concur with others about trimming the case and will say that you could even trim down to 38 Special length. You could then load them hot, but not to hot magnum pressure levels until you are certain you will not run into overpressure situations. After all, Elmer Keith was loading 38Specials to Magnum power levels before the 357 was commercially released. I would probably use a powder such as Titegroup and start at the upper end of 38special and work up to the lower end of 357 Magnum levels.

 

[PurpleFox]

I may have very well done it to 38 specs, but the booklet with them doesn't say one way or the other. These dies were my grandpas and are older than I am. The instructions are pretty vague and appear to be written to be included with many calibers.

I will try using a rod and rolling them. I got a few that I rolled on my bench and got to fit, but my thumbs were hurting after about 5 of them

 

[Donaldjr1969]

Do you have any more brass that you have not ran through your dies yet? Because for 357, I would probably back your expander plug out 3 turns and then start flaring some cases. Now 3 turns may indeed be too much and you may not even get a flare. But from there, you can screw the plug in while stopping every ¼ to ½ turn and running that same case through the expander until you get satisfactory results.

For craps and giggles, I checked the Lyman site and saw that the same part number is used for 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and 357 Maximum. Now I did notice how you wrote that the dies are older than you. And I am assuming that they have a expander plug that screws in/out like current Lyman dies.

 

[PurpleFox]

Yes, the expander die has a plug that is threaded. It is entirely possible that the dies will also do 357 maximum rounds as well, my dad had a 357 maximum once and used this die set when he reloaded

And I do have about 75 pieces of brass that I haven't done anything with. I have also been able to save about 8 of the 10 or 11 I messed up. Luckily I didn't pay for any of this brass, but it still sucks. I know I will definately run one case all the way through next time I make any changes instead of going full steam

 

[Dan in MI]

Go get a length of steel rod and slip it into the case. Then roll the case on a hard flat surface and that will remove some or most of the excessive flare. After that I'd run them through the sizer again and redo the flare ... carefully.

Joe

+1 although I was going to, errrrr.... have, used , a wood dowell rod.

 

[Mike Mulligan]

Yes, the expander die has a plug that is threaded. It is entirely possible that the dies will also do 357 maximum rounds as well, my dad had a 357 maximum once and used this die set when he reloaded

And I do have about 75 pieces of brass that I haven't done anything with. I have also been able to save about 8 of the 10 or 11 I messed up. Luckily I didn't pay for any of this brass, but it still sucks. I know I will definately run one case all the way through next time I make any changes instead of going full steam

This is only minor "suckage". Better to ruin some free brass early on than something more valuable later.

 

[mikld]

Go get a length of steel rod and slip it into the case. Then roll the case on a hard flat surface and that will remove some or most of the excessive flare. After that I'd run them through the sizer again and redo the flare ... carefully.

Joe

I'd try this if I couldn't just feed the cases into the size die. Brass is pretty maliable, (shapable?) so forcing it back into the sizing die would be just a matter of how much force you want to put on your press. Rifle necks are often swaged up or down for wildcats, etc., in one pass...

These cases aren't primed? If so, you'll need to take out the depriming rod...

 

[PurpleFox]

Nope, they are all unprimed, I have a hand primer and don't prime on the press

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Next time just do one or two cases and check that the bullet will just start into the case. If you need some brass (357 mag) let me know and I will send you some. 8)

...Jimbo

 

[PurpleFox]

Yes I learned my lesson. Thanks for the offer. I am going to see how many I can save. I am hoping I have enough to start developing loads for a few purposes. The range isn't too far, but with my college classes and work its the time that's hard to come buy. I hate statistics :shock: