Lee Crimp die and brass shavings

[Barkis]

Someone tell me what I am doing wrong. I have a Lee carbide die set for 38/357. When I crimp my bullets, a thin ring/half ring of brass is shaved off of the top of the case. This occurs in both 38s and .357s and I cannot figure out why. It happens on heavy, medium and light crimps. -- Barkis

 

[AGE Ranger]

One possible problem is the mouth of the case might be expanded to much. Try run crimping a round slowly without the bullet and see how it feels. If you feel it stick toward the top look at it and see if you see anything.

Make sure the die isn't dirty or damaged.

Good luck

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Without actually seeing the brass and die, I don't have much to suggest except to ask if you've deburred the case mouths on the outside, taken the die apart and given it a good cleaning, and are putting enough flare on the case to allow the bullet to self center on seating.

I've seen a little residue (shavings) from sharp edged brass when using the standard seating/crimp die to do both jobs in a single operation, though rings have usually been lead, rather than brass. Haven't seen it happen when seating and crimping in separate operations, whether using the standard seating/crimp die or the Factory Crimp Die.

Then, if you clean the die body exactly the same way you do your pistol barrel, with a rod, bronze brush, and patches, you may find a sharp or rough spot. If so, sometimes it's possible to polish it out, or the die may need to be sent back.

Lee also has some videos on their website that show some adjustments being done ever so slightly differently than the printed instructions describe. In one of those "a picture's worth a thousand words" fashions, there might be a helpful hint in there to cure the problem just thru a simple die adjustment. I've seen some problems with inadequate flaring, though most of them were with 9mm. The bullet can get jammed into the case off center (notice large bulges) and a portion of the mouth of the case can end up being sheared off ever so slightly. In my own limited experience, that's been more of a problem with lead bullets than jacketed, since they're usually 0.001" or more "oversized" from the jacketed spec.

Someone else probably has some better ideas. If you hear "Lee is junk, buy RCBS!" from a certain poster, that's NOT one of them. Nobody really makes "bad" dies these days, but a problem can happen with any brand...

Rick C

 

[fixitfred]

It's a combination of excessive case mouth belling and a sharp outside case edge.

 

[Barkis]

Thanks for the replies. I cleaned out the dies and will see how that works. I am not so sure that it is an excessive belling issue. I bell the case mouth only enough to fit about the first 1/16th of the bullet base into the case. I've read elsewhere that might not be enough, so it looks as if I am going to have to experiment. I'll also look into cleaning the expander die and see if that is not also a problem.

Rick, you are right that the videos on the Lee site give different instructions for setting up seating and crimping dies than the written instructions. I will try the "video" procedure next time I set up the dies and see what happens. I can't see how it will change things, but who knows.

B

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

That will happen when loading new brass that has not been chamfered/demurred at the mouth.

 

[6gun]

First problem is you bought a Lee product. :lol:

 

[Cheesewhiz]

First problem is you bought a Lee product. :lol:

I don't own any Lee products but their FCD for both 9mm and .45 ACP and those dies work perfectly, better than almost any other manufacturer's taper crimp dies. Your bashing of Lee on every level is a very tired one.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

For the OP, if your seating die has some form of crimp ring in it, I would set it to just start the crimp and put the round in a position to allow the Lee die to work at an easier pace. The points made about over belling are something that I would look at for sure but making that FCD work easier will fix that issue if you in fact are using a Lee FCD.

 

[Barkis]

Cheesewhiz, I am using a Lee FCD. I just loaded fifty rounds and discovered that I am not belling enough. Some of my bullets are being shaved by the brass, so under expanding is not the issue. A second thing that I found helpful while cruising the net on this subject is the suggestion that the initial setting of the crimp die should be done on an unbelled case. Once the crimp die is resting on the mouth of the unbelled case, I can exchange the unbelled case for a loaded round, run it into the die, and set the crimp to my preference. Interestingly enough, following this procedure eliminated the brass shaving problem that initiated my query. In the fifty rounds I loaded, not one incident occurred and the crimps were uniform. The nicest that I have ever done, I believe. So, the brass shaving problem has been solved. Now I just need to adjust the expander a tad to avoid shaving my lead bullets. Thanks to all for the help.

B

 

[Rick Courtright]

First problem is you bought a Lee product. :lol:

Hi,

Just like clock work! :roll:

Rick C

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Cheesewhiz, I am using a Lee FCD. I just loaded fifty rounds and discovered that I am not belling enough. Some of my bullets are being shaved by the brass, so under expanding is not the issue. A second thing that I found helpful while cruising the net on this subject is the suggestion that the initial setting of the crimp die should be done on an unbelled case. Once the crimp die is resting on the mouth of the unbelled case, I can exchange the unbelled case for a loaded round, run it into the die, and set the crimp to my preference. Interestingly enough, following this procedure eliminated the brass shaving problem that initiated my query. In the fifty rounds I loaded, not one incident occurred and the crimps were uniform. The nicest that I have ever done, I believe. So, the brass shaving problem has been solved. Now I just need to adjust the expander a tad to avoid shaving my lead bullets. Thanks to all for the help.

B

Glad you figured out your issue. I use index marks on my FCD knobs for the different bullets used. They line up with the open clamp line of my Hornady die rings, it works really well.

 

[fixitfred]

First problem is you bought a Lee product. :lol:

I don't own any Lee products but their FCD for both 9mm and .45 ACP and those dies work perfectly, better than almost any other manufacturer's taper crimp dies. Your bashing of Lee on every level is a very tired one.

You don't own any Lee products yet you vouch for them as working perfectly. Do you own any of these other products that you claim Lee works better than?

 

[Mobuck]

"First problem is you bought a Lee product"

I DO own and use LEE reloading equipment. It's generally effective and works as advertised.
W/o seeing the actual complaint, I can't say absolutely but I'll just guess the shavings are bullet jacket rather than brass case.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

First problem is you bought a Lee product. :lol:

I don't own any Lee products but their FCD for both 9mm and .45 ACP and those dies work perfectly, better than almost any other manufacturer's taper crimp dies. Your bashing of Lee on every level is a very tired one.

You don't own any Lee products yet you vouch for them as working perfectly. Do you own any of these other products that you claim Lee works better than?

I believe I said I own two FCD's that are made by Lee and yes I've tried several other maker's taper crimp dies and found that the Lee FCD dies work very well for me.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Brass shavings is a common problem usually solved, as said by others, by chamfering & deburring & belling the case mouths carefully and separating the seating and crimping opperation. The Lee FCD helps with this also.

I have been making quality reloads for about 10 years now with my Lee aniversary kit, having added only a few new tools, like calipers, scoopers and a better RCBS powder measuse. No complaints from me for the money.