when do you have to size a bullet?

[seabat0603]

I got one of the 230g 45acp LEE group buy 6 banger molds. My mold throws really good looking bullets. However, when using ww, the bullets drop out @ .454 dia. Also, I have weight variations from 230 to 240 grains. The Kart barrel in my 1911 has a dia. of .451 so I can't shoot these as cast. The reason I say that is trying to reload them in my RCBS dies I have premature crimping and lead shaving. I spent 2 hours trying to adjust that damn die with no luck. I can seat the bullet just fine but as soon as you try to seat and crimp in one step it all goes south. I suppose I could seat all the bullets first and then go back and try and crimp them. ( I have lots of time on my hands) I have never shot a bullet more than say 2 thousands over groove dia. What I really would like to know is do you think I'm going to have to size these bullets down to .452? I think if I do that my crimping problem will go away as well.

[cabezaverde]

For me, the nexr step would be to see if a round loaded with the unsized bullet will chamber. If it will, you will need to decide whether you would rather spend your time sizing the bullets with a Lee push through, or seat and crimp in 2 steps.

If the round chambers with the unsized bullet, I would seat with with the die you have, and then buy a lee carbide crimp die.

[Todd N.]

Seems to me that if you're having "premature crimping and lead shaving" then your seating/crimping die is adjusted too far down. You're crimping the case mouth too much as you are still pushing the bullet down in the case. This is giving you the " lead shaving".
Seat your bullet to the desired OAL with the die adjusted up a bit (just using the seating stem to seat the bullet), then unscrew the seating stem a few turns and adjust the die body down to set your crimp as desired. After you have the crimp adjusted so the the loaded round fits your chamber, put the loaded round back in the press and run the seating stem down until it touches the bullet- no heavy-handed torque needed here! Tighten the lock screw on the seating stem, and try loading a 2nd round. Check this round for overall length and chambering in your barrel, and you should be good!

[Todd N.]

Oh yeah,
as far as sizing of the bullets, that's a good question. Bullets that are .003" oversize are a bit tight in my experience, so that MAY be one issue. I have heard, but don't know firsthand, that Kart barrels have tight specs, so you may have to size your bullets down regardless of what your loading issues are.
Just out of curiousity, are you belling the case mouths before you seat the bullets?

[seabat0603]

I have to bell them just enough to let the bevel base start into the case.

[Shiloh]

Most of my LEE TL boolits will seat, crimp, and chamber just fine as cast. What is aggravating to me is the oversize ones that won't chamber at the range. They chamber just enough to get stuck. I spend 15 minutes per batch running them thru a LEE sizer for consistancy. Problem solved.

Shiloh

[jdgabbard]

I would seat and crimp separately. Use a Lee Factory Crimp Die for a nice Taper Crimp. Your lead shaving is from trying to seat and crimp in one step. The boolit is still in a downward motion when the die is trying to crimp the boolit which in turn shaves the boolit a little.

One day I plan on upgrading to a Turret Press with the four die plates that way I can Size/Deprime/Prime, Expand/charge, Seat, and Finally Crimp one cartridge at a time

[Ricochet]

Seat 'em as they are and run 'em through a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die.

[Freightman]

Seat 'em as they are and run 'em through a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die.
Life is simple!

[Russel Nash]

^^^ so you guys are using the Lee FCD to size the bullet through the brass of the case?

Isn't there a smidge of boolit ahead of the case mouth where it is still 0.454" ?

[Russel Nash]

to the OP, buy and use a case gauge.

If the loaded rounds don't drop right into and out of the case gauge, then they will most likely NOT run in your pistola.