Loose bullets

[SlowLeadBullets]

I've just started loading some case 170gr GC boolets for a 30-06. These are Laser Cast bullets. I have been loading jacketed 30-06 for many years with no problem.

I full length resize the cases, bell the neck just slightly. I can seat the bullet into the case about 3/4 the length of the gascheck by hand.

When I seat the bullet with the die, I usually take off a thin sliver of lead and the bullet is loose in the case. I can move it back and forth slightly (about 2-3 1/100 of an inch) as well as turn it in the case neck.

Any one have any idea where the problem is. I load cast bullets in several straight cartridges and some 130 gr in a 7mm and none of them have this problem.

I have started using a crimp to hold them, but this is a fix rather than a resolution.

Thanks
Rob

[82nd airborne]

polish .001 or 2 off of your expander ball and try again, if it is a boolit you are planning to use for some time.

[theperfessor]

Get an M style neck expander die, they're designed for cast bullets. Sounds like lead shaving is part of your problem.

[chris in va]

FWIW, I load pulled 150gr FMJ bullets for my Garand. They were pretty loose with just the full length sizing die, so I polished the mandrel down a bit, to no avail. I had to get a FCD just so they wouldn't back into the case.

[sagacious]

When I seat the bullet with the die, I usually take off a thin sliver of lead and the bullet is loose in the case. I can move it back and forth slightly (about 2-3 1/100 of an inch) as well as turn it in the case neck.

Any one have any idea where the problem is.
There may be two problems. It sounds as though there are gc is larger in diam than the bullet shank. That would explain the looseness/turning and the back-and-forth movement. Measure the gc and shank on an unloaded bullet. If there is a diam difference, that problem may have to be addressed.

Second, you may wish to bell more and perhaps chamfer the neck slightly. That should fix the shaving. Good luck.

[lwknight]

You can also champher the case mouth with a deburr tool. It helps a lot.

[303Guy]

What rifle and what are you using the cast boolits for? Can you shoot this gun without any sizing at all? I've seated GC boolits using boolit lube to hold the boolit in the neck. It's a heat melting 'waxy-lube' and cools as firm as candle wax - it's base component. Worked pretty good as a single shot and seemed ok for magazine feeding but not sure about recoil shifting of the boolits.

[Bullshop Junior]

what boolit is it?

[Doc Highwall]

As mentioned deburr the case mouth, even with just the right amount of case belling the burr can shave lead. You did not say what size the bullet is vs the expander size. The expander should be .001" min to .002" max smaller then your bullet size.

[qajaq59]

You are sizing the GC along with the bullet I assume. Or did they come with the GC already on them?

[SlowLeadBullets]

They were lubed but with no GC. I didn't resize the bullet when I fitted the GC, only pushed it far enough to seat and crimp the GC.

I measured them to see if the GC was larger than the bullet and noticed the bullet was slightly larger than the GC in places. I held the bullet sideways in the jaws of my calipers and could see light in various spots.

I made the assumption that because it was comercial and lubed it had been sized as well. Anyway, I resized the whole thing and now the problem is resolved.

Thanks for the help.
Rob

[qajaq59]

I made the assumption that because it was comercial and lubed it had been sized as well. Anyway, I resized the whole thing and now the problem is resolved Good, now you can go shoot some.......