Ring Around the 45acp.

[Weaponologist]

Char-gar...Now I understand.....I know what the problem may be....I picked these up at a local range. they all had the Glock Bulge on them so after Sizing I had to run them through the Lee Bulge Buster which as you probably know tightens the whole case back to factory spec. I did not run them back through the sizer die as I was loading so they didn't get hit with the Expander during the process.. If not this than I'll will look into another Expander..
Char-Gar..Thanks for clearing that up..Sir..

[Char-Gar]

IllinoisCoyoteHunter, The Crimp Die is Separate from the Seater. I Adjusted it just till I couldn't feel the flair any more. Any less and I can still feel the rise in the brass. However I do understand what your talking about. If the Seater and Crimp where together in one die..

He is seating and crimping in separate operations.

[Char-Gar]

Char-gar...Now I understand.....I know what the problem may be....I picked these up at a local range. they all had the Glock Bulge on them so after Sizing I had to run them through the Lee Bulge Buster which as you probably know tightens the whole case back to factory spec. I did not run them back through the sizer die as I was loading so they didn't get hit with the Expander during the process.. If not this than I'll will look into another Expander..
Char-Gar..Thanks for clearing that up..Sir..

I know nothing about a "bulge buster" and question the need for such a thing. I shoot a full auto Thompson often and it has a very loosey goosey chamber. Fired cases are quite bulged, but after sizing in my RCBS carbide die are back to spec without the need of any special dies and run fine in my 1911 handguns. I will hasten to add, I do not use a progressive press and perhaps they don't have the leverage to size bulged cases with no sweat. I can guarantee you that even an old pre-war up stroke Pacific will size them without sweat.

Some of the stuff sold now to pry your guys away from your money is not needed.

If you are trying to seat the bullets in what are essentially sized but unexpanded cases, there is your problem for sure and for certain.

[Weaponologist]

Char-Gar, .. On the Glock it has a section of the chamber removed so you can see the Chamber is hot. However this causes another problem. A Bulge close to the rim that NO sizer die can reach is formed. This will keep a reloaded case from totally chambering. Not sure if I can explain this correctly even though I understand it. But you can look it up to get a better explanation. There are Far more expensive units for sale to remove this bulge but Lee has made a very affordable die and push rod that allows you to use a single stage press to reform all your brass for reloading.
With many Police Departments using Glock,This type of defective brass is readily available. The Lee Bulge Buster allows the Reloader a way of salvaging what would have been trashed..

[triggerhappy243]

char-gar, what weaponologist says about the glock is true.... concerning the bulge making notch in the chamber. it is the main reason I will never own one..... because of the extra steps needed to reload brass fired from that brand of handgun. your 1911 and thompson do not create that type of bulge.

[John Boy]

Fill the seating plug up with hot glue - spit on the the bullet nose - twist in the glue - trim excess - Done!
And if you seat a different bullet nose - pick out the glue and repeat

[andremajic]

I believe Char-Gar gave the best instructions for this issue. I was about to jump on the epoxy bandwagon, but remembered my old Hornady, with the multiple sizes of stems for sizing the mouths. This is definitely your most likely culprit.

Epoxy is great for making a custom lube-sizing top.

[Char-Gar]

I have a Glock 17 and a 19 and they need no special dies to load the 9mm cases. I have no experience with a Glock 45, so I can't speak to that. I never saw much need for a Glock 45 when I had a Sig and several 1911.

I did look up that gizmo, and I would think it should be used as the first step in loading a case not after sizing.

Anyway, you guys have fun busting bulges. I will plod along without one. You have my thinking about the original issue of nose distortion. Take it or leave it, for you paid nothing for it.

As far as handgun seating dies nose shape I use the factory (Lyman, RCBS and Redding) RN stem and turn another flat with the lathe. The flat nose punch is used for SWC and WC. I have never had any need to stuff epoxy or anything else in the stem and I have loaded lots of ammo with lots of bullets. Maybe I am missing something but, I doubt it. Anyway I will muddle on.

[dudel]

char-gar, what weaponologist says about the glock is true.... concerning the bulge making notch in the chamber. it is the main reason I will never own one..... because of the extra steps needed to reload brass fired from that brand of handgun. your 1911 and thompson do not create that type of bulge.

It's only an issue on .40 Glocks. My 9s and 45GAPs don't have a bulge.

[Billybumbler]

I also have had this result and found that it was caused by not sizing the case enough. It was tight enough that smushed the lead and left a 'ring around the boolet' although not as much as pictured.

I have a RIA 1911.
Bill

[Char-Gar]

I also have had this result and found that it was caused by not sizing the case enough. It was tight enough that smushed the lead and left a 'ring around the boolet' although not as much as pictured.

I have a RIA 1911.
Bill

With all due respect Bill, that doesn't make any sense. sizing would make the bullet fit tighter and not looser. Are you sure you don't mean "not expanded enough" rather than "not sized enough"?

[loaded303]

I pick up 9/40/45 brass. After cleaning first thing iempty cases go thru the bulge buster. Then I bag it up and save it for when I start my reloading. No problems at all since I started this process. Just me.

[loaded303]

Double post

[texasbilly]

Sounds like a lot of effort to modify the boolit seater when the ring makes no difference in the accuracy, velocity, or performance of the round. Here's another thought: what happens to the modified boolit seater when he runs out of those boolits? Modify another one? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[loaded303]

When I got the bell right on a 230lrn I could rake a thumb nail across it an it was good.

[Weaponologist]

Sounds like a lot of effort to modify the boolit seater when the ring makes no difference in the accuracy, velocity, or performance of the round. Here's another thought: what happens to the modified boolit seater when he runs out of those boolits? Modify another one? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Texasbilly, That's kinda what I said on the very first post...I know it won't hurt a thing. But it was just something I've never ran in to in 30+ years of Reloading .. And it gave a chance to learn 1. What was the cause and 2. What would be a Fix.
Honestly what I learned was that to fix it correctly would mean having someone make a slightly bigger expander which would open the case where it should be for pushing lead in...However, a lot of the guys have figured out another fix by altering the stem, this doesn't solve the problem but will stop the effects or the stem cutting into the bullet. and by doing this it won't cause problems with other bullets. None of the guys reported any trouble when changing to other bullet types..But a custom made expander is the proper fix.
Honestly, I did some things wrong at first but after I corrected that the ring is much Smaller/Lighter...I didn't rerun my cases through the sizer die after I ran them through the Bulge Buster. After the expander went through them the ring all but vanished.. I'll get some pic's tomorrow. I'll be loading more 45acp then.. SO, as of now. I'm just going with it as is....

[Bullwolf]

Along the lines of what Char-Gar has suggested, I would add this.

Pull one of those loaded soft swaged lead 45 boolits that now has a ring on the nose, and measure the outside diameter of the boolit.

Compare that measurement with a fresh boolit right out of the box that doesn't have the ring on it.

If you are not expanding your cases enough, to the point that you are making a ring like that on a soft swaged lead boolit...There is also a very good chance that the brass is squeezing or swaging down your boolit diameter smaller (likely undersize now) while you're seating them. In my experience cartridge brass is much tougher than pure soft lead.

Yet another reason to use the correct size expander. The measurements might be very eye opening.


- Bullwolf

[Weaponologist]

Here are pictures of the same Hornady Bullets after taking a little off the sides of the cup and making sure they went through the sizing Die again after the Bulge Buster.
They have a very slight ring, You can hardly see...


After using all those I switch to my Lucky13 Bullets and they had no Ring at all...see pictures..






Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help...I appreciate each and everyone of you....Bill

[triggerhappy243]

they look great

[HATCH]

Fill the seating plug up with hot glue - spit on the the bullet nose - twist in the glue - trim excess - Done!
And if you seat a different bullet nose - pick out the glue and repeat

This is exactly what you do.
I have owned or currently own sq deal b, 550s and a 650.
I modify all my seating stems this way.