I have cast some 9mm bullets with range scrap, water quenched. I then powder coated them and loaded them. Out of 50 rounds 7 would not chamber. It appears when seating the bullet into the case it deformed the bullet making it fatter. What would be the easiest way to harden this range scrap? I do not have a tester. but lots of range scrap from an indoor range. Any help would be appreciated.
At what point did you size the bullets? To what diameter were they sized?
Is it possible that when you applied the powder coating you had more build up than expected.
Willing to bet it is a size problem not a seating problem.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same......." - Ronald Reagan
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not a sizing problem. I cast and powdercoat around 30,000 bullets a year.Only change is my lead. Some were good and some bulged.
Add some wheel weights or reclaimed lead shot. I run just Range Scraps with a touch of tin with no problems in 9mm and have started 50/50 Range Scraps to COWW in riffle with no problems. I have the Lee Tester and mix and match.
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I like half Clip on Wheel weights, half soft lead range scrap, water pipe, roof flashing, and 1% tin/pewter.
Works for everything I do but I don't try to break the 2k speed mark.
Just a thought, are you using mixed range pick-up brass? I size to .358 and sometimes, the thickness of the brass can be a deal breaker...
I had this same problem the range scrap is from jacketed bullets,it's so soft it deforms when seating the bullets i started adding foundry metal to each pot of scrap and problem solved.
If all the lead used for the 50 rounds was from the same batch and you have not recently changed dies then how long ago did you cast, size and coat these boolits? Boolits can and do grow over time, some more than others. I recently had to resize some that had grown as much as .003, so if they were fat to start that could be the culprit.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same......." - Ronald Reagan
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived." - George Patton
The second amendment is a nail on which hangs a picture of freedom - member Alex 4x4 Tver, Russia
I would check the brand of cases that didn't seat... you may have some oddballs with thicker walls...
Range scrap can be anything. I always size bullets, after PC, especially for 9mm. When loading in mixed brass, tight chamber, fit can be an issue. If sizing, alloy wont matter. I would also look at my expander size.
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