What's going on with my 44/40 brass?

[Stopsign32v]

I run this brass right along side my Winchester brass, same settings and all in my dies, and this CBC brass will not function in my Schofield but the Winchester brass works fine. The problem is I'm pretty sure the cannelure somehow is making or has a bulge and it will not allow the rounds to fully seat in the chambers. Any ideas what is causing this? Should I toss the brass or just use it in other guns?

Winchester on the bottom and top 2 are the problem CBC. (All CBC brass I have do this)









Here you can see the seating differences between the 1 Winchester brass and the 2 CBC brass loads.

[Outpost75]

Redding Profile Crimp WILL fix that. Lee Factory Crimp might or might not.

My results mixed, which is why I replaced mine with the Redding.

I shoot ALOT of .44-40s in original Colts and Winchesters, as well as modern S&W (544), Marlins and Rugers.

[Nueces]

It's an informed guess, but I bet your crimping operation is pushing that thin neck down enough to bulge the circumference adjacent to the cannelure. Switching to a Lee collet style crimper would halt those shenanigans.

[onelight]

It looks like the case may be collapsing from to heavy a crimp is the OAL on both cases the same ?

[Stopsign32v]

Redding Profile Crimp WILL fix that. Lee Factory Crimp might or might not.

My results mixed, which is why I replaced mine with the Redding.

I shoot ALOT of .44-40s in original Colts and Winchesters, as well as modern S&W (544), Marlins and Rugers.

I'm using a Redding profile crimp

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I had bulging issues with R+P brass during seating (I would crimp in another step, so my problem wasn't the crimp).
44-40 brass is thin and prone to bulging...some brands are thinner than others...R+P seems to be the thinnest, IMHO.
Be sure to investigate how much you are expanding the case neck and what size your boolit is sized too.
while it's typical to have .002" neck tension, you may have to try .001 neck tension.

[M-Tecs]

My bet is its caused by your crimp. Easy to test. Try some before and after your crimp.

[oldsalt444]

Just my $.02 worth, but it seems the crimp looks a bit much. First, trim the cases to the same length. The CBC looks a tad longer than the Winchester. Second, are you bullet seating and crimping in the same die? I gave that up long ago. I always crimp as a separate step using a Lee Factory Crimp die. Always worked well for me.

[country gent]

Ink a couple of the problem cartridges and chamber when the ink is dry press in hard and where the ink is rubbed is your problem. It does look like a bulge just ahead if the chanelure. Not sure if its crimp or not getting sized down far enough on the neck. If you have a feeler gage set put the thickest you can under the rim in the case holder and size see if it helps

[Stopsign32v]

My bet is its caused by your crimp. Easy to test. Try some before and after your crimp.

It's not. I tried some that were just sized and primed with no bullet and they will only drop in the chambers the same amount of length.

[Stopsign32v]

Just my $.02 worth, but it seems the crimp looks a bit much. First, trim the cases to the same length. The CBC looks a tad longer than the Winchester. Second, are you bullet seating and crimping in the same die? I gave that up long ago. I always crimp as a separate step using a Lee Factory Crimp die. Always worked well for me.

No I always always seat all my bullets and then crimp separately.

[Stopsign32v]

Ink a couple of the problem cartridges and chamber when the ink is dry press in hard and where the ink is rubbed is your problem. It does look like a bulge just ahead if the chanelure. Not sure if its crimp or not getting sized down far enough on the neck. If you have a feeler gage set put the thickest you can under the rim in the case holder and size see if it helps

Should I just dump this brand brass? I got it all in a used purchase off SASS board.

[Texas by God]

It looks like the bulge is above the cannelure. Try backing your seating die away from the shell holder and readjust seating depth. Or trim that CBC brass- maybe it's too long.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[country gent]

That depends on how much f it there is and you "status". once you find the problem and get it sized and fire formed out right it should be fine. Depending what you find it may be a simple fix of readjusting the die, a shim washer flued into the shell holder or working a shell holder down some. ( Facing the die also works here). Measure rim thickness between good and problem cases. This may give an idea. Ink the case and look for rub marks after chambering. If you have good mics and feel measure the neck at the mouth and just in front of the shoulder. Once the problem is found and cured this brass should be okay

[Larry Gibson]

Mic the outside diameter of both brands with the bullets seated. Many chamber necks in 44-40 are tight. My OM Vaquero with chamber .430 sized bullets in W-W cases but not CBC cases. For CBC cases the bullets must be sized .429 for the loaded cartridge to chamber. Otherwise they go in just about as far as yours.

[Stopsign32v]

It might be worth stating that the bullet used is a .428

[Stopsign32v]

Now I haven't been reloading long at all, but to me it is kinda obvious that the parts where the arrow are, are the problem. If you look at the Winchester brass it doesn't have that bulge right there and I think that is what is getting caught up in the chamber. I just don't know why it is there. Could a previous reloader have caused this and my dies just wont remove it? I do know for facts these brass have been reloaded an unknown number of times. I got them for a song.

And I don't feel I've over crimped these at all. Could be wrong though...

[onelight]

It's not. I tried some that were just sized and primed with no bullet and they will only drop in the chambers the same amount of length.

Are you full length resizing ? I don't understand why a full length resized case would not drop in the chamber . I must be missing something .

[243winxb]

Check trim length.

Try a different lube in a steel fl die. Not a spray. Is the whole lenght of the case body lubed.
RCBS 2

Lube the case necks inside and outside before sizing.

[Stopsign32v]

Are you full length resizing ? I don't understand why a full length resized case would not drop in the chamber . I must be missing something .

YES I am