Why does Lee Bulge Buster Kit Not Work on 9mm Cases?

[daddyseal]

Why does the Lee Bulge Buster Kit Not Work on 9mm Cases?
They say only 380, 40 and 45.
Why is that?

[Wally]

A 9mm case is tapered...the others are all cylindrical...

[daddyseal]

A 9mm case is tapered...the others are all cylindrical...

Of course you are right!
Great short and sweet answer...thanks~

[r1kk1]

Well this does,

http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/CASEMASTER_JR_INSTRUCTIONS_complete.pdf

Plus so much more.

Take care

r1kk1

[ReloaderFred]

I have the Casemaster Jr., with dies for 9mm, 10mm and .45 acp classes of cases. It works as advertised, pushing the cases all the way through the die. You do have to lube the cases, but a little spray case lube works just fine to keep them going through the die smoothly.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[r1kk1]

Fred,

This may have been the ticket for some 308 military brass that a friend brought over that was shot in an oversized chamber. It took quite a bit of effort to size those cases for his match chamber.

Is it a stout machine?

Take care

r1kk1

[crowbuster]

Daddyseal, the lee F.C.D. works on 99.5% of all my 9mm, dont need a bulge buster. Now 40 is a diff story.

[GBertolet]

Here is a copy of Reloading Bulged cases, from the free tips page of the Uniquetek website. www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/page/217691

[ReloaderFred]

r1kk1,

The Casemaster Jr. is basically an arbor press with a punch mounted to the movable ram above, and an oversized carbide sizing die mounted upside down in the base. There is a hand operated case slide on the left that moves the cases from the feed tube to the hole for the sizing die, base first. The ram punch goes inside the case and pushes on the inside of the web of the case, forcing it base first through the sizing die.

I'm not sure the carbide ring in the sizing die, which Magma purchases from Dillon, could withstand the pressure of forcing a machine gun fired 7.62x51 case through it. The 7.62 case is much thicker than a .45 acp case. I've cracked carbide rings in the past trying to force a 10mm case farther into the die than a shell holder will. That was before I got the Casemaster Jr..

The other problem would be the punch. The smallest case neck I've put through the Casemaster Jr. is 357 Sig brass and 9x25 Dillon brass, both of which have 9mm wide case mouths. The punch on my press won't fit through the neck of a .30 caliber case, and one that would be thin enough would have to be constructed of very tough steel, since there is a lot of pressure generated when forcing an oversize case through the die.

The concept may work, though. I would construct one that would put the 7.62x51 case through the die shoulder first, with a punch that would match the diameter of the base of the case. There would probably still be some flattening of the headstamp of the case, but I don't know that for sure. I've experimented with pushing some way oversize 10mm cases through case mouth first, and the punch left marks on the base of the cases, but my punch is smaller than the diameter of the base of the 10mm case, more like 8mm at the tip.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[jmorris]

If they made one for 9mm, a Lee would be just as effective as the magma case masters. The only part they can get back to spec is the rim.

For 9mm (and the others for that matter) a roll sizer is the best solution. Not only can they get the dings off the rim but also the extractor grove and any bulge that the normal size die can not get out

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/casepro/DSC02110.jpg

[gunoil]

Its does work, i have already shot 800.. order the makarov factory crimp die.. Take the guts out,,, it only sizes the lower part of brass... You still have to size and expand your brass after makarov die. All mixed brass i pick up are first decapped with my universal decapper and seperated, then washed brass in front of fan, then the 9's are punched thru the makarov, then sized, the expanded, then primer loaded.

I do all setting in my recliner except for makarov on the green monster rcbs single stage press, cause it takes huge force on some brass. I put a lil' lube on my fingers and touch around the rim lite' ly before punching thru makarov into the red LEE cup brass holder. I found they all go into the shell holder smooth and equal. I work at ft bragg and pick up some old nato 9's and some other (dont even know what it is) nine brass i use to thro away, but now use after punch'ing thtu gutted makarov factory crimp die.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I always shoot some Dillon case lube on my brass before I debulge it. It just makes it easier to push the cases thru the die. Obviously you don't "have to do this" with a carbide sizing ring, but it still makes it goes much easier.

As all of you have probably found out some cases require more force to push thru the die than others.

The hot tip is to adjust your die so that the bulged part of the case is being pushed thru right as the press handle camms over center. This is where you have the highest mechanical advantage, and the lube also helps here immensely.

The Makarov die is the correct answer, as Mak cases have a rim dia that is close to the 9mm size rim. (hence trimming 9mm cases for Mak use)

The one point that everyone must get thru their heads is that bulge removal for all calibers is a "Case Prep operation,,,," NOT a Loading operation! You still must full length size your brass when you load them...

Just doing bulge removal will not size the cases for loading, and your boolits may fall out. :holysheep

Randy

[Sonnypie]

Just doing bulge removal will not size the cases for loading, and your boolits may fall out. :holysheep

Randy

Oh, that is SOOO embarrassing when your bullets fall out! :groner:

I think I would be more concerned with WHY the cases are bulged in the first place.
Never did see no sucha thang with my 9ers.

[jmorris]

I think I would be more concerned with WHY the cases are bulged in the first place. Never did see no sucha thang with my 9ers. +1 unless your shooting SMG's or getting your brass from an unknown source you shoudn't have a lot of problems. Kind of like if your reloading rifle brass for the same rifle your reloading for, neck sizing is fine.

[Wayne Smith]

Its does work, i have already shot 800.. order the makarov factory crimp die.. Take the guts out,,, it only sizes the lower part of brass... You still have to size and expand your brass after makarov die. All mixed brass i pick up are first decapped with my universal decapper and seperated, then washed brass in front of fan, then the 9's are punched thru the makarov, then sized, the expanded, then primer loaded.

I do all setting in my recliner except for makarov on the green monster rcbs single stage press, cause it takes huge force on some brass. I put a lil' lube on my fingers and touch around the rim lite' ly before punching thru makarov into the red LEE cup brass holder. I found they all go into the shell holder smooth and equal. I work at ft bragg and pick up some old nato 9's and some other (dont even know what it is) nine brass i use to thro away, but now use after punch'ing thtu gutted makarov factory crimp die.

Would you please measure the outside diameter of your cases and let me know this dimension?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Sonny: same for.45 ACP, but some people think they need it,,,,, soooo .

My whole point is there are some people who think bulge removal is good enough to hold the boolits in,,,

It ain't

Randy

[shotman]

If you dont have a GLOCK you wont see it .
I had BUCKSHOT make me one . BUT there is a problem some of the military cases have a rim and they cant be pushed through. I took a lee "new type" and ground the face flush to the carbide insert. that will work to size to the rim .
the new type die has a taper for the bullet feeder so it will go inside the shell holder

[Sonnypie]

Well I don't have a Glock. And I thought the bulge was in the 40's almost exclusively.
After finding out that reloads will void the Glock warranty, I never will have one either.
My neighbors have one in 45 ACP, and it's a nice shooting gun. But I reloaded a bunch of their empties and her Dad told her she can't use them because it would void the warranty. :groner:
I wouldn't have one if I had room in my butt for two of them.
I stick with my 1929 original Colt 45 ACP now. I loves my reloaded ammo. Which is milder than factory ammo.
IMO there is something fundamentally wrong with a chamber that cannot hold the pressure of a round without bulging the brass. :roll:
And a company that is afraid of reloads....

[joec]

Well I don't have a Glock. And I thought the bulge was in the 40's almost exclusively.
After finding out that reloads will void the Glock warranty, I never will have one either.
My neighbors have one in 45 ACP, and it's a nice shooting gun. But I reloaded a bunch of their empties and her Dad told her she can't use them because it would void the warranty. :groner:
I wouldn't have one if I had room in my butt for two of them.
I stick with my 1929 original Colt 45 ACP now. I loves my reloaded ammo. Which is milder than factory ammo.
IMO there is something fundamentally wrong with a chamber that cannot hold the pressure of a round without bulging the brass. :roll:
And a company that is afraid of reloads....

Actually I doubt you could find a gun made in the last 20 years doesn't have that stipulation in their warranty about reloads. Think about it this way. Do you expect a car company to replace a car you hit a wall with under their warranty? Well if so then I guess you can expect a gun company to do the same with a miss charged round that blows the gun to pieces and injures you.

[Sonnypie]

Well, Joe...
Unlike liberals who expect it to be everybody else's fault for their stupidity, I take responsibility for my own actions.
I never blamed a hammer for hitting my damned thumb either. ;)
It was always the fool who picked it up.
But then, common sense isn't very common anymore.

[r1kk1]

Widley, Freedom Arms are just a couple of companies who actually do have reloading data for their firearms. These two just came to mind. I hear S&W doesn't even ask judging by responses on other forums.

Take care

r1kk1

[W.R.Buchanan]

My Glock 21 SF has had exactly 2 factory rounds fired in it the other thousand or so have been reloads.

I bought the thing specifically to shoot reloads because I had accumulated so many .45 ACP cases I had to reload them. Also the .45 ACP is probably the most forgiving Auto Pistol round to reload there is.

As far a .40 S&W guns are concerned, 'most' of them bulge the cases to some degree. It's just the way the chambers have to be designed to feed a fatter case from an existing gun designed around the a 9MM round. Later designs were engineered to accomidate both rounds from the start.

When the Glock was first designed the .40 S&W didn't exist.

As far as the warrantee voiding is concerned. It is strictly a CYA statement, and many outfits do it..

Anybody that truly believes it should only shoot factory ammo. That way they can be safe.

Randy

[gunoil]

Lee bb kit has nothing to do with sizing the area where bullet goes in brass. After bb kit your brass still looks like hell. Its not really needed on 9's but with some pistols (cheap,poorly thought out) i like to have the brass in best matching shape. Plus i really get an extra look at each brass for inspection. Bullet area is created by size & expander dies. Lots of different 9 brass here at ft. braggs after busy range day.