45 LC bulged cases

[roberts1]

Hi all. First off, thanks to everyone who helped me get my first batch of boolits cast (Lee 230gr rn tumble lube). They look great. Anyway, I loaded a dozen last week to try at the range. They shot fine with no lead but I did notice when loading they bulged the cases a bit. They chambered fine so I went ahead and shot them. Previously I had been shooting some hornaday 200gr cast (also sized at .452) without any bulging. Just wondering why these bulge the cases and the others didnt and whether or not it was an issue so I thought I would inquire of the experts. Thanks in advance

[MT Chambers]

Did you size and measure your bullets before hand?

[44man]

A proper boolit fit will show the boolit base and even a shadow hint of GG's on the brass.

[Green Lizzard]

most dies over size the straight wall cases, just screw it in far enough to size the mouth for 2 or 3 thou neck tension and the bulge will go away, they will shoot fine anyway 444 has the worst ive ever seen

[roberts1]

Yes all were sized to .452. I even took one of the hornadays and ran it through the sizer to see if it was the same and it was. They shot fine just couldnt figure out why i was seeing the bulges on the ones I cast vs the cast I had purchased. Green Lizzard, are you suggesting adjusting the sizing die as in backing it out a bit?

[Green Lizzard]

yes back it out enough to just size what you need to firmly hold the boolit

[Maximumbob54]

Carbide dies create what is usually referred to as "wasp waist" with many cases. You get the top bulge from the bullet seating, the thin middle, and then the wider base where the case isn't sized due to the opening in the bottom of the die and the lip that holds the case. The bulge from the bullet is usually more prominent. Longer caser like most revolver cartridges use it is the easiest to see but they all do it. I've read it has something to so with the spring back effect in the brass from sizing with carbide instead of using steel. I have no idea if this is the reason or not.

[HATCH]

Just wondering, you seat and crimp in one die?

Also you might want to verify that the boolits are indeed .452 after sizing.
Just because you used a .452 marked sizing die does it mean they will be true .452
Also boolits 'spring back' some depending on the alloy.

[roberts1]

Thanks sounds like i have a few things to try.

[tomme boy]

I only size 45 Colt brass just where the boolit sits in the case. Kind of neck size them if that makes sense.

[Moonie]

I only size 45 Colt brass just where the boolit sits in the case. Kind of neck size them if that makes sense.

That's exactly how I do mine for my Blackhawk.

[prs]

The Hornady lead boolits may well have been soft lead swaged, the ones with the checkered lube pattern. You boolits may be harder. Like others said already, the full length dies tend to overdo the sizing giving a wasp wasted look to the rounds. I load .454 boolits with a slightly larger internal sizer and the effect is even more pronounced unless I do the "neck only" type sizing.

prs

[Maximumbob54]

Irrelevant to the thread mostly but I tried doing the "neck only sizing" on .45 Colt brass once and the end result looked a heck of a lot like .44-40 at a glance. As soon as you looked close you knew it wasn't but to your shooting neighbor at the range it might make someone jump. I didn't find it really did anything. I'm still shooting the same brass in all my loads that I've been using for a few years now and everything has been loaded dozens of times. I don't load maxed out hammer of thor loads though.

[roberts1]

prs, that is what they look like. I had heard factory lead bullets were hard to reduce shipping damage. Mine are around 11 bhn. Just couldnt figure out why I could see a bulge. They are the same diameter and I was not swaging the others down while seating. Just to be clear they are ok to shoot right? Im using Lee dies with the seperate crimp die but I just barely crimp.

[Maximumbob54]

As long as you follow reputable load data, seat them accordingly, and are sure of your loading practice then they are very safe to shoot.

Any deviation in the above and they are suspect and worthy of the kinetic hammer.