Boolits not staying put!! (seating problem)

[elginrunner]

I noticed that some of the boolits I seated yesterday are "pushing up" out of the case. There is a visible mark about a 1/16" of lead that shows evidence of being seated. I can push it back down with my thumb, and to my suprise, it will come back out. I tried to take a pic, but my phone, and image shack isn't working today (holiday I guess).

[williamwaco]

I noticed that some of the boolits I seated yesterday are "pushing up" out of the case. There is a visible mark about a 1/16" of lead that shows evidence of being seated. I can push it back down with my thumb, and to my suprise, it will come back out. I tried to take a pic, but my phone, and image shack isn't working today (holiday I guess).

"Pushing out" ?

If you set a newly loaded case on the bench base down, will the bullet "Push out"

Or do you need to hold it bullet down for it to come out?

[David2011]

Help us a little here. What kind of boolit? What cartridge? What kind and how much powder? What kind of crimp? How much crimp?

First thought is an airtight seal and the compressed air is pushing the boolits back out due to no crimp but since I have no facts to go on it's pure speculation.

David

[Wayne Smith]

I've had both air pressure and an overcharge of BP push bullets out.

[elginrunner]

It's 45 acp, with a rcbs 201 SWC. 4.5 gn of red dot as per the rcbs manual. After the cartridge is removed from the bullet seating process, the bullet "comes back out"....

[merlin101]

No (or very little) crimp and excess lube might do it.

[mdi]

I've also read about cartridges with insufficient neck tension and using a compressed load, the bullets will work their way out.

[elginrunner]

http://i60.tinypic.com/2w520bs.jpg

[blikseme300]

What crimp die are you using? The boolit looks squeezed down and the case spring back loosened the tension required to keep the boolit in place.

[elginrunner]

not using a seperate crimping die, just the standard rcbs 3 die set,

[HeavyMetal]

OK time for some Q&A:

Boolit diameter, mik'd please

Expander die PLUG Diameter, mik'd please

sizing die old new steel or carbide?


I will now make some WAG's based solely on one picture as posted, please feel free to laugh at anytime, LOL!

I think this is an older steel die set for Jacketed boolits, your expander die will be to big for cast and the steel sizing die may well be a touch worn. This combo will allow compressed air inside the case to force the boolit back out, ask me how I know this!

If you can provide the measurements asked for we can adjust our guess a little more accurately but I really do think it's a huge lack of case neck tension, brought on by small diameter boolits or an out of spec die set, maybe both?

Looking forward to the OP's response.

[10mmShooter]

From what I can see the in the pic the crimping operation is squeezing the brass into the bullet way too much to the point deforming the bullet. Looking at the pic I'd guess the bullet is being squezzed .003-.004 down from its nomial size.

The crimping operation should just remove any signs of the flaring(belling) from the expanding operation, and then typically no more that a few thousandths beyond that. for .45 acp you can go up to .473 right at the top of brass case. Test some rounds taper crimped to .473 and confirm chambering and cycling, if you have any issues crimp down maybe another .002 or so and try again.

As requested please mic a few of you completed rounds, and mic some of your bullets and let us know their diameter, assuming the bullets are .452 ish, then the crimp is the place to check, if the bullets are oversized well then that might be the problem....give us those numbers

[Tatume]

I had that problem with my 458 Win Mag ammo once. The compressed powder charge would push the bullets back out of the case. I solved the problem (short term) by setting up a second press and crimping immediately after seating the bullets. I solved the problem in the long term by switching to a more appropriate powder.

[jimb16]

Undersized boolit combined with an oversize expander. That will do it almost every time.

[Bullshop Junior]

not using a seperate crimping die, just the standard rcbs 3 die set,

Never crimp in the same stage as seating.

[44man]

Air pressure, happens all the time with BPCR loads with no tension.

[garandsrus]

Not enough neck tension due to inadequate case resizing compared to boolit diameter. Either resizing die not adjusted properly, die is worn, or the boolits are too small.