Following Buckshot's thread

[willwork4ww]

Those of you who use Star sizers...........Do you ever have problems with them swaging a "tail" around the boolit? I mean an uplifted ring around the base of the bullet? I've never had this problem with .41's, .44's, .45's, etc, but with .357's my Star loves to swage an unconcentric "tail" around the bullet. This applies to several different moulds ranging in as cast diameter from .358 to .361. Sizing to .357. I first thought I had the problem solved by sizing base first, but that just collapses the crimp groove. Nose first consistently pushes a tail, what do I do? They shoot alright from 2 and 3" belly guns, which are the only .38's I own, but they look hideous. Any suggestions?

[garandsrus]

Willwork,

I would suggest getting a punch that more closely matches the sizer die size, using softer alloy, or sizing larger.

John

[HeavyMetal]

I have seen this "tail" on my 357 boolits but it has been very lite. Generally never more than I can peel with a finger nail.

This happens on flat based boolits only and I have seen in in my 44'2 if I use a very narrow base punch.

If your "tail" requires more than a brushing off suggest moving to a bigger punch, checking as cast diameter, ( could be to much sizing at one time) and your alloy in that oeder.

[lathesmith]

Collapsing the crimp groove? Wow, how much pressure are you using, anyway? I think HM is right, you need a bigger, flatter(no hollow in the middle) top punch. A smaller bullet/larger sizer is also in order. To the bright side, using enough force to collapse the bullet should get you into gorilla shape in no time at all!
lathesmith

[Cherokee]

willwork4ww:

I know what you mean. I get this if I am sizing a bullet down a lot that is cast of ww alloy. Specifically 360 as cast down to 358 size. The base punch is for 356 or so, so the fin is thin, but it is there. I don't worry about it, load and shoot them.

[Calamity Jake]

Try coating the boolets with a thin lube before sizing, Hornday One Shot or simular, also check the finish in the .357 size, die a light polish might help.

[GSM]

I ended up with some slight "tails" on the last batch of 45's I ran. It hasn't worried me too much yet - the raised portion went completely around the base of the bullet.

What's got me wondering is that it happened after I put a larger punch in the Star (went from 38 size to 45 size).

One thing that might be influencing the "tails" is that the bullets (mine) were cast at bare minimum temp and may have dropped out a little larger than usual.

Might have to Ransom Rest a few to see if there is any difference.

[willwork4ww]

Thanks guys. I've tried lubing bullets with One shot and WD-40, same results. I've gone to a .352 diameter punch, no avail.
Yes, it takes alot of force to collapse the crimp groove. The ring is just slight, as mentioned, you can take them off with a fingernail. I do realize sizing them less tends to help, .358 bullets sized to .357 barely "ring" at all, but it gets worse as they get fatter. I guess after the responses I got here, I'm just going to shoot the damn things, ugly though they may be. It just offends my normal cast boolit perfectionism.

[MtGun44]

Run a lubed boolit back thru every once in a while to lube
the die top.

Bill

[LAH]

Run a lubed boolit back thru every once in a while to lube
the die top.

Bill

What Bill said