30-40 Krag Super-Improved???

[Typecaster]

This is a ha-ha on me.

Last trip to visit my dad in Prescott, I wanted to take my new-to-me #3 Krag to the range. I guess I was a little too distracted talking to my dad (97+) when I seated the bullets (yes, I know they're J-word bullets, but at least they're sitting on some lino for the photo).

I ended up "improving by shortening" all of them so they wouldn't chamber. My dad was much more amused than I was.

I used a new-to-me set of Redding dies, set up just like I do for RCBS dies. I guess I'd better mike the expander button. I've never set a shoulder back like this before, but other than my 38-90 Win. Express everything I've loaded for was either straight or had an angled shoulder. I've never had to flare for a J-bullet.

Richard

[fishhawk]

done that a few times on the krag myself. think it's one of the easer ones to do it on also

[No_1]

Hey Richard,

Not a good start. I have done the same thing on my 6MM Remington. I concluded that in my case it did not happen in the sizing process but in the crimping process. Everything was fine including the test round I chambered. When I set the dies to crimp the rounds already loaded / seated I backed off the seating stem then started turning the die down a little bit at a time then taking the round out of the press to look at the crimp. After a couple of "turn-downs" I figured the crimp looked good. My rounds were not as obvious as yours but most would not chamber. I was using my Remington brass on those and sure glad it was not my Norma brass.....

Be careful and take care of that #3.

Robert

BTW, the sisters to that gun are waiting to come home to you ;)

[fourarmed]

You can do that with a Lee collet neck sizer, too, if you're running it dry and it galls.

[Typecaster]

Robert—

I almost added a parenthetical "Thanks, Robert" when I wrote that. I'm taking good care of the Krag...I'll certainly never wear it out at this rate. I wistfully think of the siblings often.

I'll need to do some homework on this issue. IIRC, I had the seating die touching the shell holder, so there's no way I can adjust it to give more support to the case below the shoulder. Since I'm loading for a single-shot, I wasn't crimping at all.

Is this a problem with the 30-30 as well? Same basic case profile.

Any results with your care package?

Fishhawk, will flaring the case solve it, or do I need to turn an oversize expander button?

Richard

[fishhawk]

flairing it solved it for me and i never did crimp them in the first place

[No_1]

The care package has done well. I found some 22 cal bullets on the web that look exactly like the ones sent. The lino is waiting for another melt to mix it in. The krag bullets are very cool. They take up much needed throat space in the contender. How are things in your neck of the woods AND what is the deal on the new shipping guns thing in Cali?

R.

[ktw]

Is this a problem with the 30-30 as well? Same basic case profile.

I have run into that with a 300 Savage. Never experienced it with the 30-30.

-ktw

[SharpsShooter]

A generous inside chamfer and no crimp just neck tension has worked well for me. I ruined two cases before I got it right.

SS

[stillhunter]

No 1 is consistant with my experience. The crimping die will do it every time. On 45-70s you get a neat little bulge around the case. Somthin to be said for a separate run to do the crimping. I generally avoid crimping on j word bulletts, as it usually isn't necessary. Cast are more accurate without it, but you need it in the lever guns.