Brass Shavings When Crimping - What does it mean?

[BigSky!]

Well, I loaded my first 100 rounds of hard cast bullets ever today. I think it was a success. I will know tomorrow. Anyway, I did my seating and crimping in two separate steps. While crimping, was regularly getting small brass shavings falling out of the die. I figure this means one of three things.
1) I belled/flaired the case mouths too much.
2) I crimped too much.
3) I've got a defect in my die.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Oh, because someone might ask. I was reloading 454 Casull. It was all once fired (factory) brass, Winchester for 50 rounds and HSM for 50 rounds. I loaded 340g Beartooth LFNGC .452 and 265g Cast Performance WFNGC .452. I used Hornady Titanium Nitride dies. Everything went smoothly except that little brass shavings hiccup on the last step.

[mr surveyor]

did you chamfer and de-burr the case mouths before using the once fired brass?


jd

[BK7saum]

I've gotten brass shavings when brass is new or has a square mouth. Just part if the process. I didn't overcrimp or excessively bell when I got them.

[blue32]

My new 480 brass did it on the first crimp but not since then.

[John Boy]

1) I belled/flaired the case mouths too much.
2) I crimped too much.
You have 2 issues:
1. Belling the mouth of the case has to be JUST ENOUGH so the base of the bullet seats in the mouth of the case. Belling too much will shave the wide flair when you seat the bullet
2. Crimping a case should be just enough so that when you run your finger from the bullet down to the mouth it is smooth. Over crimping is caused by not having the die seated properly in the press. Read the directions that came with your set of dies: bottom of die just touches the shell holder plus a 1/4 or 1/3 additional turn

[Dusty Bannister]

Do they chamber easily? If you crimp too heavily, it can cause the case just below the crimp to expand slightly and become hard to chamber.

John Boy, I may not have my dies adjusted correctly, but in all my reloading, I have yet to find the correct amount of crimp that results in the die touching the shell holder. Full length sizing, yes, but not applying the crimp with a standard taper or roll crimp die.

[BigSky!]

I've gotten brass shavings when brass is new or has a square mouth. Just part if the process. I didn't overcrimp or excessively bell when I got them.


My new 480 brass did it on the first crimp but not since then.
Based on all of the input, it looks like I did everything correctly and, hopefully, like suggested in these quotes, "sometimes" it just happens. It wasn't a lot. It was just something I noticed. Thanks all.

[country gent]

If its a very fine wire like piece it may just be "left over". Some chamfer tools and duller ones don't remove the wire burr but push it back slightly ahead of the cut they make. When you crimp thie force shears it off leaving a very fine wire.

[StratsMan]

I also find very "fine wires" of brass if I don't thoroughly deburr the outside of the neck... I think of it as letting the crimp die deburr the outside instead of spending extra time doing it by hand...

[Shawlerbrook]

Agree . Happens with new brass or if not chamfering. Usually not a big deal.

[Three44s]

If its a very fine wire like piece it may just be "left over". Some chamfer tools and duller ones don't remove the wire burr but push it back slightly ahead of the cut they make. When you crimp thie force shears it off leaving a very fine wire.

This!

Three44s

[baragasam]

Most likely too much case flaring