is this safe?

[unclebill]

hello
i loaded a few 358 fwc that i got from a member here and found that they will fit but very snugly in my case gage .
i have to push them in and push them back out with something.
as an experiment i ran a loaded round through my full length sizer.
and it slipped right in and out of the case gage.
my question is
will that hurt the brass somehow?
thanks
bill

[Ben]

That's a great way to crack your F/L sizer. If the round chambers in your revolver chambers, freely - - I wouldn't be concerned.

[unclebill]

it does not chamber freely
have to push them in and push them back out

[unclebill]

after some thought.
it seems like it would take an awful lot of force to crack a steel cylinder.

[eka]

Bill,
Does your loaded cases have a slight bulge, like right at the base of the boolit? I have had problems with that in my .38 Special. I have also had the same problem in the .45ACP, which causes mucho feeding issues. If that is your problem, and it sounds like it is, the easy fix is a Lee Factory Crimp Die. The Lee FCD has a carbide ring in it to uniform your brass as well as crimp. You set up your seater die to seat only, then crimp with the Lee FCD. That adds another step to the process, but it's well worth it. I use brass of mixed headstamp and most would chamber with no problems, but ten to fifteen percent wouldn't. The Lee FCD solved all that. Hope that helps you.

Keith

[unclebill]

the bulge is where the bullet is itself.
you can see the lube channels through the brass
this is before running it through the sizer die.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/billhedges/zsmithwesson27-2-31.jpg

[eka]

Yep, that's a fat boolit. A Lee FCD would make life so much better.

That should take care of your chambering issues. Now, it will size the boolit slightly as it irons out your case, but it didn't make any difference in my loads.

Take care,

Keith

[redneckdan]

it appears that your boolit is not seated straight

[unclebill]

it appears that your boolit is not seated straight

you are right.
what can i do about that?
i ran the same cartridge though the sizer
here it is.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/billhedges/zsmithwesson27-2098-9.jpg

[unclebill]

i have about 100 of these boolits and i doubt if i will get anymore.
do you think i need to buy yet another LEE lube sizer?
i would rather not but if i have no choice so be it.

[mooman76]

Bullets are just a hair too big. I can't see it hurting anything. I have some that fit tight because I loaded them as dropped and they are a little snug. As stated the FCD should take care of that or size your bullets a little smaller.

[unclebill]

i dont have either one of those things.
no sizer
no FCD

[unclebill]

these loaded rounds will fit into the case gage
but not easily.
can i take the decapping tool out of my sizer die and do what i have just shown you or will it cause some kind of problem?
once i run them through the sizer die sans decapper.
they easily fit in the case gage.

[Ben]

I don't see any numbers here ? ?

What is the dia. of these bullets that you are trying to load ?

Often you'll see that a particular brand of 38 Spec. case will have thicker case walls than others. You might try a different brand of brass.

The inside dia. of a sizer die will " Prep " the case for a properly sized bullet to be seated in the case that has been sized with the die.

To take a loaded round and push it up into a normal sizer die is not what the die was intended for. I'll also bet that the accuracy of these loaded rounds that have been through the F/L sizer will be near non existent as the bullet will have been " sub sized " for the bore of your pistol.

Are the chambers of your revolver clean ?

Ben

[unclebill]

I don't see any numbers here ? ?

What is the dia. of these bullets that you are trying to load ?

Often you'll see that a particular brand of 38 Spec. case will have thicker case walls than others. You might try a different brand of brass.

Ben


i was told they were 358
luckily you asked me that question ben.
i just measured one
362
no wonder!

ok thats that then.
i guess i need to buy another LEE sizer for these darn 100 boolits.
i was hoping i could get around that because im not getting anymore of these.

[Ben]

Yep, seems you've found your problem.

Those bullets are about .005 too large.

Things will work much better for you if they are sized to about .357 or .3575.

I shoot .3575 in just about all my 38 / 357 revolvers.

Thanks,

Ben

[Ben]

Try this Midway USA link :

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=342812

[unclebill]

since i am limited in my funds this winter.
instead of buying a sizer for that handful of boolits.
i put the money i would have spent on that towards 1000 bulk cast boolits that are .3575.
they are already lubed and shoot fine.:p
p.s.
i threw those FWC's in a drawer.
some day i will fool with em....