Reloading .32-20 WCF RN problem.....

[sailcaptain]

I was reloading about 20 - 32-20 Brass Casings (for my 1873 Winchester Rifle) I had been meaning to get to, when I got this result. The first 6 went fine then....Never happen before with any reloads I've done with any caliber!
I used my bullet puller to separate each one.

Here's the background....Using RCBS Single Press/RCBS 32-20 WCF RN Die Set (no. 18105)/5 Grains Unique Powder/100 Grain Bullet. Cases were all lightly lubed, fed easily into the die, but not the results I was expecting after the first 6 went fine.

So what went so wrong?

264748
264746
264747
264749
264750
264751

[Outpost75]

Cases are not of uniform length, so that the long ones are getting crunched by excessive crimp. TRIM all your cases to 1.280-1.285, the same as new Starline brass, then set up your dies and the problem should go away. Older factory .32-20 cases can be up to 1.305" max and after firing and reloading a couple times will grow longer than that. Best results in the .32-20, .38-40, .44-40 will be produced by seating and crimping in separate operations, because the brass is so thin. The Lee Quik-Trim setup for the .30 M1 carbine also works for the .32-20 using the correct shell holder.

[sailcaptain]

Outpost,
You hit this right on the head! After posting this, thinking and overthinking this, and reading your reply, the lights went on. That’s why I only had 20 of these rounds off in a corner of the bench. Why only 20? I put them aside a while ago (a long while ago) and didn’t label them, knowing full well they needed to be sized. I’d remember that small detail, why wouldn’t I. And that’s exactly what happened.
Thank you for your help and suggestion, it’s greatly appreciated.
Hope this post and your reply helps others also. Things just get put off to the side and then one day, you go to the loading bench and start in.
I know I’ll never NOT label things before I leave again!
A couple of these are going into my rack of Prototype Rounds of each size I reload as a reminder to myself.

[sailcaptain]

After ruining a half dozen or so of 32-20 Winchester Brass casings, because I put them aside to trim. Forgot they needed trimming and tried to reload them.
Well I now know why I didn’t trim them........I didn’t have an RCBS Trim Pro Shell Holder for my Trimmer.
The holders I have won’t hold the 32-20 shell firmly in place while turning.
Does anyone know the proper Shell Holder I need for the 32-20 because I can’t find one that will hold it.
And this is what I get for putting things off I guess.
Thanks for the help.

[EDG]

RCBS shell holder #1

https://www.rcbs.com/rcbs-how-to-reload/rcbs-reference-tables.html

With other brands the numbers vary

https://www.grafs.com/uploads/technical-resource-pdf-file/15.pdf

[sailcaptain]

Thank you for the kind and rapid help. If I can count this as the biggest error in judgement in my reloading then I am very grateful.

[kenblacksmith]

Chamfer the cases, makes for better/easier seating.