Bottle neck case mouth flairing question.

[fjrdoc]

Hi Gang
I've been reloading cast boolits in my handguns and 45-70 single shot rifle for years with great success. I am beginning to enter the realm of cast boolit reloading in bottle neck cartridges. Specifically, 9.5x57 Mannlicher. I purchased a Lee Universal Expander to flair the mouth enough to just accept the boolit. I know that neck tension is what will maintain boolit position and therefore crimping isn't necessary. What is the easiest way to reduce the flair after the boolit is seated? Can the completed cartridge be lightly raised into the sizing die or is that a big No No?
Thanks in advance.

[charlie b]

That's how I did it in the old days. Now days I use a Lee collet crimp die set to just straighten the neck, but any crimp die would work, including most seating dies.

Keep in mind the expanding die should be set to flare as minimally as necessary. In some cases you can just leave it.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Most seating dies will provide a crimping capability. The die can be adjusted just enough to iron out the flare without crimping.

[TNsailorman]

Seating dies that crimp can be adjusted to where the bullet is seated to full depth but it does not enter into the crimping groove portion of the case. That will remove most of the flare if it is not too heavy. You can actually adjust the die that it will remove all the flare but still not crimp the mouth. I have done it myself but not much as I like to crimp my bullets both jacketed and lead. I just light crimp the lead bullet though. Experiment a little until you find the depth you want and lock your ring there and forget it. james

[stubshaft]

Be sure to check that the neck tension does not size the bullet down too much. The Lee expander does not open the case neck to accomadate a cast bullet. Load the bullet and use an inertia puller to pull the bullet. Measure the bullet and see how much it is sized down.

One of my first forays in 22 caliber cast bullets was with a 223. I slightly flared the neck to seat the bullet and went to the range. The "pattern was 12" @ 50 yards. On a hunch I pulled one of the loaded bullets and found that it was no where near the .225" that I had size it to, but now measured .221"!

[Kosh75287]

First thing I'D try is just chamfering the case mouth, and seeing how the projectiles seat with just this.

[megasupermagnum]

Most seating dies will provide a crimping capability. The die can be adjusted just enough to iron out the flare without crimping.

With handguns, yes. Most rifle seating dies do not crimp. 9.5x57 does not appear to have any standard die sets out there. Unfortunately I can not think of any off the shelf die that could possibly work in this instance. You can try your sizing die turned in just enough to get rid of the flare. I'm not sure how well it will work. The best tool for the job is the Lee collet crimp die. It will have to be custom ordered, they are $30.

https://leeprecision.com/custom-rifle-factory-crimp-die-thread.html

[GregLaROCHE]

NOE case neck expanders are the cat’s meow. I will never go back to bell flaring again.

[missionary5155]

We also use the NOE case neck expanders. You can buy the expanders in most any configuration to meet your need or get a slightly larger one and reduce it where needed.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

It depends on caliber and brand whether a 'rifle die' has crimp capability. I have dies for the .270, 30-06, .243 .358 win, 300 win mag and others that do provide crimp capability, along with all the tube feed lever gun cartridges of course. Have not checked lately, but Lee may not crimp in rifle calibers due to selling the 'Factory Crimp Die' which does work very well. It was common to crimp many calibers when the crimp grooves were common on most bullets. I do use the Lyman and NOE stepped 'M type' expanders and avoid the Lee Expander as it is easy to get TOO MUCH flare with it. If a rifle has a chamber that has not been chamfered, even a cartridge without a flare can drag or hang-up when chambered. Outside neck chamfers help but sometimes a slight crimp is better. If you can avoid crimping, accuracy is usually better in most cartridges. Of course, revolvers and tube feeds USUALLY (not always) require crimping of some sort.

[lar45]

Add my +1 to the NOE expanders. You can usually get them in any size needed.
Do you have loading dies already?
If so, the bullet seating die should take the flare out.

[fjrdoc]

I have the dies already. I spent some time out in my reloading area last night. I assembled a small batch of cartridges without issue. The seating die did remove the flare and the rounds chambered. I'll give them a try next time I get to the range.

[jimb16]

M dies will give you just the right amount of case mouth and neck expansion without w wide flare. Then a standard crimp die will easily remove it. NOE expanders work the same way. Either one is well worth the investment.

[PAndy]

Neck expansion is an area of trial and error for me, with cast bullets. Just have to see how to make things work. You may be dealing with more than one bullet diameter in your loading efforts. I make fewer mistakes now, because I have made so many in the past!