Straight wall pistol brass help. Sized but not always sized?

I reloaded several rounds for my 45 LC revolver and I have noticed from time to time that after I load the brass it has a difficult time fitting in the cylinder.

I'm thinking when I size the brass maybe I'm not going far enough down to get the full-length size. Is it the dies I'm using? I'm not sure and I have been wanting to ask this for a long time just forget.

Like to hear what you think. I'll load 100 rounds and a few of them will not fit in the cylinder but all the rest I will have no problems with just like to fix it thanks!

Go all the way down with the size die. May need to anneal your brass ??

If this is after a round is assembled, your bullets may be expanding the brass enough to cause problems. This can be the result of bullets that are too big and/or thicker than normal brass.

Crimping too much can also cause a bulge.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by P Flados

If this is after a round is assembled, your bullets may be expanding the brass enough to cause problems. This can be the result of bullets that are too big and/or thicker than normal brass.

Crimping too much can also cause a bulge.

---

Most likely the case.

Take 100 cases that have been sized but not loaded. If they all slip into the chambers easily, you have a bullet and/or crimp problem.

I've had that problem with doing roll crimps on brass cases that were longer than the others and what the seat/crimp die was set for.
If you can feel a little bit of bulge on the troublesome case mouths-- that's it.

Is the brass all from your chambers? Are all of your chambers the same size ? Throats ?

I know that sounds/looks dumb but in the world of modern CNC production its even easier to get a mismatched chamber than ever before .

need a factory crimp die

When sizing the cases, the size die should make light contact with the shell holder. When crimping the case mouth, it should be only as much crimp as necessary. This can depend upon whether it is a revolver round or a rifle round application. As mentioned, excessive crimp will result in the case mouth swelling just below the crimp. This can be worse when the case length varies.

To determine where the case is contacting the chamber and does not permit chambering, apply black magic marker on the exterior of the loaded round that does not fit. It will show bright brass where the finish is scuffed off. That will tell you what you need to do to correct the problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Winger Ed.

I've had that problem with doing roll crimps on brass cases that were longer than the others and what the seat/crimp die was set for.
If you can feel a little bit of bulge on the troublesome case mouths-- that's it.

---

IMHO, this is the only justification for trimming pistol brass - to insure uniform crimps.

Any time there is a fit issue, measure. Measure the OD of the cartridge in a few places (mouth, middle, and next to the rim, extraction groove). Finding out where is a key to finding out when and where the round becomes too big. Make sure there is no flare left in the case mouth and the bullets are the correct diameter for your cylinder/throat. Crimp just enough to keep bullets in place (using revolver bullets w/cannalure or groove?) Reread the sizing die instructions. All this will give you a good start at diagnosing your problem...

#3, 4, 5 are all correct answers for 95% of the time when this happens.

along another line of inquiry:

do you cast your own bullets and if so, do you size them?

sometimes bullets come out of the molds slightly larger due to the mold not closing completely

just something else to consider

What size are you sizing them to? It maybe too big!?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nicholst55

IMHO, this is the only justification for trimming pistol brass - to insure uniform crimps.

---

I don't load for any hard to find or expensive brass.
And I'm also a taper crimp guy.
When I have to use a roll crimp, and run into those problem children,
I mark 'em. After firing, they get squashed with pliers, and go in the scrap bucket.

I guess maybe I set my dies up differently than other people.

Pistol sizing die, run it in so that raising the ram, the shell holder hits the bottom of the die right before the ram tops the stroke (before it toggles over top) so that way you are sure the case gets completely sized.

I doubt that incomplete sizing is your problem but this would solve that.

Bullet seating and crimping. I mostly do this in one step for cast bullets with crimp groove. I do it by feel again I run the die in more than most people so that I don't use the whole ram stroke so that I can feel the crimp happening. When I feel the case crimp I stop, round is done. I set the seating stem so that the bullet is properly seated when the case is crimped. Done this way case length does not matter.

Tim

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dtknowles

I guess maybe I set my dies up differently than other people.

Pistol sizing die, run it in so that raising the ram, the shell holder hits the bottom of the die right before the ram tops the stroke (before it toggles over top) so that way you are sure the case gets completely sized.

I doubt that incomplete sizing is your problem but this would solve that.

Bullet seating and crimping. I mostly do this in one step for cast bullets with crimp groove. I do it by feel again I run the die in more than most people so that I don't use the whole ram stroke so that I can feel the crimp happening. When I feel the case crimp I stop, round is done. I set the seating stem so that the bullet is properly seated when the case is crimped. Done this way case length does not matter.

Tim

---

I crimp by feel as well. I have had excellent results with various brass.

Make sure that when you seat and crimp a boolit that you don't put too much crimp and bulge out the case side wall . It's not easy to see the bulge but it will keep the round from chambering easily and if bulged out enough ... it wont chamber fully at all .

I didn't know about crimping causing case bulges when I started and ran into that problem . Back off the crimp die setting if this is happening .
It can happen easily when a few cases are longer that the other cases . The longer cases get more crimp , the longer brass case is the culprit and it may be causing the bulge .
Gary

If the crimp die is bulging the cases, look into the Lee collet style factory crimp die. The cost is reasonable and case length isn't as critical.

45_Colt

With a straight wall case you have several considerations and all cases are not the same. Some web areas go furthur up the case than others. When using a heavy bullet for the diameter, the bullet must be longer to accommodate the weight difference, so a setting for a 250 will cause problems at the web with a 300. Examining your loaded brass will show a mid case bulge. You may can change brass to mitigate the problem if you are set on using say the 300.
Another issue is crimping. For best accuracy you should be seating then crimping as two steps or stations on a progressive. Many times the crimp while seating gets slghtly out of order and bulges the case in the upper 1/3 of the case.
With cast I use a taper crimp die or a progressive crimp die (combination crimp die). I only streighten the case mouth as a seperate station or step.
I found that Remington brass was thicker than Winchester Brass/brass and when loading a 200 RCBS in a 357 Mag I had to use Win brass to not stick in the 357 Mag chambers due to expansion by the bullet base of the case web.
As always, remove the revolver cylinder and use the chambers to do a loaded cartridge plunk test, before leaving the bench.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by P Flados

If this is after a round is assembled, your bullets may be expanding the brass enough to cause problems. This can be the result of bullets that are too big and/or thicker than normal brass.

Crimping too much can also cause a bulge.

---

This^. I found out in my 357 Max that if I didn’t have the boolit seated exactly to where the case mouth would crimp into the crimp groove, it would only go about half way into the chambers. Once that got sorted out, no more problems

BTW... if the OP has some loaded cartridges that (now) don't fit into the cylinder,
he can fix that problem by removing the depriming pin from the sizer -- and gently
re-sizing them just enough to resolve the bulge/fit the cylinder again.

Once the resizing die is adjusted for one cartridge, that same setting will resolve the rest.


(+1 on making sure the crimp and crimp groove are aligned once crimping starts)

.

A couple of years ago I loaded up 50 rounds of 38 Special with Lee cast SWC's. Most would require a slight push into the chamber of my S&W Model 67-no dash. After firing they were hard to extract. I know that on here it is stressed to not over crimp, but there is a balance needed between too slight a crimp and too much. I had resized the brass all the way. So with the 67 close by, I slowly recrimped the rounds until they'd "plunk" into the chambers. And, there was not further extraction problem either. I had not thought to check on how they chambered before loading them. A slightly increased crimp solved the problem. But I have learned that before I load a batch to try the "plunk" test even though it is normally reserved for semi-autos.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Winger Ed.

I've had that problem with doing roll crimps on brass cases that were longer than the others and what the seat/crimp die was set for.
If you can feel a little bit of bulge on the troublesome case mouths-- that's it.

---

This thats why I trim all my roll crimped brass any long one will bulge when roll crimped