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Thread: How much "Bell" on case mouth?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    How much "Bell" on case mouth?

    No stupid questions, right? Have you ever measured the amount of bell you put on the case mouth when you are setting up your die? I try to shoot for about .006", but sometimes go around .010" just because the dies are so touchy.
    For example, with 9mm, the OD at the end of a loaded case is .380". I try to bell my cases between .386" and .390".
    Or do you just do it by sight/touch/feel?

  2. #2
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    I've never measured it, but I flare until a boolit will just stand straight up in the case,
    and go into the seater die without shaving Lead.

    If you have issues with different case lengths, the Lee 'powder through the expand' die might be a good option for ya.
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  3. #3
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    I'm fairly sure I have measured once or twice, but I can't remember for sure.

    What I tend to do is adjust the expander with the projectile nearby and go until the base sits down in the neck about half the thickness of a dime. No chance then of shaving lead.

    Robert

  4. #4
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    What Winger Ed said. Never measured.
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  5. #5
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    Only minimum. Enough to get the gas check or base of a plain based bullet about halfway in before meeting resistance. I visited a friend once while he was loading 38 specials. His Dillon loader was set up to flare the cases so much it looked like a cigar that had a load go off. I asked him why so much and he stated he wanted to make sure he had enough flare. I assured him he did. I asked about his case life and he said brass cases split after about three loadings and he told me nickel cases are no good, they split the first loading.
    Rick

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    I've never measured it, but I flare until a boolit will just stand straight up in the case
    and go into the seater die without shaving Lead.
    This is how I do it as well.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    I've never measured it, but I flare until a boolit will just stand straight up in the case,
    and go into the seater die without shaving Lead.

    If you have issues with different case lengths, the Lee 'powder through the expand' die might be a good option for ya.
    I am ever in concert with this post! PLUS, added, my belling is the barest minimal amount necessary to enable its going " into the seater die without shaving Lead"

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I’ve been loading for over fifty years, and I shoot a lot. I’ve NEVER measured it and I flair to the barest minimum amount possible. I actually hold the bullet until the case goes into the die. Probably why I’m still shooting nickel cases I bought decades ago ( I buy in large bulk quantities so I have no idea how many loads I’ve gotten, but it’s a lot).

  9. #9
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    I flare the case mouths until half the gas check will enter the case. On every cast loading, pistol or rifle, I make seating and crimping two separate operations.

  10. #10
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    In handguns, most of the time I just flare as much as I can, and still fit it into the seating die.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by 405grain View Post
    I flare the case mouths until half the gas check will enter the case. On every cast loading, pistol or rifle, I make seating and crimping two separate operations.
    This is about what I do.

    Calipers are probably my most used tool. I habitually measure everything that comes across my loading bench. Seems .006" over loaded neck outside diameter is a good amount of flair for all my lead boolit loads. I was just wondering what other people do. .006 will allow about half of a gas check height to seat in the case mouth.
    I'm processing about 1000 9mm cases. They've been washed, dried, and sized. (I don't tumble.) Now I'm flaring. All on a single-stage press.
    When I'm ready to go shooting I'll assemble a box the night before. I'll do two boxes if I'm going to a plate shoot. I never load a bunch of ammo in advance. Never have. But I do process cases.
    Last edited by Charlie Horse; 05-02-2022 at 10:04 PM.

  12. #12
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    I don't flare the case mouth. I use M-dies or NOE expanders. The step is about 0.001-0.002" over bullet diameter to a depth of about ˝ of the gas check.

    I never cared for the varying flare depending on the varying case length. I always tried for minmal flare to prolong case life and invariably would end up shaving lead from a short, unflared case.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bk7saum View Post
    i don't flare the case mouth. I use m-dies or noe expanders. The step is about 0.001-0.002" over bullet diameter to a depth of about ˝ of the gas check.

    I never cared for the varying flare depending on the varying case length. I always tried for minmal flare to prolong case life and invariably would end up shaving lead from a short, unflared case.
    ^^^^^this^^^^^
    Cognitive Dissident

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by BK7saum View Post
    I don't flare the case mouth. I use M-dies or NOE expanders. The step is about 0.001-0.002" over bullet diameter to a depth of about ˝ of the gas check.

    I never cared for the varying flare depending on the varying case length. I always tried for minmal flare to prolong case life and invariably would end up shaving lead from a short, unflared case.
    I use a lot of NOE plugs. .001" over shaves a bullet every single time unless you chamfer the case mouth. .002" isn't much better. Any bigger, and you have no neck tension. I now always follow with the Lee expander after I use NOE plugs. It's the only way to be sure you aren't shaving lead.

  15. #15
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    Another guy who does not measure. Enough to get the bullet started without issues.
    Don Verna


  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    I use a lot of NOE plugs. .001" over shaves a bullet every single time unless you chamfer the case mouth. .002" isn't much better. Any bigger, and you have no neck tension. I now always follow with the Lee expander after I use NOE plugs. It's the only way to be sure you aren't shaving lead.
    My mistake for not taking rhe time to be more clear. I did not mean to say the flare step was 0.001-0.002 over bullet diameter. What I meant was the ID of the case mouth was 0.001-0.002 over bullet diameter. I usually use an expander bullet diameter or about a half thousandth under, which puts the actual ID about 0.001-0.002" over bullet diameter. The flare step is actually 0.003-0.004 over bullet diameter, but with springback allows bullet to seat without shaving.

    I have never had a problem with not enough neck tension.

  17. #17
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    I’ve only had good results with the NOE plug system. Are you sure you are using the right size plug and not pushing it too far in? It’s supposed give two expansions. One that gives the right tension and a second slightly larger, just at the top of the neck to help get the boolit started.

  18. #18
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    I do it Winger Ed's way.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    9mm Luger Expander from RCBS 2021.

    .005" larger then case body. Just buy good dies. RCBS 9MM- "M" Die Expander.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    I use taper crimp dies, so bell to just set a bullet base inside the case, then seat, then taper crimp until the case is straight only.
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check