Seating this bullet

[Whopper Stopper]

Hello!

I have never loaded or shot any cast bullets.

Could someone tell me where they would seat and crimp this bullet? It is a .44 Caliber 240 Gr. SWC from Bayou Bullets. Would I seat and crimp where the pen is pointing or should I crimp just under the top band? I am sure this is a very dumb question, for that I apologize.

I just received 1000 of these today so am very excited about loading a few up and hitting the range.

Thanks for any comments or tips.

WS

[Winger Ed.]

The grove you're pointing at is for a grease/wax type lubricant.
Being powder coated, you don't need the lubricant, and leave it open.
The top grove to the right of the pen is for the case mouth to crimp into.

I would encourage you to get a Lyman cast bullet book.
There's a lot more in it than just loading data.

[Minerat]

No such thing as a dumb question on CB. Use what is called the crimp groove just above the pen point. What you are pointing at is called a lube groove. Where if it was not powder coated you would fill with boolit lube.

PS. Ed beat me.

[Winger Ed.]

. Ed beat me.

Ya got-ta be quick buddy.

[Whopper Stopper]

Thanks for the quick replies, I appreciate the help.

I will see if I can find a Lyman cast bullet book, good tip!

Looking at the bands on the bullet I think it would be a lot easier for me to crimp on the wide lube groove Lol My eyes aren't what the used to be.

Thanks again!

WS

[Rp-]

Your load data should specify an overall length which should put you right around that crimp groove.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[405grain]

Whopper Stopper: Cast bullets aren't like jacketed bullets. When you're seating cast bullets you need to be careful not to shave lead off the sides of the bullet. A 3 die reloading set usually has an expanding die that puts a slight flare on the case mouth so that the bullet will start into the case. For revolver cartridges the seating die usually has a roll crimp shoulder inside. It's important to crimp revolver cartridges so that recoil won't try to pull the bullets out of the case. Without a crimp the noses of the bullets can start sticking out of the cylinder and can jam up the action. With jacketed bullets you can seat and crimp in the same operation. With cast bullets, seating and crimping in a single operation can sometimes cause the case mouth to dig into the bullet while it's still being seated by the die. When this happens it can cause the case mouth to shave lead off of the top driving band. A way to prevent this is to do the bullet seating, and the crimping, as two separate operations. First back the seating die off just enough that it doesn't crimp the case. Adjust the seating stem to seat the bullets to the proper depth and seat all the bullets. Once the bullets have been seated into the case, back off the seating stem so that it won't touch the bullets and screw down the die body so that it will crimp the cases. Run all the cartridges through the die and crimp the case necks. This way you'll end up with perfect cartridges and no shaved lead (or powder coat) which could effect accuracy or barrel leading.

[Minerat]

Thanks for the quick replies, I appreciate the help.

I will see if I can find a Lyman cast bullet book, good tip!

Looking at the bands on the bullet I think it would be a lot easier for me to crimp on the wide lube groove Lol My eyes aren't what the used to be.

Thanks again!

WS

If you do that it might make the finished cartridge too long to fit the cylinder or feed properly. You could crimp to top of the upper most band though.

[Winger Ed.]

Looking at the bands on the bullet I think it would be a lot easier for me to crimp on the wide lube groove Lol My eyes aren't what the used to be.

I'd sure re-think that concept.

This stuff ain't like Burger King,,,,, you don't always get it your way.

[405grain]

Winger Ed's post is pretty graphic, but the danger of taking a lackadaisical approach to handloading is real. If a bullet is seated too deeply, or in the case of autoloaders, the bullet is a loose enough fit that it gets pushed back into the case when the firearm cycles, the pressures can increase dangerously. I have learned through long experience that the worst damage to anything is not caused by people that don't know what their doing: it's caused by people that THINK they know what their doing.

I second the suggestion that you get yourself a copy of the 4th edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, and then do something that 80% of the people that have this book never do - read the front parts of the book. In the interim, the 3rd edition of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is widely available as a pdf from several sources. It' an older manual and doesn't have all the loads and information as the newer version, but it's a good start, (plus it's free). Here's a link:
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...-%20Reduce.pdf

[remy3424]

Dang Ed, those are quite the pics! I am thinking that was a Glock. Than makes you start thinking a bit more about what you are doing!

[Winger Ed.]

Dang Ed, those are quite the pics! I am thinking that was a Glock.

Oh yeah.
There's a bunch of pictures out there of revolvers letting go and chunks of the cylinder and top strap hitting
the shooter and even bystanders in the face.

[Whopper Stopper]

Whopper Stopper: Cast bullets aren't like jacketed bullets. When you're seating cast bullets you need to be careful not to shave lead off the sides of the bullet. A 3 die reloading set usually has an expanding die that puts a slight flare on the case mouth so that the bullet will start into the case. For revolver cartridges the seating die usually has a roll crimp shoulder inside. It's important to crimp revolver cartridges so that recoil won't try to pull the bullets out of the case. Without a crimp the noses of the bullets can start sticking out of the cylinder and can jam up the action. With jacketed bullets you can seat and crimp in the same operation. With cast bullets, seating and crimping in a single operation can sometimes cause the case mouth to dig into the bullet while it's still being seated by the die. When this happens it can cause the case mouth to shave lead off of the top driving band. A way to prevent this is to do the bullet seating, and the crimping, as two separate operations. First back the seating die off just enough that it doesn't crimp the case. Adjust the seating stem to seat the bullets to the proper depth and seat all the bullets. Once the bullets have been seated into the case, back off the seating stem so that it won't touch the bullets and screw down the die body so that it will crimp the cases. Run all the cartridges through the die and crimp the case necks. This way you'll end up with perfect cartridges and no shaved lead (or powder coat) which could effect accuracy or barrel leading.

Thanks for the excellent information. The .44 Caliber 240 Gr. SWC that I bought have a slight taper at the base. From what I could research many using the bullets say there isn't a need to flare the cases. I have a Lee 4 die set of dies. From what I can tell most do as you explained but then for final crimp they use the carbide factory crimp die. If it shouldn't be used please advise.

Thanks for the time you spent replying.

[Whopper Stopper]

I'd sure re-think that concept.

This stuff ain't like Burger King,,,,, you don't always get it your way.

I was talking in jest about the lube groove. I have been loading rifle and handgun bullets since 1976. I always strictly adhere to all safety precautions when reloading. Cast bullets were just something I never used so as a result I wasn't sure of the exact procedure.

I retired after 45 years in the tree industry. Lots of pictures of slashed up tree choppers if you get to looking for them. In all the years I slung a chainsaw I never got bit once. Some say that I was just lucky, I like to think I was careful.

Thanks for the reminder though regarding the dangers.

[Whopper Stopper]

I appreciate all the replies and tips.
I have a a copy of the 4th edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook on the way.

I am planning to start out loading some plinking loads with 5.5 - 6 grains of Bullseye in .44 Magnum cases. I'm not saying Bullseye is the best, but it is one of the pistol powders that I have on hand.

Hope you all have an excellent day!

WS

[racepres]

I appreciate all the replies and tips.
I have a a copy of the 4th edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook on the way.

I am planning to start out loading some plinking loads with 5.5 - 6 grains of Bullseye in .44 Magnum cases. I'm not saying Bullseye is the best, but it is one of the pistol powders that I have on hand.

Hope you all have an excellent day!

WS

A Mild, and Easy Shooting place to start...

[WRideout]

the Lyman 3d edition is found online at this site; https://archive.org/details/LymanCas...e/n21/mode/2up.

if the link doesn't work, just google Lyman cast bullet handbook, 3d edition.

Wayne

[racepres]

the Lyman 3d edition is found online at this site; https://archive.org/details/LymanCas...e/n21/mode/2up.

if the link doesn't work, just google Lyman cast bullet handbook, 3d edition.

Wayne

Great news...I really Like the 3rd edition... the 4th...Not so Much..

[gwpercle]

The grove you're pointing at is for a grease/wax type lubricant.
Being powder coated, you don't need the lubricant, and leave it open.
The top grove to the right of the pen is for the case mouth to crimp into.

I would encourage you to get a Lyman cast bullet book.
There's a lot more in it than just loading data.

There is a whole lot more in it ...
Look for the " Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition " to us boolit caster's / shooters it's worth it's weight in gold .
Read the information chapters ... Chapter 1 through Chapter 18 ... lots of good stuff .
Don't be afraid to ask questions ... all of us started knowing little or nothing ...
none of know it all .
P.S. Buy a copy of the book ... having it at your fingertips beats a computer book Seven ways to Sunday !
Gary

[mehavey]

...what I could research many using the [bevel-base] bullets say there isn't a need to flare the cases

You still absolutely need to flare the case mouth enough to hand-seat the bullet
about a dime's width past the bevel before using the press the rest of the way.

`Else you will shave lead and coating off.
(Bad ju ju...)