testtest

reloading questions/advice if you would please?

ok so 2 days ago i reloaded 100 rounds of 45 ACP, and all went well, with the mixed brass...S&B, Starline, WIN, Federal.

today i reloaded 200 more rounds.

all was going good, until i came across 3 S&B cases, that the primer only partially got punched out, maybe about 1/2 way and then of course, the shell plate would not rotate (Dillon 550c), as it was now jammed.

i was like WTF, all these other cases and now this.??

so you Dillon owners know, raise ram, unscrew locking allen screw, then unscrew the center larger allen screw, then remove plate.

now, i do have a Lee decapping die, and the original decapping pin broke, so i replaced it with a "Squirrel Daddy" much longer and much more heavy duty replacement.

as per directions, the decapping pin was adjusted to proper length (i think it was 3/16's?) i actually was able to use the former decapping pin as a gauge,

it was "strange" that i was going along and all was well, but 3 S&B cases, the primer cup would only come out about half way..??

so anyways, i readjusted the decapping pin to go "deeper", and all is well.

any of you Dillon guys, or other press guys, ever come across your decapper suddenly not punching out the primer when all others it worked fine?
 
To avoid issues with decappping on my 650, I decap and size all my brass on a single stage Rockchucker before dropping them in the vibrator for cleaning. It also helps to clean the primer pockets and I think my brass runs through the machine better by following this step. I fog them with a bit of case lube before dropping them into the case feeder.
I always keep a supply of replacement pins on hand as they will break now and again.
 
HayesGreener said:
To avoid issues with decappping on my 650, I decap and size all my brass on a single stage Rockchucker before dropping them in the vibrator for cleaning. It also helps to clean the primer pockets and I think my brass runs through the machine better by following this step. I fog them with a bit of case lube before dropping them into the case feeder.
I always keep a supply of replacement pins on hand as they will break now and again.
Click to expand...
yes, when i bought these replacements, i got like 3 of them for the price..they are harder than OEM.

i should point out too, that the "stuck primers" in those shell casings measured the proper 45 ACP height.

that was my first thought, maybe a 40 caliber case got in my sweepings, and i missed tossing it into my recycling pail.

i just thought it strange, all those reloads, and today, 3 primers that only came out half way, and i check the bottom of each case before i insert it into the press, just to make certain its not a SPP,,,,so i would have noticed if say, the primer was set deeper into the pocket.

and all 3 were S&B.......no other case did this

i seriously gave thought long ago on decapping in bulk, just never did, and i do have 2- single stage presses i can maybe set up for that.
 
I've had issues with 3 or 4 cases not completely decapping recently. In my case, I think it was the sealant around the primer that gave my press pause. The pin pushed up in the collet and I had to readjust. The seal around the primer was still intact and the primer had mushroomed out of the case but not enough to pop it out. Most came out normally, but these were stubborn from about 700 total I ran.
 
youngolddude said:
I've had issues with 3 or 4 cases not completely decapping recently. In my case, I think it was the sealant around the primer that gave my press pause. The pin pushed up in the collet and I had to readjust. The seal around the primer was still intact and the primer had mushroomed out of the case but not enough to pop it out. Most came out normally, but these were stubborn from about 700 total I ran.
Click to expand...
that's how i should have described it..."mushroomed out"...

thing is, my decapper pin never moved up in that collet. i think my press just stopped when it could not go up any more.

at least now, i'll have a better idea as to why this happened.....the sealant around the primer.
 
ok, so....a few months ago, i ordered online from Badman Bullets, 1,000 coated 45 ACP .421 dia, 230 gr bullets.

some one here, i cannot recall, either @TEXASforLIFE or @youngolddude , or maybe someone else, gave me quite a few companies to order from, and searching all those companies, Badman was the better choice.

super fast shipping, very good pricing.

today, it is such a great day, the basement is cool, not bone chilling cold like during the winter, and i got to some reloading.

just a short time ago, i reloaded 500 rounds, i had to finish the lead bullets i had, and that was 200.

so 300 were of the coated Badman, and tomorrow, i have to reload 450 more, to bring my stock back up to 2,000 on hand.

i had 13 of the coated bullets to finish my tube of primers, (from reloading the lead bullets), but i don't like 13, so i will take 12 to the club next week.

i should point out too, i checked all my books, for max powder charge, which for Titegroup, that is 5.1 grains.

so i reloaded at 5.0 grains, @ 1.272 OAL

tell you what too, after reloading with the coated bullets, it was a pleasure to not have to wipe off the wax, that the lead bullets have in the groove. Badman coated bullets had no wax in the groove. if i did not wipe the wax on those lead bullets, they will stick in the go/no go gauge.


1718309171787.png



1718309188925.png


i am "dying" to see far less smoke, since they are coated, and more better performance with the near max charge
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
I know nothing about lead or coated bullets as I've never loaded any. might be @youngolddude 's realm?
Click to expand...
Don't have experience with coated bullets but have loaded thousands of cast bullets. Of course these need lube to cut back on excessive leading and they do smoke quite a bit. I would assume coated bullets's lube is in the coating probably doing away with most are all of the smoke and leading. I have also loaded thousands of Berry's plated bullets. Plated bullets allow you to load to higher velocities than with cast or coated bullets. Yep youngolddude would be the one to give more detailed info on loading coated bullets.
 
rcurtner said:
Don't have experience with coated bullets but have loaded thousands of cast bullets. Of course these need lube to cut back on excessive leading and they do smoke quite a bit. I would assume coated bullets's lube is in the coating probably doing away with most are all of the smoke and leading. I have also loaded thousands of Berry's plated bullets. Plated bullets allow you to load to higher velocities than with cast or coated bullets. Yep youngolddude would be the one to give more detailed info on loading coated bullets.
Click to expand...
yeah, i still have some Berrys 9mm plated (as well as cast) i have to reload sooner or later. that's for the Lee press.

and that is IF the Lee cooperates, or gets the sawzall.
 
Old_Me said:
ok, so....a few months ago, i ordered online from Badman Bullets, 1,000 coated 45 ACP .421 dia, 230 gr bullets.

some one here, i cannot recall, either @TEXASforLIFE or @youngolddude , or maybe someone else, gave me quite a few companies to order from, and searching all those companies, Badman was the better choice.

super fast shipping, very good pricing.

today, it is such a great day, the basement is cool, not bone chilling cold like during the winter, and i got to some reloading.

just a short time ago, i reloaded 500 rounds, i had to finish the lead bullets i had, and that was 200.

so 300 were of the coated Badman, and tomorrow, i have to reload 450 more, to bring my stock back up to 2,000 on hand.

i had 13 of the coated bullets to finish my tube of primers, (from reloading the lead bullets), but i don't like 13, so i will take 12 to the club next week.

i should point out too, i checked all my books, for max powder charge, which for Titegroup, that is 5.1 grains.

so i reloaded at 5.0 grains, @ 1.272 OAL

tell you what too, after reloading with the coated bullets, it was a pleasure to not have to wipe off the wax, that the lead bullets have in the groove. Badman coated bullets had no wax in the groove. if i did not wipe the wax on those lead bullets, they will stick in the go/no go gauge.


View attachment 60096


View attachment 60097

i am "dying" to see far less smoke, since they are coated, and more better performance with the near max charge
Click to expand...
I just noticed you ordered .421" bullets for .45 ACP. It's really .452" right?
 
youngolddude said:
I just noticed you ordered .421" bullets for .45 ACP. It's really .452" right?
Click to expand...
1st, sorry for the long delay, but yes..

i went downstairs to measure a couple..

but yes, .452

my dyslexia must have kicked in to say .421.

i was only going to reload 450 pcs, but i figured why not go and use all the primers in the container.


now, it does seem like i have to remove the seating die, and crimping die, and clean them out from the waxy build up, like i had to do with the Lee press dies.

just for future knowledge, and cleanliness, i will try to not buy anymore lead bullets.
 
Last edited:
Old_Me said:
ok thanks....i just cannot recall who gave me a list........

could even be @jumpinjoe

i dunno, it's tough to be old...

hell, it's tough to be a REAL man in America these days.
Click to expand...
It wasn't me who gave you the long list of bullet suppliers Old_Me, although I do remember seeing it. I'm thinking it was likely youngolddude. I don't load lead bullets and haven't for a very long time for a variety of reasons.
 
jumpinjoe said:
It wasn't me who gave you the long list of bullet suppliers Old_Me, although I do remember seeing it. I'm thinking it was likely youngolddude. I don't load lead bullets and haven't for a very long time for a variety of reasons.
Click to expand...
well it had to have been @youngolddude

this is the only website i asked about where do you buy your bullets from.

i still have lots of 9mm lead bullets, i'm gonna load them soon, and then start ordering poly coated ones as well, again, that info was provided for here.

i like the Berrys bullets, but for plinking, i can do with poly coated instead.
 
well, like i said about not being embarrassed about my targets, i will post 1 picture of my crimping die from the Dillon. the handle was taking some extra "pull" to crimp the bullets.

and i tell you what too, this seals my thoughts on staying away from lead bullets, especially with that damned wax seal in the groove.

the seating die, was actually quite clean........so "brake clean" took care of that, as well as the decapping die.

in this picture, the build up of the wax, was inside that "collar", and some was jammed into the end cap....

this is from at least 3050 rounds of reloading
1718457572190.png


i had cleaned the Lee several months ago, and hadn't done any reloading on that as of yet..(set up for 9mm)

strange too, on that press, the seating die was all gunked up, and the crimping die was good.

what also helped in recalibrating the dies, was that i use the Lee Breech lock rings.....only a minute adjustment to the seating die, and crimping die, then i ran at least 6 more cartridges thru it.
 
got up early this morning, and worked up 400 rounds of 9mm, using Berry's bullets, copper coated, round nose.

i bumped up the charge to 4.3 grains, Titegroup.

after about 6 hiccups with primers on the floor, the Lee 4000 ran pretty good.

i may want to bring up that supply to at least 1,000 rounds, so i got many more to go.

i even used up the dozen of military brass that i had worked on the primer cups. new primers went in easy-peasy.

i forget what that process is called.....when you remove the primer crimp.

been so long since i even did that.
 
youngolddude said:
It's called swaging.
Click to expand...
thanks.........i still couldn't recall it all last night....!!...lol

yeah, i was going to get the RCBS swaging die, but the Lee was at a better price, and from what i have witnessed, does a fine job.


P.S.

i'll forget the process in a few minutes....

it's like someone's name...if i don't say it often, i forget.....

like my wife...........good ole...what's her name..........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top