Home Made 40 S&W Bulge Buster

[BBDartCA]

I recall a post here (?) where somebody was talking about a simple modification to a Lee bullet seating (?) die to achieve the same thing as what the Lee Bulge Buster does. Anybody know this trick?

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=8370755&postcount=28

rc

 

[TonyT]

I use once fired 40 S&W brassfrom Glock's and never have needed anything more than the normal Lee carbide sizing die. I reload he high pressure cases 4 times before consigning them, to the scrap heap.

 

[rcmodel]

I started loading .40 S&W for my Glock 23 in 1995.

I use a standard RCBS die set.

A case problem needing a bulge buster has yet arise it's ugly head at this late date.

If you aren't trying to get 10MM performance out of a .40 S&W, you won't have any need for a bulge buster either!

rc

 

[GLOOB]

You need the LEE 40SW FCD, not the regular seating die.

Screw out the top half of the FCD with the crimp ring. Now you have just a hollow tube with a carbide post-sizing ring in there.

Now take a 9mm case and cut it down to 10-12mm, or so. Fill it with epoxy. After it hardens, sand the top flat. This is you "pusher." Put it in the shell holder. This pushes the 40 cases all the way through the FCD until they pop out the top. If your "pusher" is too tall, it'll take extra effort to pop the rims of the 40 cases through the FCD. You want it to be short enough where you get the maximum leverage, here.

Now roll up a piece of paper and stick it in the top of the FCD. This prevents the mouth of the 40 case from getting dinged on the threading as it forcefully pops through.

You just balance the 40 case on top of your "pusher" and guide the mouth into the FCD, then press. Hard.

 

[BBDartCA]

You need the LEE 40SW FCD, not the regular seating die.

Screw out the top half of the FCD with the crimp ring. Now you have just a hollow tube with a carbide post-sizing ring in there.

Now take a 9mm case and cut it down to 10-12mm, or so. Fill it with epoxy. After it hardens, sand the top flat. This is you "pusher." Put it in the shell holder. This pushes the 40 cases all the way through the FCD until they pop out the top. If your "pusher" is too tall, it'll take extra effort to pop the rims of the 40 cases through the FCD. You want it to be short enough where you get the maximum leverage, here.

Now roll up a piece of paper and stick it in the top of the FCD. This prevents the mouth of the 40 case from getting dinged on the threading as it forcefully pops through.

You just balance the 40 case on top of your "pusher" and guide the mouth into the FCD, then press. Hard.

Thanks - that's it. I always run through the FCD with the crimper removed anyhow.

 

[GLOOB]

One other tip. I've seen where a guy cut a hole in the bottom of an empty margarine tub and stuck this on top of his FCD to catch the cases.

You don't need this. The rolled up piece of printer paper you use for a thread protector doubles as a tube magazine. As you start your batch process, the tube will fill up with cases. Every 10-12 cases, just pinch the bottom of the tube and lift. Hold the tube over your bin and let 'em all drop out. Then replace.

One other thought. I only ever needed to do this once, when I bought my first big batch of mixed brass for this caliber. (The culprits were fairly obviously once-fired Speer cases, btw. A lot of them; hence, why I bothered). Next time I need to do it, I think I might try using some spray lube on the cases to see if it makes it any easier.