Flaring case mouths
- Thread starter KY DAN
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Average Joe
Member
Readjust your die so you have only a slight bell, the projectile should just barely fit in the flared case. Rifle cases (bottlenecks) don't get flared as stated above.^.
Arkansas Paul
Member
You just want to get it started. If it looks like a blunderbuss, it's too much.
Rifle cases rarely get flared. You can get a die that will do it for cast loads, but like I said, it's not something that you do regularly.
Rifle cases rarely get flared. You can get a die that will do it for cast loads, but like I said, it's not something that you do regularly.
That is way too much flare. That much flare allows the bullet to tip as it enters the Seating die
Charlie98
Member
That... ^^^^
Under normal circumstances, loading jacketed bullets, case mouth flare is not necessary. Cast is a different story, use of something like the Lyman M-die is preferable to keep from damaging the cast bullet on seating.
Overworking the case mouths as you describe will quickly lead to case mouth splits, and in rifle brass, inconsistent neck tension on the bullet. Generically speaking, 2-die rifle sets do not even include a flare die... so I'm curious which cartridge you are loading.
edwardware
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For jacketed, inside chamfer until the mouth doesn't shave the jacket. No flare, and I prefer the steeper VLD chamfer tool's angle.
For lead/cast/coated, chamfer/deburr and flare just until the mouth doesn't shave the lead/lube/coating. Any more, and you'll excessively shorten case life.
If you're having an off-center seating issue, you can solve that with excessive flare, but it'll cost you case life. Better to solve it with a larger expander ball or M-die.
For lead/cast/coated, chamfer/deburr and flare just until the mouth doesn't shave the lead/lube/coating. Any more, and you'll excessively shorten case life.
If you're having an off-center seating issue, you can solve that with excessive flare, but it'll cost you case life. Better to solve it with a larger expander ball or M-die.
jmorris
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If you blunderbust them like the case on the left machine here.
That’s too much and it likely won’t even enter the seat die. The one on the right machine is more appropriate.
That said, I if you seat your bullet perfectly straight you can get away with very little. Using GSI bullet feeders that hold the bullet as it’s being seated, this is how little flair I use on my cast and coated bullets.
That’s too much and it likely won’t even enter the seat die. The one on the right machine is more appropriate.
That said, I if you seat your bullet perfectly straight you can get away with very little. Using GSI bullet feeders that hold the bullet as it’s being seated, this is how little flair I use on my cast and coated bullets.
Well, for a whole bunch of years I have flared my bottle necked cases, when using PCed or cast bullets (and on a few occasions for flat based jacketed bullets.). I tell new reloaders to use as much flare as they need to get good, shootable ammo now, and worry about case life later. Any flare is easily removed after bullet seating with a crimp die (seating/crimp die adjusted for a minimal "crimp", just enough to straighten the flare). The only time there is "too much" flare is when the case mouth scrapes the ID of the seating die or won't enter the die. Brass is cheap and good shootable ammo is the goal and case life can be addressed later (besides, how much is case life reduced on a bottle necked case by flaring the mouth? 5 reloadings? 8 reloadings? And how much $$ do you think you'll actually save?)
Mowgli Terry
Member
The rules for expanding case necks has been described pretty well. I load most lead handgun bullets these days. I have found that opening the case enough to set the heel in side the case mouth is enough. Adjust the dies so that the lead bullet is not damaged. That is, lead scrapped off or the heel is damaged.
I am concerned about crimp. Shooting revolvers one quickly discovers that a bullet walking out will shut you down PDQ. Factory dies, in my experience, are sufficient to load good cartridges. Things like flaring and crimping are often adjusted by feel and appearance. Try a minimum crimp on a top end 44 Magnum loads from a revolver. Go shoot a few rounds. That's called a traumatic learning experience.
I am concerned about crimp. Shooting revolvers one quickly discovers that a bullet walking out will shut you down PDQ. Factory dies, in my experience, are sufficient to load good cartridges. Things like flaring and crimping are often adjusted by feel and appearance. Try a minimum crimp on a top end 44 Magnum loads from a revolver. Go shoot a few rounds. That's called a traumatic learning experience.
This is some good advice. Brass will usually last awhile. So far only minimal losses to cracking in flared calibers.
Blackout is a particularly bad caliber for me since I am trying to seat long coated bullets. I ended up using the powder die for my .32 ACP which allows me to flare the case enough. The crimp die puts everything back in place.
Mowgli Terry
Member
Loading rifle lead bullets in a .308 there was a simple solution for me. Get the right size expander ball for the dies. RCBS sent them along. Next I got expanders from NOE that go into a Lee Universal Expander. The expanders can be order by diameters. It works great. As in the above quote-you gotta do what you gotta do to get stuff to work.
I use a Lyman M die on every caliber from 9mm to 308.
Why? Because I load alot of flat based bullets, and I hate struggling. I also use a bullet feeder, and the M die makes it work correctly. The M die can also function is a mandrel if you turn it up a thread which helps with cases that might have a slight ding in the mouth with running on a progressive.
Why? Because I load alot of flat based bullets, and I hate struggling. I also use a bullet feeder, and the M die makes it work correctly. The M die can also function is a mandrel if you turn it up a thread which helps with cases that might have a slight ding in the mouth with running on a progressive.
I'm in the "Flair pistol until the bullet feeder works" group.
A. Outdoor Range I use has always had enough brass of the more common calibers.
B. I use just about the cheapest coated or plated lead bullets I can find.
C. The only way I could hold a pistol 100% motionless would be to knock me unconscious and then zip-tie it to my hands.
D. I bump up the flair more than needed only to make the LNL - AP bullet feeder run 100%.
E. D is relevant to A + B.
F. C reminds me to realize my talents are limited, keep my goals realistic, and most importantly,,,,,, HAVE FUN (responsibly) !!!!
A. Outdoor Range I use has always had enough brass of the more common calibers.
B. I use just about the cheapest coated or plated lead bullets I can find.
C. The only way I could hold a pistol 100% motionless would be to knock me unconscious and then zip-tie it to my hands.
D. I bump up the flair more than needed only to make the LNL - AP bullet feeder run 100%.
E. D is relevant to A + B.
F. C reminds me to realize my talents are limited, keep my goals realistic, and most importantly,,,,,, HAVE FUN (responsibly) !!!!
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That was a major consideration when I converted to the Lyman M-die...now being replaced by Redding or RCBS clones.
The "cup" created by the M-die is get for holding the bullet between stations....I expand until the bullet sitings in the case mouth makes a slight "pop" when pulled out...and keeps the bullet straighter before it enters the Seating die
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