Rcbs cowboy dies

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AJC1

AJC1

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I always seem to find the flaw in every process. Loaded 50 of my 357 180 sil bullets and I have bulges. Because my bulges are all the way around and equal, I'm going to assume my sizing die is taking the brass down to far. The other solution would be to have a larger mandrel as the one I have if driven deeper will bell like crazy. I am also curious if this has anything to do with being gas checked as it's the only bullet I have loaded with one. I dont believe I have a fit issue but I will plunk and guage them when I pick up my guns. Are the rcbs cowboy dies different???? 16235304161486716225045503633981.jpg reminds me a lot of some wasp waisted 9mm I have loaded.
 
cowboy dies size larger for larger cast bullets verses standard dies. Been awhile, but I cast .358, not sure of the max diameter is.... depending on the hardness and can shoot out a .358 bore? I load WW 15 BHN, and the cowboy dies work fine. You can go on castboolits.com for more info. How do they chamber? Do they fall in and do you give them a light crimp?
 
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milboltnut said:
cowboy dies size larger for larger cast bullets verses standard dies. Been awhile, but I cast .358, not sure of the max diameter is.... depending on the hardness and can shoot out a .358 bore? I load WW 15 BHN, and the cowboy dies work fine. You can go on castboolits.com for more info. How do they chamber? Do they fall in and do you give them a light crimp?
Click to expand...
They are medium roll crimped into the top driving band, this bullet has 3. I havent picked up my guns yet just my test box loaded up in preparation. These are sized .358 and par for the course lead acts differently. I could get an noe plug the next order as they seem to get a pile of my money lately.
 
It looks to me like you're getting good neck tension. :)

Seriously, I wouldn't worry too much about that bulge. I've loaded and fired rounds that have more of a bulge than that, with zero problems. If it chambers and shoots, find something else on which to fixate.

And, there's more than a few out there that consider neck tension more important than crimp.
 
I find the same issue with different calibers and dies. They have always passed the gauge test and cycle fine in autos and chamber fine in revolvers.

Heck, I’ve even seen factory Ammo look like that for the whole box; they worked fine.
 
I don’t see an issue. Many of my rounds look like that using Lee dies. I was looking to see if I had a reloaded .357 to photograph but I do not. Here is a photo of one of my .45 Colt loads that in real life looks more “bulgy” than this photo. It and all my .45 reloads chamber in all 3 of my .45 Colt revolvers.

0543E428-365C-448B-865B-BA9FBDEC7288.jpeg
 
A bulge tends to be worse with a gas check because the check doesn't swage like the base of a non-checked bullet does as it's being seated. That bulge is nothing to worry about, however that split in the case mouth is.
 
BC17A said:
A bulge tends to be worse with a gas check because the check doesn't swage like the base of a non-checked bullet does as it's being seated. That bulge is nothing to worry about, however that split in the case mouth is.
Click to expand...
There is no split I promise. I check for that many many times. I see the line your talking about and went back to check
 
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