.44 mag poly coated LSWC issue

[WrongHanded]

So I'm working through a 500 count box of SNS Casting coated .44 Mag 240gr SWC .430" dia bullets, and I'm noticing something a little off.

The crimp groove seems pretty shallow, so when I crimp the brass, it's not coming out quite right. Either I don't see it crimp quite enough and the neck to bullet fit looks gappy, or I set the die for a harder crimp and the die shears a tiny sliver of brass from the mouth. The mouth of the brass is stopping just below the shoulder(?), exactly where it should. So I don't think the seating depth is the problem. This has happened with Fiocchi and Starline brass, on 200 rounds.

I have not had the same issue with the SNS .357 Mag 158gr coated SWC I've also been loading. The groove on those seems more pronounced and they're crimping very nicely.

The shearing doesn't seem like such a big deal, except it could be reducing the life of the brass. So I'm wondering if this is just a rough batch, or if others have had this issue.

 

[Havok7416]

I shear a little sliver from brass in certain calibers. I used to worry about it, but it's gotten to the point that it doesn't bother me after shaving several thousand rounds of new or new-to-me brass. I have never noticed the brass shaving again once I reloaded it, so as far as I can tell it's a one-time thing.

 

[WrongHanded]

I shear a little sliver from brass in certain calibers. I used to worry about it, but it's gotten to the point that it doesn't bother me after shaving several thousand rounds of new or new-to-me brass. I have never noticed the brass shaving again once I reloaded it, so as far as I can tell it's a one-time thing.

That's a good point. I just finished reloading some fiocchi brass that I know I've reloaded and sheared once before. It didn't happen this time, but I still got a tight crimp.

 

[cfullgraf]

If the cases are new or once fired factory, they probably have an edge at the case mouth. The crimp ring in the die could shear off a part of this edge when crimping. This should become less noticeable as the cases get reloaded additional times.

You could run a deburring tool over the mouth of the case and this should also reduce the problem. This would be needed only the first time the case is reloaded or after trimming. (Trimming is not normal for handgun cases except revolver cartridges that benefit from trimming. You get more consistent roll crimps if the case are the same length).

 

[WrongHanded]

If the cases are new or once fired factory, they probably have an edge at the case mouth. The crimp ring in the die could shear off a part of this edge when crimping. This should become less noticeable as the cases get reloaded additional times.

You could run a deburring tool over the mouth of the case and this should also reduce the problem. This would be needed only the first time the case is reloaded or after trimming. (Trimming is not normal for handgun cases except revolver cartridges that benefit from trimming. You get more consistent roll crimps if the case are the same length).

They've been once fired factory. I'll try deburring some new brass and see how that goes.

 

[243winxb]

The crimp is to hard or there is something wrong with the seating dies crimper.

 

[WrongHanded]

The crimp is to hard or there is something wrong with the seating dies crimper.

It's a separate crimp die. If I back it off, the fit looks inconsistent. But I could try adjusting the whole die in the turret, rather than just the fine tune. It's a Lee 4 die set in a Classic Turret.