*****45 acp case flare *****

[goose2]

What is a guide line for how much to flare the case.

 

[VegasOPM]

Just enough to allow the bullet to clear the case mouth. You don't want to overwork the brass needlessly.

 

[Jim Watson]

Flare it enough to set the bullet on and seat it with no scraping of lead or copper.
If it enters the seating die, it is not flared too much.

If you worry about brass life or are trying to get soft slick plated bullets tight enough in the case to not set back against the feed ramp, you may have to tinker with it. I figure I will lose a piece of brass before I wear it out and I do not load plated bullets, so neither is a factor for me.

 

[rcmodel]

I flair just enough to start the bullet in the case by finger pressure alone.

I want to be able to pick them up after starting all the bullets in a loading block full of charged cases without them falling apart and dumping the powder.

With jacketed bullets, that is very little flair, & hardly visible.

I use a little more with lead bullets to prevent shaving lead & bullet lube off the bullet.

rcmodel

 

[Doug b]

The Lyman M die takes the guess work out of starting cast bullets.