454 reloading question

[lvcat2004]

I'm relatively new to reloading, and new to 454 reloading and have a question. I was just setting up my dies and seated the bullet on unprimed case.


left is my handload, right is factory ammo. overall length is supposed to be 1.745 and I'm around 1.748.

It looks like the the left one is bigger but that's just my photo.

I think you can see that there is a bit of a bulge where the bullet is and also slightly at the bottom on my handload, but not the factory load.

I did not resize my brass as it was once fired and not much different, and the overally size looks good, but this slight bulge is bugging me.

Advice please?

 

[zxcvbob]

That bulge is a good thing as long as the rounds chamber OK. It means the bullet has good case tension.

 

[lvcat2004]

It's a good thing? It chambers completely fine, kind of a looser side actually. I guess the bulge will go away once I shoot it I supposed....thanks.

Any other comments?

 

[NCsmitty]

I did not resize my brass as it was once fired and not much different,

Your cartridge looks fine.

I'm curious how you managed to seat the bullet without resizing the once fired case. Usually bullets will not fit the brass properly without resizing once fired cases. I could understand if the brass was new, unfired.



NCsmitty

 

[buck460XVR]

I'm curious how you managed to seat the bullet without resizing the once fired case. Usually bullets will not fit the brass properly without resizing once fired cases. I could understand if the brass was new, unfired.

same here.......can't imagine the case having that much neck tension for the case to be bulged from seating the bullet without resizing.

 

[lvcat2004]

I'm sorry, I mis-spoke. I did deprime, resize all that. What I meant to say was that I didn't trim the cases....sorry for the confusion.

 

[FM12]

Me neither.

 

[MachIVshooter]

If you don't like the bulge, use the expander die. Sometimes they still will a little, though.

Otherwise, just seat bullets to the cannelure. Don't worry about OAL, as long as they fit in the cylinder. And crimp 'em hard. Full loads in .454 like to jump crimp.

 

[Sunray]

"...did not resize my brass..." Required. Trimming isn't required unless the case is longer than the max case length given in your manual.

 

[Grumulkin]

Actually, trimming isn't required unless the length of the case is equal to or exceeds the length of the chamber of the gun it's to be fired in.

 

[hydraulicman]

always resize

 

[ljnowell]

A good resizing die usually resizes the case slightly smaller than spec, so that you get that kind of tension. Its totally normal and I see it on almost every caliber I load for with Lee Dies. Especially with lead bullets. Its not a problem at all, and I actually like it in my autoloaders. It gives a little extra insurance that when that bullet chambers it wont experience a set back condition that could be dangerous.

 

[Scrapperz]

I resize just the part of the case that holds the bullet. Unless of course the finished cartridge will not fit the chamber. It's easier on the brass this way.