Bullet Stuck In Lee FCD

[MoreIsLess]

I somehow managed to get a bullet stuck in the Lee factory crimp die. I had just adjusted the flare on the powder thru expanding die so I assume that is what caused it.

Any hoo, how to I get the bullet unstuck from the FCD. They are carbide dies so I didnb't lube them.

 

[gamestalker]

Do you mean to say that you had just finished adjusting the flaring on the powder thru die? If that is so, are you indicating that you over belled the case mouth, and that is what you suspect has caused your problem? Or are you saying that you accidentally tried to seat or crimp a bullet with the powder thru die?

If that is the circumstances shouldn't you be able to remove the seating stem from the die and then carefully try to tap the round down using a wooden dowel.

Really not sure what you've done to get a round stuck in the die? See if you can elaborate a little bit more in detail.

 

[MoreIsLess]

Do you mean to say that you had just finished adjusting the flaring on the powder thru die?

Yes, that is what I did. Maybe just a coincidence but I hadn't had any problems with the fcd until I turned up the flare on the powder thru expanding die. I thought I should flare a little more because I am using plated bullets and I had a couple bullets where I peeled some of the plating off.

At any rate, I gave a bullet stuc kin the fcd and need to get it out.

I'll have to turn the flaring back down a bit.

 

[Hondo 60]

If you're flaring, I take it your reloading some sort of handgun round.
You should be able to just unscrew the stem on the FCD & pop the bullet out.

But I think the bigger issue is you're not seating the bullet deep enough..
Even way over flaring shouldn't allow the bullet to stick in the crimp.
I'd double check the seating depth.

Something seems amiss there.

 

[MoreIsLess]

I am loading 45ACP, 230 gr for my M&P 45. As, I said earlier, it may just be a coincidence but the bullet got stuck right after I turned up the flare. I didn't have any trouble with bullets getting stuck until then.

The maximum OAL, according to SAAMI is 1.275 and most of mine are running about 1.258.

Do you think that's cutting it too close. Is it safe to shoot these loads?

 

[JDGray]

Depending on the bullet profile, I wouldn't run any deeper than 1.250" on a 230gr RN. That is where I ran my Rainier 230gr, and I had no issues at all.

 

[MoreIsLess]

I shot some Ranier 230gr 45's that I loaded the other day that were around 1.257 that shot fine. They were a little high and to the right but I think it was probbably the shooter

 

[Hondo 60]

I understand your issue started when you flared the case a bit more.

But I don't think that's the root cause.

Your depth sounds OK at 1.258.
(I usually run mine to 1.265)

Something is causing the bullet to not stay in the case when you crimp.
The next issue to look at is the tension on the case neck.

Even with too much flare - the case neck should provide enough tension to hang onto the bullet and that's not happening in your situation.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, even with too much flare the neck tension should be sufficient to hold the bullet in the case. I would check your resizing die again and make sure everything is working correctly there.

 

[MoreIsLess]

After I got the bullet unstuck from the FCD, I crimped the remainder on the FCD without incident so maybe it was just a freak thing.

 

[gamestalker]

I may have missed something here. Are you now implying that the entire cartridge, bullet and brass were stuck in the die? If that is such, I'm kind of leaning toward a dirty die or possibly your putting too much crimp on it.

I recall back many moons ago when I was still new to reloading, I was using a Lee seating/crimp die and there was a feeling of sticking when I would start to lower the ram. I backed off on my crimp a little, and this problem was solved. But I don't think the FCD is prone to this potential issue?

 

[Hondo 60]

gamestalker - he was saying just the bullet (projectile) was stuck in the FCD.

 

[gamestalker]

10-4 on that Hondo. It just sounded like he might have meant the entire cartridge, when said he finished crimping it after removing it. Either way, that's a mystery in my experience reloading, and had never happened to me.

Would the wrong seating plug, like one intended for jacketed or bullets other than lead be a possible issue?

 

[wild willy]

He might have had the crimp ring in upside down