Circles on cartridge head

[HOWARD J]

I have a new set of shell holders
On my 9 MM cases I noticed a circle appearing on the case head just outside the primer pocket. I thought it was the gun (or too heavy load ) but it was the shell holder making the circle in the brass head as I resized the case---anyone have this problem ?
I does not appear to cause any problem other than looks.
It does not cut very deep--maybe 32 inch

 

[Certaindeaf]

Is it a Lee shellholder? You might want to get an RCBS as the Lee uses the same shellholder, dimensionally, for too many cartridges, in my opinion.

It don't fit too good in other words.

Is it around the rim or around the primer area?

 

[Josh45]

Can you post a pic so others can get a better understanding of what your talking about?

 

[LiveLife]

+1. A picture would be nice.

 

[HOWARD J]

It is a set of Lee shell holders---my RCBS does not do it.
It is a circle less than 1/16" past the primer pocket

 

[Certaindeaf]

The Lee in some cases are a bit sloppy, if you have an RCBS shellholder, use that.

 

[HOWARD J]

I will stick with RCBS
I was happy to see that it was not one of my guns.

I have about 10,000 rds thru the gun I was using---nickel plated P-35
Still holding up good--Belgium made.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Ah, upon reading your OP again, it's probably OK.
First I thought it was affecting the rim and then that the primer seater wasn't lining up right.
I'd still use the RCBS holder if you have it.

 

[Chawbaccer]

You would have to have a pretty wicked burr around the hole in the shell holder to make such a mark, and just how much pressure are you using to re-size 9mm?. Are you sure it isn't a primer crimp?

 

[helotaxi]

If the burr was that large, how do you get the case into the shell holder?

 

[HOWARD J]

I put a 9MM case into the Lee shell holder---turn it over--see where the brass ends & the circle of the shell holder starts---that edge is higher than the rest of the shell holder making the circle in the brass case.
Took me a while to find it as you can't see it with your eye.
$$$$ happens :banghead:

 

[helotaxi]

If that's the case, hit it with a case chamfering tool to knock that ridge down.

 

[HOWARD J]

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[helotaxi]

A chamfer tool or a large drill bit turned by hand will take care of that.

 

[buck460XVR]

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Looks like an easy way to identify your empties at the range.......

 

[rcmodel]

That is a military type primer crimp.

Your shell holder couldn't do that to brass.

There is no possible way you can be pushing on the case hard enough while sizing to swage a ring in a brass case head.

rc

 

[helotaxi]

RC- I disagree. It's way to far out on the case head and way too shallow to be a crimp. The edge of the primer pocket is still pristine.

If the burr is very sharp, it wouldn't take much pressure to mark the case.

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=8018298&postcount=22

rc

 

[HOWARD J]

There was no military primers in these CBC cases
I can put any brass cartridge 9MM case in this shell holder & put that mark on it
5 boxes of 50 cartridges with that mark
It will go in the garbage---most of my Lee products work good. That
cute close up photo makes it look worse than it is.
In most cases you have to look real hard to see the mark--5 boxes & I finally spotted it.

 

[Chawbaccer]

That is Brazilian brass, I have seen it before, it is crimped.

 

[HOWARD J]

I ourchased it new---it was nice & purddy--NO CRIMP
I still have some of the new
I don't see any cut marks on that case ???????

 

[rcmodel]

Well the question in my mind is still how you could possibly exert enough force while sizing a 9mm case to swage a ring like that in a solid brass case head??

At least without some internal support to keep from tearing the rim off first.

Any chance the de-priming rod is screwed down too far and supporting the case from the inside at full ram travel??

rc

 

[HOWARD J]

I checked on that first off
It is as high as I can get it & still pop the primer
Strange case
I am on my way to buy a couple new RCBS # 16 shell holders

I did try to fix the Lee but there was 3/16" of circle I could not get off-
I give up easy now---comes from old age

 

[helotaxi]

It only looks like a light imprint. Nothing like a primer crimp. Considering that ring is the only place that the head would be touching the shell holder it wouldn't take much force to do that.

I'd be interested in someone putting a strain gauge on a shell holder while sizing a 9mm. I' wager the pressure is higher than we'd think but the tiny case makes it seem like a small amount.

 

[FROGO207]

I bet if you send the shell holder back to Lee with an explanation of what is wrong they will make it right. I would want them to see that they have a problem that they might need to correct for others. After all you did pay for a product that should work as designed.