Colt Python will not allow reloaded ammo into cylinder

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Charlie Martinez said:
I don't know the exact diameter of the cast bullets they were cast and given to me by a friend. He also gave me the molds and they are made by Lee so mold quality should not be a problem. I can definitely say that diameters of jacketed bullets are indeed a bit less. There is a slight bulge. The outside diameter of the case at the mouth is .005" wider than near the base.

Two Q's:
1. What is the reason for the bulge. Is it the size of the bullet or something I'm doing wrong when I crimp?
2. Since the bulge is at the mouth of the case why does the cartridge go in at all. Shouldn't the fit issue manifest immediately (ie at the entrance of each chamber) rather than at the 2/3 depth?
Click to expand...

Just a guess, but those hand cast bullets might be a few thousandths of an inch greater in diameter than you think. Could be .360 + in diameter. A couple of thousandth's increase in diameter can raise hobbes in a tight cylinder. Need to measure those things, sometimes you have to size them because cast bullets come out oversized.

This is a Lyman 450 lube sizer. Reduced the diameter of those oversized rifle bullets, and put lube in the grooves.

x9Q5YdV.jpg
 
tominboise said:
On Q1, is the crimp bulged out or is the case bulged out the length of the bullet? If the latter, that is a normal thing as the case gets resized smaller and then bulges out when the bullet is seated. If the former, are you crimping into a crimp groove? Might try to back off the crimp or seat the bullet differently if that is the case.
Click to expand...
I am crimping into the first (closest to the tip) groove of the SWC.
 
Had a Model 60 Smith that went back to the mothership with the same problem, with .38s or .357s.
It simply had undersized chambers, and the problem went away after a trip to Springfield.
Moon
 
Charlie Martinez said:
I don't know the exact diameter of the cast bullets they were cast and given to me by a friend. He also gave me the molds and they are made by Lee so mold quality should not be a problem. I can definitely say that diameters of jacketed bullets are indeed a bit less. There is a slight bulge. The outside diameter of the case at the mouth is .005" wider than near the base.

Two Q's:
1. What is the reason for the bulge. Is it the size of the bullet or something I'm doing wrong when I crimp?
2. Since the bulge is at the mouth of the case why does the cartridge go in at all. Shouldn't the fit issue manifest immediately (ie at the entrance of each chamber) rather than at the 2/3 depth?
Click to expand...
Q1: The bulge can be at the mouth where the cartridge case gets pressed into the bullet by the roll crimp insert in the die.if it gets mooshed too much it will form a raised bulge where the case gets compressed and rolled by the same action. (You can picture it like a cut miniature mushroom in profile)

I have also had a bulge happen lower on the case when I have crimped it too hard. This is a real pain and almost always ends up with the bullet getting pulled and the case resized (or tossed if it damages the case.)

Q2: As the bulged case is inserted it will eventually hit its width and stop before bottoming out. (Often you will be pushing them into the chamber almost immediately rather than dropping them in.) If you are shooting .357 cases in chambers that have fired .38 Specials, it may be hitting the little ring of crud that builds up in the longer chambers.

Every chamber has a SAAMI min and max range to be in spec. If your chambers are on the larger size they’ll let a slightly bulged case in. Tighter chambers will stop the bulged case from inserting sooner. :)

Stay safe.
 
I have been shooting mostly 38 Special reloaded target loads ammo in my Colt Python for over 40 years but recently the cylinder will only allow insertion of factory ammo.
Click to expand...

I really think the OP has a case of confirmation bias in that he believes the bullet he was given and the Lee molds are "good". And yet, from what we have learned from him, he has been reloading for decades, but is now using bullets given to him by a friend and now he has problems.

I don't know the exact diameter of the cast bullets they were cast and given to me by a friend. He also gave me the molds and they are made by Lee so mold quality should not be a problem.
Click to expand...

The OP needs to stop living in hope, and start measuring the OD of his bullets, and that of his cases with those bullets in them. A good comparison will be the OD of those previously loaded target loads against the bullets he was given. If the new bullets are 0.360" and if the loaded cases are just a couple of thousandths wider, then he has discovered the problem.

Of course a good cylinder cleaning never hurt anyone.
 
Maybe visit a local machine shop and have them measure chamber diameters with pin gauges. Hopefully they will all be the same size. Size your bullets to measured diameter.

You could use sized bullets but pin gauges are more accurate.
 
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Load .357 brass with .38 powder charges...then you never even have that ring to clean. But I clean the cylinder after shooting anyway.

Another thing that just came to mind...was talking with the fella that does Colt trigger jobs and I recall him saying that Colts have a slight 'choke' at the towards the end of the barrel...and he may have said the cylinder as well. Never confirmed this, but I've heard about the barrel from others. He also mentioned the forcing cone being 'special' compared to S&W and others.

I am not a gunsmith, or lawyer.
 
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seat and crimp in separate steps. a larger diameter bullet will crimp much harder with a seater die set for the smaller diameter bullet. check your case diameters with a dial caliper and note so you can compare what is what.

luck,

murf
 
Yours sounds like a sizing issue as others have stated.

For carbon rings I had a GP100 that had sticking cases, even after cleaning. I put a brass brush in a drill, wrapped a little steel wool on the brush and ran it 4-5 seconds per chamber. Smoothed everything up really nicely.
 
My Dan Wesson M14-2 will not accept any brass that has not been resized. Factory ammo is no problem. My Taurus, on the other hand, doesn't require resizing.
 
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Charlie, if factory ammo chambers OK, then I don't think fouling is your problem.

Here are a couple possibilities:
  • Not enough crimp to remove the case mouth flare
  • Bullets stretched the case to thicker than factory specs. With a caliper or micrometer check a factory round vs. your reload vs. the cartridge drawing from a reloading manual.
  • Your bullets are too big in diameter and are causing ↑ They shouldn't be bigger than 0.358", or they'll cause problems.
I use a Lee Factory Crimp die, which on some cases with cast bullets takes a bit of effort, but they ALWAYS chamber after that.
 
Smaug said:
Charlie, if factory ammo chambers OK, then I don't think fouling is your problem.

Here are a couple possibilities:
  • Not enough crimp to remove the case mouth flare
  • Bullets stretched the case to thicker than factory specs. With a caliper or micrometer check a factory round vs. your reload vs. the cartridge drawing from a reloading manual.
  • Your bullets are too big in diameter and are causing ↑ They shouldn't be bigger than 0.358", or they'll cause problems.
I use a Lee Factory Crimp die, which on some cases with cast bullets takes a bit of effort, but they ALWAYS chamber after that.
Click to expand...

And/or they're seated crooked. What seating stem did you use to seat them, does it match the nose profile of the bullet your using?
 
tightgroup tiger said:
What seating stem did you use to seat them, does it match the nose profile of the bullet your using?
Click to expand...
Good question. I use the same seating stem I have always used. Never thought of changing seating stem to match bullet profile. In fact I have used the same stem for all bullets I reload which are (mostly) SWC and WC. However they do not appear to be seated crooked.
 
It took me 2 hours to clean the carbon buildup from the flutes of a model 28-2 that I purchased recently. It had been there a long time and hardened to a cerakote like finish. You want to keep those cylinders clean folks or do damage control later on.
 
OK I believe the mystery may be solved. I measured the bullets I am reloading and the diameter is 0.362". This has to be the issue.

I can still fire these in other revolvers so I'll reload factory bullets only for my Python.
 
Charlie Martinez said:
OK I believe the mystery may be solved. I measured the bullets I am reloading and the diameter is 0.362". This has to be the issue.

I can still fire these in other revolvers so I'll reload factory bullets only for my Python.
Click to expand...
Lead bullets need to be sized and lubed before you load them.
A few of us told you that above.
 
The A-Hah moment...the dang bullets too big! Lee will send you a bullet sizer ASAP, or, don't use those bullets.

Wonder if the Factory crimp die might work for your problem, but seems a bit much for that process...You may want to pick a FCD up anyway, comes in handy.
 
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