"Error" Rate...?

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mpthole

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Hey all - in an effort to make my reloads more reliable I have begun to case guage all of my complete rounds before bagging them up. After loading 600 rounds I found 41 that would not drop in or out of the case guage on their own. I decided to set these aside and fire them separately to see if there is any real difference. Mostly it seems that the ones that don't fit have a slight bulge near the base of the case, just above the rim.

Oh - these are .45 ACP 230 gr RN, copper-plated Rainier; mixed headstamp; Win Large Pistol Primers; Win 231 powder.

So, this gives me an "error" rate of about 6.8%. ... or maybe "error" isn't the right word...?

Does anyone else do this?
 
Someone will be along shortly to tell you that you need a Lee Factory Crimp Die and it will solve all the wrongs in the world :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Make sure your sizing die is screwed all the way down until it requires just a little pressure on the handle to get the handle to rest hard on the stop. If it already is that far down try a little case lube on the cases. Even with carbide dies a little case lube helps. Get a can of Hornady One Shot case lube, pump about 3 or 4 pumps into a gallon size zip lock bag and add 100 cases or so. Shake them around good and then mix those 100 or so cases with 300-400 dry clean cases. That will be enough lube to make press operation a TON easier, and keep the cases from sticking in the die. Once you try it you'll be hooked on it, it works that nicely.

If you are cleaning your cases until they shine better than brand new it can be a problem too. Cases that are too clean and smooth are slightly sticky even in carbide dies, they can 'grab' a little and cause the bulge you are seeing. The lube trick above will solve any problems caused by brass that is too clean.

All of the above is null and void if you are using Dillon dies, they plain and simple do not get down far enough to get all the bulge out. They work so nicely in progressive machines though that I won't give them up. Lee standard carbide dies seem to size down as far or farther than any other dies I have ever owned.
 
LOL at your first sentence. ;)

I should have said right off that I'm using Dillon dies. Would have saved you a bit of typing. :) Yep, loading on a Dillon 650 with Dillon carbide dies. It probably wouldn't hurt to give things a bit of a cleaning since I've got well over 10k rounds loaded on it. In fact, I don't think I've ever adjusted the sizing/de-priming die since I first set it up. Guess I'd better take a look at that. I thought having some that didn't size right was just the way it was. :eek:

Thanks, HSMITH!
 
Howard knows what he's talking about! :D

Screw that sizing die down and it should eliminate your problem.
 
Rock Island Armory 1911. I'll be firing those rounds Thursday night. Should be able to report back about this time tomorrow.
 
I use a 550 also. In 45 acp I am using RCBS dies and a Lee Factory Crimp Carbide in the final station. I have not had any problems since I began using this die.
 
I had a similar problem in 9mm.
I actually went to a match and had malfunction after malfunction. I was out of town and was going to shoot a match the next day, so I stopped by Wal Mart and bought some factory.
Like you, I ordered one of those gauges and found that a fair number of the cases wouldn't drop in. I never really figured out why. It didn't happen in any other caliber that I loaded and at the time I had been loading for maybe 15 years.
And now, the punch line: I bought a Lee Factory Crimp die and it completely eliminated the problem. In addition, the fact that I was now turning out reliable ammo was all I cared about.
 
Well... the range results are in. Only 1 problem child out of the bunch and it wasn't even that bad. I had one round that didn't want to feed off the top of the mag, so I pulled it out, fed the next round and then topped off the mag with the problem round. The gun went bang, bang, bang all the way until slide lock. :)

Still, I plan on adjusting my sizing die before any more loading. I'll probably get to that this weekend.
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Can someone explain how a factory crimp die has any effect on the size of the bottom of the case? I thought all a crimp die did was add the crimp...?

:confused:
 
Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die

A carbide sizer sizes the cartridge while it is being crimped so every round will positvely chamber freely with factory like dependability. The adjustig screw quickly and easily sets the desired amount of crimp. It is impossible to buckle the case as with a conventional bullet seating die. Trim length is not critical so this extra operation takes less time than it would if cases were trimmed and chamfered. Revolver dies roll crimp with no limit as to the amount. A perfect taper crimp is applied to auto-loader rounds. The crimper cannot be misadjusted to make a case mouth too small to properly head-space. A firm crimp is essential for dependable and accurate ammunition. It eliminates the problems of poor ignition of slow burning magnum powders.
 
I was told once that those (Dillon?) case gauges are manufactured to minimum SAMMI specs and that it's better to pop the barrel out of your gun and chamber check them instead.

The crimper cannot be misadjusted to make a case mouth too small to properly head-space.
Click to expand...

A taper crimp die can though. I had the same problem he described and taper crimped em till they all slid in & out with ease...to my headspace detriment. Pitched the case gauge and haven't had the problem since.
 
I use a Lee crimp die on my .40...but I never had a problem when I didn't use it. I don't have a crimp die on my .45acp yet, and have yet to experience any problems.

However, I may pick one up for .44 mag cause sometimes I'll have a slight bulge near the base, and that round won't always chamber in my contender, but will in my Redhawk. Allthough I need to readjust the sizing die first. I think it may have backed out a quater turn or so.

And clean the the dies. They haven't been cleaned in many many years...
 
So, this gives me an "error" rate of about 6.8%. ... or maybe "error" isn't the right word...?
Click to expand...

In the manufacturing world, you would say that you have a 93.2% yield.

Ty
 
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