Lee Bulge Buster

[Lobo86]

I use it. I have 2 Rugers in 40 and they support the case but I always ran through the buster anyhow. But I bought some cleaned range brass at a local gun shop some months back and that is where I really saw what a 40 case with a bulge looks like. It worked great on about 90% of the cases. The other 10% I chucked because I could still see an outline of where the bulge had been. Didn't see the need to risk keeping and loading those. Also, with the plastic container that catches the cases as they pass through the bulger cases would get caught in the tube so I cut that tube down on an angle and it stopped the problem if anyone else has run into that issue.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I sent the tight die back today.

Okay, on Saturday I got the replacement (free) for what I called the “tight” die.

Not that anyone cares, but this is one of two 45ACP Lee FCD I experimented bulge busting loaded cartridges (as Lee’s instructions discussed). One die worked fine, the other was just too tight so I sent it back.

Well, Lee included this note with the replacement: “The die body that was sent in was at maximum spec. We replaced it with one that is actually over spec.”

So much for my assessment WRT tightness.

I have used the replacement for a handful of empty cases and it “feels” about like the other one I have—much better. But, one has to wonder if the other one was within spec but rounds just couldn’t push through, was it not concentric (and is that even the right term)?

 

[packetloss]

I run all my 9mm through the bulge buster every time. I settled on this because I found some brass (IMI in particular) would sometimes form a little ring bulge/wrinkle at the base where the sizing die stopped. This would cause it not to plunk in my case gauge. This was brass shot from my own gun and my friend's gun (neither are glocks). I also had the random case of various brands that would not gauge. Once I started just running them all through the bulge buster before sizing as part of my standard brass prep process, all my issues went away.

It sounds like your guns don't have a fully supported chamber. To be honest, if I had to bulge bust ALL my 9mm, I would just invest in a roll sizer. Personally, I'm ok bulge busting a few cases here or there, but not 1000+ a pop.

 

[noylj]

The only hard part of bulge busting is the case head, but never had any real issue.
I also don't tighten the die body lock ring, so it "floats" for alignment. When I do tighten a lock ring, there is always a case/cartridge in the die for alignment.

 

[CQB45ACP]

The only hard part of bulge busting is the case head, but never had any real issue.
I also don't tighten the die body lock ring, so it "floats" for alignment. When I do tighten a lock ring, there is always a case/cartridge in the die for alignment.

Interesting about not tightening. I’ll give that a try.