Long Time Since I Loaded Handgun and. ...

[cwbys4evr]

I loaded a ton of 40 SW but have been on 223 for a long time. Now I'm starting to work up a good load for my Dad's 1911 which my brother is sending me. My problem is I haven't set up pistol dies in a long time and in trying to get the right seating depth I keep crunching cases in the bullet seating stage. I tried adjusting the powder/flare die to the maximum (at one point I had the darn thing so low that I couldn't seat a bullet because the powder die stopped the shell carrier. No matter what I try I seem to be crunching these cases. Please give me some suggestions before I run out of 45 cases to load. Thanks in advance

 

[cwbys4evr]

Bullet diameter is .451 Nosler. Assorted 45 cases courtesy of my son. Also tried adjusting the seating die two different ways (one according to Lee Precision and one according to everyone else)

Using Lee Pro 1000 and Lee Deluxe pistol dies.

 

[BYJO4]

You are either not expanding case mouth properly or you are crimping before bullet is properly seated. Adjust your seating depth before adjusting the die for crimp (I assume you are using the same die for both operations). It's best to seat and crimp in separate steps and make sure you are using a taper crimp die and not a roll crimp.

 

[cwbys4evr]

Dumb question. How do I adjust the crimp? I would prefer not to crimp at all til I know what I'm doing - I don't think I used a crimp for 40.

 

[chris in va]

Sounds like you need to unscrew the seating die body so it doesn't crimp the case. It should just be enough to flatten the case back out to straight. IIRC Lee has some formula for this, like unscrew it two turns, but just play with it loading dummy bullets until you get it right.

You have two adjustments on the seating die, the screw on top adjusts the seating depth and the body itself adjusts the crimp.

I also highly recommend a Lee factory crimp die. Even if you never use the taper crimp function, it'll iron out any odd bulges in the case that prevent reliable feeding. Most of my 45's don't need it but my 9mm must have this.

 

[witchhunter]

Chris nailed it for you I think, a lot of us use a separate die for crimping and seating. It will make you better ammo. If you can, adjust your seater plug (the screw on top) to seat just a little long, then adjust the body down to crimp. Then fine tune the seater. You really need to crimp a little, for all auto's.

 

[cwbys4evr]

Thanks guys I will keep playing with it

 

[gamestalker]

Put an empty resized case in the shell holder, then run the ram to full extension. Now begin threading the seating die in until it makes contact with the casing, you'll feel resistance, this evidence of contact. Continue threading the entire die in using very small degree of turn until you have removed all of the mouth belling.

The process is exactly the same as for .40 S&W, crimp, or no crimp the process is the same. Speaking of no crimp, read on.

On a personal note, when I load jacketed bullets, I don't bell the case mouths, therefore it isn't necessary for me to crimp at all either. A light and even chamfer of the case mouth facilitates smooth and straight seating.

GS

 

[45lcshooter]

on any die do not start out at maximum depth. run your screw all the way out the die body, and work your way down. You will find that you will find your cases not crushed. Its a little tricky to get a seater/crimper die to work right all the time, but if you start at dead top, and work down, you will be fine.