Reload causing case dents ?

[FrankD]

I had some 45LC reloads done by an outside source. I opened one box and found a couple with a dent on the side of the case. The dents are at the same place on each cartridge. Since I don't reload myself, I don't know how to "read" these dents. I presume they're from the reload process somehow because they are first time loads using new unfired brass. Can someone give me an idea whats happening here.?

 

[trickyasafox]

speed dents?

but in all seriousness, it could have been he had a scratched or dirty die i think

 

[Sharps Shooter]

That's a strange one. Especially because it's the same place on each case. When I first read title of your post I immediately guessed you were talking about dents in the shoulders of bottleneck cartridge cases - that's caused by getting too much lube on the cases, particularly on their shoulders. But I've never seen a problem like that with straight walled .45 Colt cases. I couldn't tell too much from the picture, but I don't think I'd be afraid to fire them.

 

[Mal H]

I had the same thought as Sharps Shooter. Before seeing the pic, I thought you were talking about lube dents.

If they weren't .45 Colt rounds, I would have guessed they were caused by the gun that first fired them and the dents weren't ironed out by resizing. However, that shouldn't be what happened with that caliber. Since they probably came from a high volume reloading machine, maybe the dent is caused by the round falling into (on the side of?) a collecting bin.

Strange.

 

[taliv]

if they're new unfired brass, they're not "reloads". if you sent brand new unfired brass to someone to have them load them for you (which I find a bit odd), are you sure they didn't mix some used brass into your batch? do all your headstamps match?

i suspect i've misread your question, as I've never heard of anyone sending new brass to someone to have loaded.


i'm also at a loss to explain the dents. dents in that spot are common on military rifles, but as stated above, i wouldn't expect to see them on a cartridge typically fired from a revolver or lever action.

let us know if you figure it out

 

[caz223]

My only guess is that they don't have their packaging machine adjusted for .45 colt, but used the adjustment for .44 magnum.
That being said, it's a wild guess....

 

[DarthBubba]

Looks like some damage to the sizing die,

I had a set for .45 long Colt at one time that I purchased second hand,
only to find out that the sizing die had a deep gouge in it that was filled with case lube so you could not see it, so when I used it the first time no damage.
However when I used it the second time with lubed shells I got very similar looking dents in the cases due to extra lube build-up in one spot on some of the shells. This was on an Older Dillion auto loader hence the need to lube for the high volume of shells I was turning out on that run.

oH well that is my .2 centavos worth.
DarthBubba

 

[brickeyee]

I do not think a die could make a dent in the middle of a case during normal use. It would make a groove all the way down from the mouth of the case to the dent you have.
The damage is from something hitting the side of the case, and if it is in the same spot the case head was probably held to set the location.
I would guess a case feeder, or a case kick out spring on a progressive loader (throws loaded rounds out of the machine).