Sizing question on autopistol cartridges

[Morgan]

I'm loading .45 on a Dillon 550, using Dillon dies.

About half, maybe a bit more, of my sized rounds (even if I just run them through the sizing die, then check them) don't insert all the way into a chamber check. They slide right in up to the area just above the rim, then bind. They still fit fine in an actual chamber, and fire and function just fine. The sizing die is set as low as possible, yet it doesn't resize all the way down the brass.

While this is causing no functional problems with a normal chamber, it still bugs me. I understand a Lee Factory Crimp die resizes the entire cartridge as it crimps - is this the solution I'm looking for? Do I just need a different brand sizing die?

As there are no functional problems, I could just ignore it, but I can't .

 

[ReloaderFred]

Morgan,

What you are experiencing is normal with Dillon sizing dies. They are made larger at the mouth of the die to facilitate feeding cases in a progressive press. You can't make the die size farther down the case because that's the way they were designed, which is one reason I don't use Dillon dies, except in 357 Sig, but I size those cases by pushing them all the way through a special die anyway, so it doesn't matter in my case.

As Long as the rounds will feed through your gun, and the mouths are sized enough to hold a solid grip on the bullet, then they're ok to shoot.

With all my rimless pistol cases that are 9mm, 10mm and .45 acp based cartridges, I use a Magma Case Size Master Jr., which uses a ram in an arbor press to push the case all the way through a carbide sizing die. This sizes the entire length of the case, including the rim, eliminating any case bulges and making them all the same size. I'm able to do this with 9x19, 9x21, .38 Super Comp and 9mm Super Comp in the 9mm family of cases. In the 10mm family of cases, I do this with 357 Sig, .40 S&W, 10mm and 9x25 Dillon. In .45, I do it with .45 acp and .400 Cor-Bon. It's an added step, but the consistancy is worth it.

The bottom line to your question is that the rounds you've loaded will probably shoot just fine in your gun, since they chamber freely.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Travis Two]

If you set the dies up the way Dillon described in the Manual then you can tighten up some of the tolerances of play that were built into the press. This works better if you have the old style of Dillon dies that allow you to zero out all play in the press and toolhead. Setting the Ram to Top Dead Center (maximum upward travel of the ram before the compound linkage toggles over top dead center) screw the size die down to just lightly touch the shell plate with a case in the die. The optimal set up is to use the old style seat die as a counterpressure opposite the size die with a slight pressure on the shell plate and the size die with a slight pressure on the shellplate at the same time. Thus you eliminate the play in the toolhead and zero out the tolerances and maximise the sizing operation. You will also find that you will get more consistent O.A.L.S. The new Die style does not allow you to do this as the body of the die sets the seat depth. The old style let you use the body to come down and touch the shellplate and the seat stem was indpendently adjustable.

 

[Car Knocker]

Way I look at it, if you're going to shoot 'em out of a case gauge, they should fit the gauge. If you're going to shoot 'em out of a firearm, they should fit the chamber.

Seriously, the case gauge is SAAMI minimum; your chamber is probably larger. You could get a die that'll squeeze 'em down more but to what purpose other than to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling?

 

[Jim Watson]

.45 ACP from MY Dillon dies pass both gauge and chamber check... usually.

 

[Deavis]

You can always get an FCD crimp die to take out that last little bit the dillon doesn't if you want. Something to think about if it bothers you.

 

[Fatelvis]

I would think, at least theoretically, that the last couple thousandths of an inch being of a larger diameter, would be a desirable thing. As long as it does drop into your chamber, that larger diameter would take any slop out of the cartridge/chamber fit. It should help accuracy, just as a neck-sized bottleneck cartridge sits more consistantly in a chamber. Just my thoughts.........

 

[Rico567]

I load on a Dillon XL650, Dillon dies. My size die is set up according to the directions in the Dillon manual, v. 6.1. My .45 ACP brass sports all kinds of mutt mutant range pickup stuff, about a dozen different head stamps in there. Virtually all will pass a (Dillon) case gauge. I get the occasional bad rim which won't go in, but that's about it. Given what Glock chambers are like, naturally they'll drop in my G21, and practically rattle around in there. But any round that passes the Dillon gauge will also drop right into the Bar-Sto barrel in my 1911, which is a much tighter proposition.

I suggest, as "Travis Two" did, that you check & make sure your size die is set up according to the manual. This is not all that easy with the 650, because it's extremely difficult to view the space between the bottom of the size die the shell plate with the ram all the way up....you practically need a dentist's mirror. If none of this works for you, I suggest a Lee size die. The Lee dies are every bit as well made as a Dillon, and the Lee hasn't got the taper of a Dillon, so it sizes lower on the case.

 

[Morgan]

Thanks, all (especially Fred - I should have figured the dies didn't size all the way down due to the tapered mouth). I've checked to be sure my dies (new Dillon, not old style) and press are set up properly - no problems.

I figured it wasn't a real problem, as the finished rounds chamber fine in all my .45's.

I may still pick up a Lee FCD, but as long as everything chambers I'll likely leave well enough alone.

 

[P0832177]

I have been loading 45ACP on a 450/550 for twenty years.
I have never really had a problem sizing with either Dillon or now Redding Pro Series dies. I tighten the shellplate down for min. play. Some case rims are thicker then others by a shade. I load WW and Fed for the 625's. I use RP and PMC for the USP's. I keep them seperate when loading. The biggest problem I have is forgetting to clean out the lube build up when loading lead slugs for the 625's!