reloading questions/advice if you would please?

[Old_Me]

I've used cci350's in 44mag for almost 40 years. With this use I didn't see where Hornady used cci300's. Some say use 1/2gr less when using mag primers, but I have yet to use any less on mag primers over non even at max book loads. I started using Sierra where in the manual it did state cci350 on test primers, but never switched when using other bullet brands. I will say that when loading for 50ae Hornady test primers aren't mags. I used 350's when loading for this cartridge at top loads and it was a little hot, but might've crimped too tight?

About Dillon 500 series,
There are several things that can/will cause primer turning/flipping issues I've discovered. Having thejust right amount of tension on the primer housing screws and keeping the primer slide square. The best solution I've found is, have it in the priming stage (handle down where primer is being installed) as so the primer slide is in the exact place where it needs to be. While the handle is in this position tighten the screws (primer housing screws) equally until just snug, then 1/4-1/2 turn more. While still in the priming stage check the clamp/bracket screw and see if it's touching the pin (primer slide post) for contact. If no adjust accordingly. Also you might need to screw it in so the primer position can be in correct array with the hole in the cartridge plate before you start the primer slide alignment. The operating rod should always be snug between the 2 rollers, but not tight or loose as in the video posted. Of the 40 years of using the same 550 I've never encountered the op rod with slack like that in the video. Dillon calls it a primer track bearing, but more of a shim. Make sure it's there (in place) also. The op rod (while in static position) should be straight down from top of hinge to the 1st bend. From there any necessary adjustments should be at the bend above the rollers. If you have the clamp/bracket screw adjusted correctly then check for ease of moving from static to priming position. If done easily with no binding when going from static to prime position the primers should never jump around.

Another cause of primers not placing correctly is the transition from the primer tube to the primer slide cup. If the slide recedes to far back the primer will flick wrong (or if you're cycling fast or not completing the transition). The plastic pin behind the spring metal will cause the flicking (so check that).

As the saying goes,
fast is fine, but accuracy (smooth) is final.....................

thanks, later this week, i will check all adjustments to the primer set up.

i did have to remove the primer blast tube and the support some time ago, when i had to tighten up that plate (in the video at the 16 second point) cuz it was very loose. so yes, it is possible the primer blast tube and supporting stand is off kilter a bit.

i do "at times" speed myself up a bit, when i see the clock on the wall, and what i need to do, after reloading, and i am behind in time as i can only "set aside" x amount of my time for reloading.

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

thanks, later this week, i will check all adjustments to the primer set up.

i do "at times" speed myself up a bit, when i see the clock on the wall, and what i need to do, after reloading, and i am behind in time.

The crazy thing is I've reloaded 44mag @ 1k/hr and never had any primers jump.

 

[Old_Me]

The crazy thing is I've reloaded 44mag @ 1k/hr and never had any primers jump.

recheck my last posting, i added somethings, then you can see why i may be having this issue..

thanks

 

[Old_Me]

i went to the larger LGS yesterday, wanted to check on primers, specifically LPP's.

while there, i saw that they had primers, SPP, shotgun, and 4 boxes of Winchester LPP

first thing i asked was, "is there a limit to how many i can buy"? (as there once was a limit on everything, primers, powders, bullets, if they had those, and ammo of all calibers)

my salesman said "no"

so i took all 4 boxes.

price was $80.00 per box.

yes, i know, that still a high(er) price than what many of you paid for in the past, but it was "cheaper" than the $99.00 i paid a few months ago, online.

the owner of the mom/pop store, that does the reloading has said, he doesn't "see" the pricing of primers to be what they once were, as the prices will in time, "level off"....

he's just not sure what that "leveling price" will be.

 

[youngolddude]

$80 is decent for today, especially without shipping and hazmat.

 

[Old_Me]

$80 is decent for today, especially without shipping and hazmat.

yes, that was a HUGE benefit of buying local. he gets things in bulk, so even if he "spreads" the hazmat fee to each box, it's un-noticeable.

and that even IF he pays hazmat for his bulk loads..????

 

[Old_Me]

ok, so i got delivery from Dillon, 2 powder dispensers.

i am going to set one for 38 special and working on that right now

and the other will be set for 45 Colt LC

i have ALL Lee carbide dies, 4 piece sets, that i bought months ago.

now, i am dialing in the 38 specials


i have yet to dial in the powder charge.

what i am "finding" is that the crimp doesn't "seem" to be nice and smooth to the casing, like my 9mm and 45 ACP are.

in other words, i feel the "edge" of the brass casing, where when i run my finger across a 45 ACP, it is baby butt smooth.


the "3 dummy" rounds, measure to the correct OAL, and they plunk in my Lyman gauge block

these 3 "dummy" rounds also fit into mt Ruger GP 100 wheel, with no issues.

now, i was told by an old timer reloader here (he's been reloading like 50+years) in order to "see" if you have a good crimp, try to remove the bullet with your puller, by smacking it...it is comes out after 1 smack, it's too loose.

but, now, no matter how many ties i smack that puller..??


the bullets stay in the casing

so you can imagine i am concerned with this

but if i do not crimp, it does not plunk

specs: via Lyman book

158 gr...lead

.356 SWC

OAL 1.445 (i'm at 1.446/7

2.9 starting charge...Tite Group

i have not loaded the powder yet, i still have to dial that in.

i am not certain that the crimping die i have in this set IS indeed a rolling die..???

it's what came in the set, for .38 special

thoughts..????

my "plan" for today, is to only load 6 rounds in total, for "testing"

thanks in advance

 

[Old_Me]

UPDATE:

ok, i was not satisfied with what i was getting.

so, i went and weighed the bullets.

instead of the 158 gr. lead, they weighed at 165 gr.

so, i went back to the Lyman book, and looked up those specs.

in the following picture, there are 3 cartridges.

you will "see" where the S&B and my newly readjusted round, the OAL is close to each other.

on the far left, an S&B 158 gr new

the one in the middle is the "readjusted" OAL

the one on the far right, is my first few attempts at dialing it in.

when i run my finger on the S&B..??

i feel a slight ridge on the casing

when i run my finger on my "newly adjusted" casing, i feel pretty much the same ridge.

yet, on my Fiocchi ammo, i feel no ridge at all.

also too, as i mentioned, i cannot remove the bullets not even on my newly adjust ammo, even after 10 hits with that bullet puller..

 

[Old_Me]

ok, i readjusted the crimping die, now after 5 smacks with the bullet puller, the bullet comes out of the casing.

the crimp is still not a rolling crimp, but it is as i mentioned previously, nearly the same as a new S&B.

plunks very well.

makes me wonder why Lee did not put a rolling crimp die instead of the factory one that is in the set, since it is for revolver rounds.

 

[jumpinjoe]

Old_Me, I can't really tell for sure from the pictures, but looks like your SWC do not have a cannelure groove, or your loads are not rolling into the groove. In fact from the pics it looks like the cases of the second two loads are actually a little bell mouthed, much less not roll crimped. Without that groove it is very unlikely you will see/feel a roll crimp.

And as for how many licks it takes to knock a round out of the case with your puller, I wouldn't put a lot of stock into that test for the simple reason there are too many variables (probably at least 1/2 dozen off the top of my head) between your loads and the other loader who offered the suggestion. A lot of difference can be found even in the cases the two of you are using.

For example, which ever of you is using a thicker walled case will get a tighter crimp if all else is exactly equal. But unless you two are using the same equipment on the same press, with the same settings (to the 'inth' degree), you will not see the same amount of crimp squeeze (bullet pull). Not saying you or the other loader are doing anything wrong, just different.

And lastly, I'm going to just make a real WAG here but, if you're using the 4th die in a 4 die Lee set, that is likely a taper crimp die. The roll crimp is typically made using the 3rd die (bullet seat die) in a Lee set. That may be where the trouble is.

Good luck!

 

[shanneba]

When I looked at the Lee handgun taper crimp die online, it has a statement that since 1986 Lee dies use a modified taper crimp.' Maybe you do not have a "roll crimp"

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/TCtapercrimp.pdf

 

[youngolddude]

Since you have the 4 die sets, you have the factory crimp die (FCD). Follow the Lee instructions closely for the seating die. It should seat and remove the flare on the case mouth. The FCD will form a roll crimp with or without a crimp groove in lead bullets. I would think 4-5 hard smacks with a bullet puller should be plenty of crimp.

 

[Old_Me]

Since you have the 4 die sets, you have the factory crimp die (FCD). Follow the Lee instructions closely for the seating die. It should seat and remove the flare on the case mouth. The FCD will form a roll crimp with or without a crimp groove in lead bullets. I would think 4-5 hard smacks with a bullet puller should be plenty of crimp.

yes, as i was adjusting the crimping die, i think i went a wee bit too far. i backed it out, and re-did it.

now, i get the roll crimp

i only loaded 7 rounds, for a trip next week.

i still have to set up now for the Colt 45 LC

When I looked at the Lee handgun taper crimp die online, it has a statement that since 1986 Lee dies use a modified taper crimp.' Maybe you do not have a "roll crimp"

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/TCtapercrimp.pdf

i do believe that's the same info i searched for the other day, thanks

what got me concerned is that this took too long to set up, compared to the 9mm and 45 ACP dies.

the Lyman book and even the Lee die set directions call for 1.550 OAL

i am at 1.500

and i am at 3.3 grains, Tite Group

 

[youngolddude]

I'm glad you got that sorted, your crimps look good. The wife and I have carbines/rifles that use revolver ammo and use an OAL that works in them since the handgun isn't fussy.

 

[Old_Me]

I'm glad you got that sorted, your crimps look good. The wife and I have carbines/rifles that use revolver ammo and use an OAL that works in them since the handgun isn't fussy.

thanks.

what i found to be the issue was that the directions on how to set up the roll crimp, says to bring down the adjuster until it touches the case mouth, then turn the adjusting screw 1/2 a turn, which i did, but it was way too much.

so not getting the roll crimp, i went another 1/2 turn...

i reset everything then i only turned the adjusting screw 1/4 turn, and viola......success.

directions (to me) should have said, "turn 1/8th to 1/4 at a time and check for proper crimp"

 

[Old_Me]

ok, so i went and set up for the 45 Colt LC earlier.

ran 6 rounds.

as you can see, the one on the far right, is a Remington

the style of bullet i have is different, and the OAL is a wee bit over book specs.

starting charge is at 5.6

here are what my bullets look like

the Lyman book was the the closest to what i have.

the book called for 1.570 OAL, so i got it as close as i could from 1.577 to 1.596

they plunked great, they fit my Vaquero, and still as you would think, do not protrude from the wheel causing jamming.

as you can see from both pics, the bullet is in the case at the top of it's collar.

but i still managed to obtain a rolled crimp.

opinions? thoughts?

thanks in advance

 

[youngolddude]

These bullets look like they're for .45 ACP. If you like the bullet shoved into the case, you could probably just use a taper crimp. The bullet on the right has a crimp that cuts into the lead. The others are crimped over the shoulder of the bullet. As long as either work in your gun(s), your choice as to AOL.

 

[Old_Me]

These bullets look like they're for .45 ACP. If you like the bullet shoved into the case, you could probably just use a taper crimp. The bullet on the right has a crimp that cuts into the lead. The others are crimped over the shoulder of the bullet. As long as either work in your gun(s), your choice as to AOL.

you know, i just went and got one of my 45 ACP lead, and one of the Colt 45 lc, and yup, i can "see" where the top groove is missing. (on the supposedly 45 Colt LC)

when i got them at the mom/pop store, i did specify Colt 45 LC, and actually left my notes with them.

here's the thing...

the old man, the original owner usually worked in the basement, making the bullets, and packing them.

so, i took it that when i picked them up, they were good to go.

it's not like he did this on purpose, he musta just read it wrong.

now, however, the old man died Friday night after being in Hospice care.

i cannot go back to the son and tell him of this, he's already a wreck.

so, i can save them for my 45 ACP reloads with adjustments to be made to the press, and then shop online or at another LGS, which might be my better option, as there are 2 i'd like to get to, and browse/buy.

i suspect it's gonna be a big funeral, the local cops shop there for guns, ammo and fishing gear, and they have quite a large customer base.

some of those cops are characters that'll make you wet your pants from laughing so hard.

the old man was a great gunsmith, and he loved revolvers, and always wanted to check out what i bought, and have a large grin on his face holding them....

(his stepson recently sold NOS Colt parts)

old man's gonna be missed

 

[youngolddude]

Bummer. Guy sounded like a keeper. You can use them for .45 ACP loads or .45 Colt, so what do you need more of?

 

[Old_Me]

Bummer. Guy sounded like a keeper. You can use them for .45 ACP loads or .45 Colt, so what do you need more of?

yeah, the old guy fell down at home, broke both wrists.

he actually fell thru the shower door...dear God, but no one downstairs in the store heard anything.

yes, thier apartment is above the store.

he was all alone, as his wife had to go to work, she is a supervisor at her job. she too is over 75, but they love her, been there at that company forever, and well, she's a keeper as well.

so he went to the hospital, then a rehab center, then basically right into Hospice

anyway, i went to 2, LGS's that sell reloading components, and neither one had bullets for 45 Colt lc.

i went to Missouri Bullet, and just now, ordered up 500 pcs.

price was actually the same as the LGS's...but of course, i have to pay like $16.00 for shipping, but no sales tax...!!

for me personally, yes, i not only got from you, but a couple of reloaders here, that i can taper crimp.

but i am anal about some things, and would prefer to do a roll crimp on revolver ammo. i think i will try different methods over time, but right now, i just want to do things as close to the book(s) as possible.

since i do reload 45 ACP, what i got in that SWC 45, will certainly not go to waste.

what do i need more of..???

well, let's see........

i stocked up pretty well with LPP's, and SPP's, gun powder (have close to the 8 lbs of TiteGroup). i have more brass than God has Angel's, and a cartridge of grease for the zerk fittings on the Dillon, and at least a quart of straight 30w oil to lube both the Lee and Dillon rams.....lol

i guess maybe i can use more of...........

to build up my arms..????