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#1 looks like over belling and shaving off by die on outer edge. Is there a sticky spot when running that die maybe even a click sound.I backed off the crimp a little and readjusted the die. It's a little better.
That's possible I might be over doing it on the bell. I'll take a look at it again before proceeding
No, I didn't trim them. My understanding is I didn't need to if I didn't trim. I checked the length on all of these and all are .74" which is good.Are you champhering the inside of your cases ?
You will find that shaving lead (or sometimes guilding metal) is usually a problem when seating and crimping at the same time with most bullets. The bullet is still moving as the die starts crimping so shaving is generally going to happen with bullets without a prominent crimping groove. Yes it is an extra step that requires adjustment every time you use the dies, but to seat the bullet and then readjust (or use a taper crimp die) makes a far superior cartridge without the difficulties you are experiencing. I stopped seating and crimping in the same step over 20 years ago because of the problem you are having and use a taper crimp or factory crimp die (or readjust the dies) for the 22 or so calibers I load for.First time reloader, long time caller.
I'm using a 9mm lee 3 die set and am very inexperienced. I'm getting a little brass strand sheared away from the casing when I seat and crimp the bullet.
Is this normal?
Am I over crimping?
View attachment 856747
So +1 on getting the dies set-up properly, a must to be successful. Agreed, looks like the de-capping/resizing die needs to be set a bit deeper to get a full case resize.One question: when setting up full length sizing die (#1) are you raising the ram all the way up and then screwing the die down to touch the top of the shell holder? Sure seems like they are not getting sized all the way looking at the scoring on that damn ugly dirty brass..... also maybe even less belling and a sight more crimp make sure you are starting with proper setting up of the dies as instructions state and adjust from there. The Lee dies come with instructions on the proper setup along with the load data. I do not trim pistol brass and there shouldn't be a need to chamfer it either.
Re read that.... he is or was getting brass shavings not bullet shavings but yes he needs the factory crimp die but trying to find one right now is like finding a female virgin at the mustang ranch.......aint gonna happen. I think maybe if he is progressive loading he could have another step using a second seating die to seat and back one off to crimp. If he is single staging he can just adjust the same one for each step in a batch.You will find that shaving lead (or sometimes guilding metal) is usually a problem when seating and crimping at the same time with most bullets. The bullet is still moving as the die starts crimping so shaving is generally going to happen with bullets without a prominent crimping groove. Yes it is an extra step that requires adjustment every time you use the dies, but to seat the bullet and then readjust (or use a taper crimp die) makes a far superior cartridge without the difficulties you are experiencing. I stopped seating and crimping in the same step over 20 years ago because of the problem you are having and use a taper crimp or factory crimp die (or readjust the dies) for the 22 or so calibers I load for.
Um, that's exactly what I wrote "but to seat the bullet and then readjust (or use a taper crimp die) makes a far superior cartridge without the difficulties you are experiencing." I got rid of my progressive press a few years back as I'm still trying to shoot up ammunition I loaded when I first bought one in 1999. The average guy really doesn't need a progressive press, and they are a PIA to change calibers, regardless of a separate tool head for each caliber. I had five for my press. There is always something to readjust.If he is single staging he can just adjust the same one for each step in a batch.