What type/brand of die resizes most?

[bigezfosheez]

I just got into reloading and started out with 38 special. I'm using a Lee 4 die set.

The resizing die only goes down so far and the base of the shell is still slightly bulged. The loaded cartridge loads into my rifle and revolver fine, but it just seems wrong.

From the little bit of reading I've done, this seems to be the norm since the bottom of the dies are tapered to allow for easier feeding and this is what causes the base to not get sized at a certain point.

I'd like to get your opinions on this. Is it really normal to have a slightly bulged base and are there brands of dies and base holders that will size closer to the base of the shell?

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[DizzyJ]

If it feeds fine, I don't see an issue.

I DO understand your OCD though as I am affected by it on many different levels

 

[bigezfosheez]

If it feeds fine, I don't see an issue.

I DO understand your OCD though as I am affected by it on many different levels

Hella OCD, when a drunk driver hit me head-on on my motorcycle and blew my leg off, I couldn't give a bubblegum about being crippled, I was more worried about being asymmetrical.

 

[DizzyJ]

Hella OCD, when a drunk driver hit me head-on on my motorcycle and blew my leg off, I couldn't give a bubblegum about being crippled, I was more worried about not being asymmetrical.

Damn brother! That's not cool! I hope you got a good settlement out of that!

 

[jordanka16]

I just got into reloading and started out with 38 special. I'm using a Lee 4 die set.

The resizing die only goes down so far and the base of the shell is still slightly bulged. The loaded cartridge loads into my rifle and revolver fine, but it just seems wrong.

From the little bit of reading I've done, this seems to be the norm since the bottom of the dies are tapered to allow for easier feeding and this is what causes the base to not get sized at a certain point.

I'd like to get your opinions on this. Is it really normal to have a slightly bulged base and are there brands of dies and base holders that will size closer to the base of the shell?

Every brand of die will do this, it's not really possible to size that part of the case because of the way the mouth of the die is and the clearance from the shellholder, it truly will make no difference. I've done thousands of 38s and 357s with my Lee 4 die set with no issues.

 

[HB of CJ]

If you deleted the full length resize and only neck sized would the hand loads still feed and function through all the guns? If sossss, consider deleting the full length resize step? Just neck size. We did this back in 1965.

Each cartridge has its quirks. .30 Carbine through USGI Carbines can be a little tricky. Case length is critical. .38 Special head spaces on the rim and may, (may) be less tricky. So many different variables. Be safe. Have fun.

 

[Tilos]

I just got into reloading and started out with 38 special. I'm using a Lee 4 die set.

The resizing die only goes down so far and the base of the shell is still slightly bulged. The loaded cartridge loads into my rifle and revolver fine, but it just seems wrong.

From the little bit of reading I've done, this seems to be the norm since the bottom of the dies are tapered to allow for easier feeding and this is what causes the base to not get sized at a certain point.

I'd like to get your opinions on this. Is it really normal to have a slightly bulged base and are there brands of dies and base holders that will size closer to the base of the shell?

Not much you can do because the shell holder prevents the die from sizing all the way to the rim.
Some 357 caliber rifles have a chamfered chamber to help feeding, and the cases fired in it may have a bulge in the web near the rim.
Ammo loaded for revolver/pistol fired in a rifle will show pressure signs of being too "hot", like flattened primers and bulging webs.
jmo though,

 

[bigezfosheez]

Damn brother! That's not cool! I hope you got a good settlement out of that!

He was leaving a company party and driving back to finish the rest of his shift, so you know I got paid.

Also, I got my leg sewn back on, so that was nice.

Each cartridge has its quirks. .30 Carbine through USGI Carbines can be a little tricky. Case length is critical. .38 Special head spaces on the rim and may, (may) be less tricky. So many different variables. Be safe. Have fun.

So, .30 carbine is the next round i'll be reloading. You're saying I should be sure to size the cartridge right?

For my first go'round on the .38's, I pulled out all the stops. I full sized, polished, cleaned and de-burred the primer pocket and flash hole, trimmed the length with a lee depth guide, chamfered the inside and outside of the neck, and gave it a medium crimp. Should I expect for my .30's to load correctly if doing all of those steps?

 

[Certaindeaf]

He was leaving a company party and driving back to finish the rest of his shift, so you know I got paid.
Also, I got my leg sewn back on, so that was nice..

999/1000 you're just left for dead and you're lucky if they find your body.
I'd imagine if you pounded them into the die and then pound them back out with a stick like how you use a Lee Loader it'd "resize" them real close to the rim.

 

[bigezfosheez]

Yeah, "luckily" I was hit during rush hour and there was like 50-60 witnesses to the guy coming into my lane and hitting me.

Although, despite 20 of them signing written statements to the police (all in line with my story) he failed to give the guy a sobriety test (he was stumbling so bad, i truly believe I could have stood up on my one leg more steadily than he was able to) and only ticketed him for failure to stop at traffic signal.....and then failed to show up at the court hearing so the charge was dropped entirely. I have deep respect for police, but I want to hang that particular pig by his balls until he looses them.

 

[pharmseller]

Also, I got my leg sewn back on, so that was nice.

Two questions:

1. Is your reattached leg the same length as before?

2. Did they put in back on straight, or is it rotated a little bit clockwise or counter?

Symmetry matters!




P

 

[bigezfosheez]

Two questions:

1. Is your reattached leg the same length as before?

2. Did they put in back on straight, or is it rotated a little bit clockwise or counter?

Symmetry matters!




P

haha, as far as I can tell, it was put back on straight. It better be, after 12 major reconstructive surgeries over the course of 3 years lol.

 

[bbbass]

I reload .38 spec. For my thinking, if it fits your cylinder, you are good to go. But...

This might work... I don't personally own one so I can't say. But it is interesting enough to try out.

"EGW offers custom designed, carbide sizing dies that are 0.001" smaller in diameter than typical dies. Not only is it smaller in diameter, the bottom corner is radiused which sizes the case further down. This helps prevent feed failures from cases that bulged near the base during reloading- which is typical of brass fired in Glocks and other loose chambered guns."

Undersize Reloading Die, .38 Special: EGW Gun Parts

BTW, you might rethink case trimming and chamfering the mouth. With most pistol cases, especially low power like .38, you reload til they split or otherwise wear out. Long before they stretch like a bottleneck rifle cartridge does. One of your dies will perform case mouth belling so the bullet goes in easy, the crimp stage takes the belling back out. A .38 is usually roll crimped to keep the bullets from sliding forward and blocking the revolver cylinder from turning.

On a .30 M1 carbine round, you have a semi-auto type rimless cartridge. I've loaded these too. It's not a cartridge generally loaded for accuracy so I wouldn't worry too much about case length. It headspaces on the case mouth so if you do a plop test or use a case gauge prior to reloading the case, you should be just fine. A 30 carbine round uses a taper crimp rather than a roll crimp.

 

[ageingstudent]

The web of a .38 case shouldn't swell much. If the sizing die gets down to just a little past the web it's effectively full length sized. It doesn't really need to go clear to the rim.

 

[Tilos]

If you wanted too...
You could remove the primer pin assy. from the sizing die, put the case on top of the shell holder and push it into the sizing die until the rim touches the sizing die.
Lower the ram and push the case out of the sizing die with an appropriately sized rod/knock-out punch.
That will resize the case close to the rim.

 

[ma96782]

Hummm......you've put a lot of effort in your reloading for the .38 Special/.357 mag rounds. If it all works for you....you're good.

For me (speaking about re-loading straight walled pistol cases), I don't worry about case length or chamfering the case mouth. I just use my carbide dies to re-size. And the expander to get that tiny bit of bell going before bullet seating.

But, yes, You're suppose to. Think about that bullet seating and crimp for a moment. Yup, having a consistent length case and a bullet that doesn't shave itself when entering a case can be helpful.

Consistent ammo leads to accuracy. Rrrrright. But, as I said, "If it all works for you....you're good."

I figure, I got more productive stuff to be doing. Why worry about that perhaps 0.02" more in accuracy? If....it's even worth that much? Shooting my pistol....well, just being a little off with my sights will equal more of an error than the extra I'll gain from spending more time re-loading pistol ammo.

Anyway....30 carbine ammo. First off, the M1 carbine isn't known for stellar accuracy or for knockdown power. Course, YMMV. Note: the cases are actually tapered. Hummm? So, how can a doughnut ring of carbide make a taper? But anyway, the same would go for them, as with my other pistol rounds. And, truthfully......I don't have an M1 carbine. Don't get me wrong, they can be beautiful firearms.

But, I figure that an AR carbine is more accurate, useful, effective, fun, and the factory .223 rounds are actually cheaper vs. the .30 carbine. Sorry, but I've never took the time to calculate the cost of re-loading .30 carbine vs. .223 Rem.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Mikej]

Cases/calibers using a roll crimp should all be within .002 for the crimp. Other wise you get buckled brass or to light a crimp. And if you trim you need to chamfer.

As understand it, some roll crimped cartridges, mostly magnum I believe, actually call for a firm roll crimp to aid in the ignition and pressure build up of magnum powders.

 

[bigezfosheez]

You won't hurt my feelings by talking down the 30 carbine haha. I noticed how lame it looked when I first got my m1. It was very cheap at auction, so I didn't pass it up for the collection.

I have a rossi 92 that I like to shoot 38 out of, so I figured I'd put a little extra effort into the trimming, but I might not put that much work in next time. I did all that more for practice for whatever I reload next.

For the crimp on the .30, should I expect my die set come with a tapered crimp, or would I most likely have to buy that separate?

 

[Mikej]

For the crimp on the .30, should I expect my die set come with a tapered crimp, or would I most likely have to buy that separate?

The die sets for .30 carbine I've been looking at are three die sets. That means a sizer/de-capper, expander and seater/taper crimp dies.

 

[ageingstudent]

The die sets for .30 carbine I've been looking at are three die sets. That means a sizer/de-capper, expander and seater/taper crimp dies.

I added the collet style lee crimp die to my 3 die set. I like to seat and crimp in separate steps.