case crimp resizing bullets on way out...

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2013LocationW. Central INPosts8

I cast some 429640 HPGC out of straight lead.
Sized to .431, load and pull.....from crimp groove to GC now .429.
Front band still at .431, gc still at .431...middle undersize at .429.
accuracy about 3.5" @ 50yds with 2x scope/bags.....SW 629-4 PC scope only gun.

Tried same with some BT's plain base (bhn 21) I had around, and these did not resize.
Tried with a comercial hard cast SWC (bhn about 18), and these did not resize down either.

Loaded 1st bullets (pure lead) into fired cases that I belled just enough to remove remaining crimp.
Roll crimped and pulled these and they resized to .429 from crimp groove to gc again.

So, the crimp is resizing straight lead bullets from CG to GC.
I'd like to keep these as soft as possible, but think I'd do well to harden enough that they remain full size when passing crimp.
Going to mix some 50/50 Lyman #2/Lead (bhn about 12) and try that.......

Anyone have thoughts to share........

We'll just assume up front that I'm nuts and go from there!!!!

Boolit Master Join DateNov 2009Posts849

I don't know why you insist on them being pure lead that might help. When you fire a round the crimp should iron out unless you are using light loads. If that is the case, why are you crimping so much? With a light load they are not going to come forward even with five other rounds having been fired. I might suggest a light taper crimp.

1. My ex-Lee seating dies would make skinny boolits out of fat ones, as did one RCBS. And, that was done to boolits cast of wheel weights.

2. Do you seat and crimp in one step? If so, do it in two.

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Resizing die for 45 acp: why have i been using it?

I was re-reading chapters in my reloading manuals about neck-sizing rifle cartridges after being fire-formed in my gun. Yeah, lee mostly.

Then thought, why not pistol cartridges? The case has expanded to fit my chamber, and obviously is big enough for my boolit, so why the full length resize?

I put a few 45 acp cases through the sizer die. It took 3-4 thousandths off the ID and OD at case mouth. Went from 451 ID to 448 ID. WTF?

So I backed out my resizing/depriming die until it did nothing to the cartridges. Moved the decapper rod to still punch out the old primer.

Backed out the flare die until no flare. Boolit seated about the same as usual, with a little less resistance than usual.

Tried the plunk test... Pass!

Tapped the boolit tip hard on the bench... No change to OAL. So neck tension still seems pretty good.

Ran through the lee FCD with no crimp, just case sizing, and it did almost nothing. Cinched it down to provide the slightest crimp, and things seemed no worse.

My cases have almost perfectly straight walls now (no bulge), and my case working has been reduced to a minimum. As far as I can tell yet, my boolits are also not being sized down at all by the case or the FCD.

Does anyone else skip sizing their 45 acp cases? What problems am I failing to see?

I feel like I just stumbled into a method to achieve the reloading practices I hear so many here talk about, including neglecting crimp and minimal flare.

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