Fat cases?
 

Just sat down for the first time, with my Lee single stage press and 100 once used .40 brass, deprimed and then reprimed them. I made sure I used the resizing die when I installed the new primers.

It was then I noticed that some were rather fat in the middle, not at the base where Glock's infamous lack of support is supposed to be.

Assuming they'll drop into my barrel OK when I check for fit, should I worry about loading and firing these?:dunno:

pictures?

How about just measuring it and giving some concrete information.

You don't need to quantify "fat". If you don't want to be seen with it, it's fat. If you're kind of proud of it, it's "thick".

ADK_40GLKr,

couple of questions.....

cases all the same head stamp or mixed brass?
were the cases cleaned proir to sizing, how?
all fired in the same weapon?
any discoloration, cracks/scratches in the area of the bulge before or after sizing?
how did you determine that the cases were bulged in the middle?

thats all I can think of.

sig357fan

I love a good coke bottle shape.

Did I mention I'm a total newbie to reloading?
 

Don't care whether I'm seen with them as long as what is heard is not KA-BOOM!

I measured one with my CHEAP caliper and both top and middle read .42 though it moved some within that range. Here's a photo, the bulge is most noticeable with the one on the left.

Edit: When I went back to take photos, I tried loading and seating the bullet in a couple, and what I found was the bullet pushed all the way into the case. So I'm guessing that the seating die was loose, and probably the sizing die was also, thus not re-shaping the shell.

As I'm not clear on the terminology for the parts of the dies, its going to be difficult to understand any responses to the question on how to set up the dies.

I think I'll take em back to my LGS, and ask the tech how to do it properly.

(I'm beginning to understand why some noobs ask such stupid questions about Glocks!)

How about "Pleasantly Plump"?

Are you even sizing. No way the sized case would allow a bullet to seat that easily.

In broad terms, you adjust the sizing die down until it impacts the shell holder when the ram is fully up. I set it down a little further (1/8 turn?) such that the press cams over in an effort to get all the slack out. Some dies have the carbide exposed right at the end of the die. Others have it recessed a couple of thousandths. If the carbide is exposed, it might not be a good idea to have the press cam over. It could crack the carbide. In any event, the die needs to be fully touching the shell holder when there is a case being sized.

Ordinarily, sizing dies are pretty precise and they need to go all the way down the case.

It has nothing to do with your situation but I'll throw it out anyway: I really like using Hornady One Shot case lube on my cases even though I am using a carbide die. It makes the process a lot smoother and easier on the arm.

Richard

I would say that either the wrong sizing die was used. The carbide ring is missing. Or the sizing die was not set up properly. Maybe steel cases? Cases fired in a Glock has nothing to do with it. Me and 3 other people that I shoot with. We all use mixed range pickup brass, and we all shoot Glocks. With well over a million rounds fired of range pickup brass. You might have problems with range pickup brass that have been shot in some full auto machine firearms. But just because it was fired in a Glock has nothing to do with anything. Unless you are pushing the upper limits of max loads. And that could be with any pistol.

The picture's well out of focus, but it does look more like a .45 sizer was used, than a .40.

OK, Here's what went wrong: the decapper came loose and I set it too low. So when I was "decapping", I wasn't running the sizer all the way down the case. Went back to the bench and resized a few with the decapper out, and THAT worked fine.

Also set the seater for the right length - approx 1.12
(And what good is a caliper that only measures to .01"?) and was able to pull and re-seat a couple bullets...

So now I have 95 PRIMED .40 cases that need to be resized properly, and I don't think I'd better fill any more cases until I have a good scale and a decent caliper.

The 5 I made the other day measured 1.12' on that CHEAP digital caliper and fired OK at the range. I had 5 others that I had crimped too short, and couldn't pull the bullets, so I'll just chalk them up to the cost of learning.

Like I said, I'm a real novice at re-loading, but I want to learn to do this right.

I cannot even imagine what kind of cheap caliper you may have that has only a resolution of .01". The $20 Harbor Frieght models go to .0005 (inch) resolution, but read in .01 mm resolution. It sounds as though you are reading inches, but...

There are plenty of odds and ends you really should have in this 'hobby'; the aforementioned check-weights and a bullet puller are but 2 of them. You can actually get collet style pullers that will work in your press.

Since you are using a SS press, you should have plenty of time and opportunity to examine your work prior to making 100 similar mistakes.

Yep, LGS gave me a good product in the Lee Press, but sold me the cheapest, most useless caliper he had!

He had a nice digital scale I decided not to get at the time. That collet bullet puller sounds like it would be very useful. Probably NOT a very costly mistake, but I HATE wasting materials. Don't mind burning tens of $ in a shooting session, but it goes against my grain to DISCARD a single cartridge I've assembled!

Gonna see if Lowes might have the kind of scales and calipers I need.

Maybe if I get just a little more info (& less ignorant) I'd be wise to start buying on-line!

You could pull the decapper out and size the primed cases without removing the new primers.

Lee Loading Chart
 

I notice that for a few powders and bullets, the chart has an entry in the "Lee Dipper" column.

I'm using 165 gr plated bullets. But the chart says .5 cc under the 170 gr XTP & doesn't mention 165at all. I know it's OK to use the load for the lighter bullet, but is there a significant difference between XTP & plated?

And... Why do the few plated bullets in the chart have their own type of powder?

PLEASE use the search function on this forum and read and heed other's advice. This sub-forum is literally bursting at the seams with folks who ask for advice, receive the advice of experienced reloaders, then go off and do just the opposite from what is recommended to them - many only to realize that they should have taken the advice in the first place.

If you want an attractive bathroom scale - go to Lowes. Otherwise..... search for 'scale' on this forum. It doesn't have to be digital - clearly a beam scale has your current system beat for speed and acuracy.

If you want cheap functional digital calipers, go to Harbor Frieght - though it even seems like the later HF $20 dig calipers aren't so functional any longer.
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1445504

Thanks
 

:cool:

Thanks, my friends!

...and I didn't get to be 69.75 YO by being careless! I am seriously rethinking my "Inexpensive reloading" venture. It seems a little more equipment will be a wise investment.

I appreciate all the input.

(btw Sardge: your PM inbox is full)

I know... because I rather dislike PMs. HOWEVER, you may click on my screen name on the left and send me an e-mail. :) I love e-mails... :cool:

It also sounds as if you should invest in at least 1, 2 or more are better good reloading manuals such as Lyman, Speer, or Hornady are a few. These manuals will aswer most of your questions about die set up, and reloading equipment in general, as well as providing starting loads listed in grains of weight for most cartridges.

I'm retired from my 9 to 5 and on a "fixed" income and see that as even a greater reason to buy wisely the first time around.

You will without a doubt find that most around here recommend Dillon products - for a reason. But Dillon products aside, you also need a few bucks worth of 'support' equipment to make reloading less painful and more enjoyable AND safer.

I see you are using plated bullets. Is your crimp okay? Do you have a kinetic bullet puller to check the plating on the bullet at your crimp?

You will need a reliable caliper - not necessarily digital.

Above all, you will need a reliable scale - not necessarily digital. Read the recommendations and wise reviewers always return to Dillon in either case.

You will need a set of check-weights - NOT the calibration weights that come with the scale.

You may want some way to clean your brass - there are also threads about tumblers and ultrasonic cleaners.

There are in fact so many odds and ends that I've spent far more on those, than on my initial Dillon 650 press purchase. But I tend to NOT buy junk and continue to purchase things that make reloading easier and more enjoyable.

Before making any more purchase decisions, I would suggest that you keep reading this forum for a while to get an idea of who on here knows what they are talking about - and I am NOT putting myself in that group as I have only been reloading since March. I am however, like a sponge - and my mind works in wonderfully analytical ways so reloading has worked out for me so far.

You really should follow the advice in the stickies. VERY hard to go wrong doing that. I prefer Dillon after owning nearly every press in the sticky so I speak from personal experience.

Pay heed to the 'kinetic bullet puller'. The collet style works well for rifle bullets, doesn't work at all for semi-wadcutter pistol bullets and is only marginal for other pistol bullets.

Although I have the RCBS version, this one looks like it will work just as well and it's cheaper:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/215...-bullet-puller

SARDG's point was that when you use a taper crimp die to close up the case mouth, you don't want to go so far that you dent the plating. The way to test the adjustment is to assemble a round and then pull the bullet. If there is no mark from the crimp, at least the round is not over-crimped. But you need to crimp far enough that the case is straight and the mouth doesn't stick up.

Oh, and you really do want to use a taper crimp die even if it didn't come in the die set.

Richard

Hey Richard you did mean " at least the round is not over-crimped" didn't you? :dunno: