GregJ

I have tried the Hornady new generation seat/taper crimp die, RCBS, and a few others, trying to get 45ACP to seat/taper crimp in same die, AND get the loads to gauge as well in my Shok Bottle 100 round gauge, as when using separate seat and crimp dies. I could never get a finished round to gauge as well as when done with separate dies. Learning to live without the RCBS lockout die in my LNL. YMMV, but it is separate dies for me.

I just picked up a very lightly used MPX carbine with a Meprolight on it. This thing is a hoot to shoot falling steel. I replaced the stock trigger group with a Geissele SSA I had laying around. Huge difference. Looking forward to shooting PCC with it.

Look at MBF powder funnels. He has a hardened one that is very slick and polished. I doubt any coating would be needed on it for your purposes.

I think you have hit the nail right here. Problem is, the resulting ammo is not what I consider "match" ammo. If I were loading up plinking or paper punching ammo, this might be acceptable.

What have you changed that went from "good" results to the buckled cases your now making?Have you tried the process I posted in #36? I went from separate seat and crimp to trying to recover a station by seat/crimp in same die. I've been doing it separately for several years with great results. Yes. If I just barely remove the bell, they dont gauge correctly. If I keep increasing the crimp to get them to gauge, then I get a lot of buckled cases, and they still do not gauge as cleanly as separate seat and crimp.

I understand that people think the crimp is too much, because logically that is what should be causing the buckled cases. And technically it should be correct. However, given the data below, and the ability to NOT produce ammo that will consistently pass the cartridge gauge plunk test, makes me understand why reloaders in years past have asked for separate dies for seating and taper crimping. More data: - I checked several factory rounds of Remington UMC (just grabbed first box I could find), and the crimp was either .4685 or .4690 - My Sierra Edition V, shows a max of .473 There is no range or minimum specified, nor does any SAAMI diagram I have seen yet. They only show a max. - Using this formula, which is easily found on the Intarwebs, my crimp should be .4670, so at .4705 it is a little fat. bullet diameter + (2 x case wall thickness) - crimp amount = taper crimp .451 + (2 x .0100) = .4710 - .004 = .4670 The amount of taper crimp (.004) was specified here, it's a good read. Given the formula above, and my end TC of .4705, I am only putting a crimp amount of .0005

A few reasons: - Years ago, when I first started reloading 45ACP for my Kimber, this crimp resulted in no FTFeed issues, so I have kept using it in my later 1911 SS pistols. - When I was working through the the feeding issues, I did use my barrel as a gauge. But it is a lot easier and consistent to use a cartridge gauge. It should be continually closer to SAAMI spec as it never gets shot, dirty, worn, etc, etc. - My later comp 1911 SS pistols have match grade barrels, and are probably a little tighter specs. - Anything more, even in the .4720 range, do not drop cleanly in and out of my Shock Bottle or Wilson gauges. - Lastly, IIRC, I had found that to be a pretty consistent figure used by others at the time. Last night I played around with my RCBS TC/Seat die, tried to make some dummy rounds that would pass the gauge test cleanly, and once again I put it up and went back to separate dies. Even with an OAL of about 1.25 and crimp of approx .4715 (IIRC), I still had a buckled case and the others did not drop in and out of the gauge cleanly. Crimp of .4720 and they would not drop cleanly in and out of the gauge. If factory ammo plunks in and drops cleanly, so should mine. I will double check some of my factory ammo tonight to see what the crimp is. I would really like to know how many USPSA SS shooters that reload their own ammo (presumably a lot over the course of a season), if they use a TC/Seat die do they check their ammo with a cartridge gauge. And if they do, what percentage actually pass? How many buckled cases do they have?

Yeah, I know. I was adjusting the taper crimp to get to my goal of .4705 and clean plunks in/out of the SB gauge, and would wind up buckling some. I will try this again soon to see if I can get it adjusted so that they gauge cleanly.

Thanks for all the input and continued discussion. I will try to address previous questions: - The taper crimp dies I am using, are in fact taper crimp, they are not roll crimp. - I have gone through setting up the Hornady taper crimp die with their support group. I was still buckling cases. - My crimp is about .4705, which should not be too much. SAAMI Max for 45ACP is .4730. Using the formula here my goal crimp of .4705 should be ok. - I am aware that if rounds are buckling they are being crimped too much during the seating/crimping process. I do use mixed headstamp, so there may very well be different lengths of brass. I have not measured them yet, but it only makes sense. - As crimp would be too excessive for some, but not all brass, most likely the headstamps would have to be separated. Not sure I want to go this route again. - I use the Shock Bottle 100 round cartridge gauge. I also have a Wilson gauge as a backup/double check. Since using the SB and seat and taper crimp separately, I have had no ammo related issues. - No matter how I have adjusted the seat/crimp die, the rounds never plunk into the SB gauge as cleanly as when I seat and taper crimp separately. - I shoot/reload approx 25K 45ACP a year, so I am not exactly new to this. - Researching more, it seems seat and taper crimp separately is the preferred method for more accurate and better quality loads. Even going Dillon is not the answer (from what I have read), as they do not sell a combined seat/taper crimp die, and to set a 1050 up like my LNL Ammo Plant (bullet and case feeder), I would be in the same boat of needing a station for the powder check die if seat and taper crimp separately. I will try marking my loads as suggested and see what the results are. Not my pic, but my buckled cases look like the one in the middle. Yes, too much crimp for some.

I have a Honda Goldwing F6B, that I commute daily on. I will strap my range bag to the pillon seat when I have a match during the week after work. Works quite well. I know a few others that ride their bikes to the matches. Go for it.

We've been shooting the Red Stitch Tactical MagStar for some time now, and it works great. Almost too good.

You might get more response posting the question on the A8 facebook page.

Red Stitch Tactical makes a Mag Star, it rocks. http://store.redstitchtactical.com/magstar

Agreed, drying on a towel is not enough, especially with no heat. 90 min in the FA dehydrator, while the next batch is tumbling, is perfect. No issues since. De-capping first may reduce your drying time, but I have no experience with that, I hate handling my brass more than I have to, so I do not de-capp before wet tumbling and drying. Try the oven first to see if you notice a difference, then go buy a dehydrator. You'll thank me later.

That is your problem. Or rather, you are not drying your cases well enough before reloading, and the residue moisture is killing your primers. I ran into this exact issue after I started wet tumbling. It cost me a barrel. Dont make the same mistake. I started using the FA dryer from MidwayUSA, and never had the issue again.

Yep, shooting sat am.

I had to email Rick to find out the specifics for his powder funnel for the LNL. He obviously makes them for the Dillon. I think these are the only two he makes them for.

Hey, I was close.

I think $35 plus shipping. Would have to double check invoice tonight. Worth it though, only thing that fixed 100% the projectile tipping on my LNL.

Here is the old MBF and new hardened MBF funnels sude by side

Rick from Mr Bullet Feeder sent me an email the other day that he has a new hardened powder funnel for my LNL. Looks great. Will be installing it tonight.

I took a 2 day class from Frank last year. This past weekend both Frank and Shannon were in the area putting on classes, I attended a day session with Frank. I think he puts on a great class, with lots of info. Highly recommend.

I tried filling the RCBS media separator with clean water to aid in separating the pins, but it was too big a PITA. Here is my process: - empty all dirty water from tumbler without loosing pins - dump tumber contents into spearator - spin brass to separate 99% of pins - dump tumbler contents onto large towel on floor. - dump water out of bottom of separator without loosing pins - dump remaining water (not much should be left) and pins back into tumbler - use transfer magnet to get straggler pins from separator bottom and into tumbler - move the transfer magnet around/over/though the brass on the towel several times to pick up more stragglers - put brass on FA case dryer and start it up - prep tumbler for next batch, repeat cycle.

ONLY if you do not have a good drying process. I do not deprime first, and refuse to (too much brass handling). I did not have a good process for drying my brass and ran into some issues because of it. I use the FA case dryer, run it for as long as the next batch tumbles, and never had an issue since.

I ordered 16# of WST this week from mid south shooters supply. I've used WST for several years now, when W231 started becoming scarce.