First attempt at reloading...is this normal?

[sevtchevelle]

My first attempt at reloading and I have a question that I can't seem to find in any forum search or reloading books so am hoping you guys can help me out. A little background, am loading 40 S&W using Lee Carbide dies on a cheap Lee single stage press and have run the brass through the Redding GRX die.

Now for the question, I ran the brass through the Redding GRX "glock budge" die and then re sized on the Lee die. After resizing I noticed each case near the web or primer pocket had a ring around it. I measured several casings and right at the web or primer pocket it measured .421-.422 but as you moved up towards the mouth it measured .417 on each case. Is this normal for the resizing die to shrink the casing like that and leave that budge around the primer pocket? It seems no matter how the die is adjusted I get the same result.

I come from an electrical engineering background and to me this just doesn't seem right that the resizing die would re size the brass .004 smaller then what the spec books say and leave a ring around the primer pocket. Thanks for any help...Eric

[knh]

My first attempt at reloading and I have a question that I can't seem to find in any forum search or reloading books so am hoping you guys can help me out. A little background, am loading 40 S&W using Lee Carbide dies on a cheap Lee single stage press and have run the brass through the Redding GRX die.

Now for the question, I ran the brass through the Redding GRX "glock budge" die and then re sized on the Lee die. After resizing I noticed each case near the web or primer pocket had a ring around it. I measured several casings and right at the web or primer pocket it measured .421-.422 but as you moved up towards the mouth it measured .417 on each case. Is this normal for the resizing die to shrink the casing like that and leave that budge around the primer pocket? It seems no matter how the die is adjusted I get the same result.

I come from an electrical engineering background and to me this just doesn't seem right that the resizing die would re size the brass .004 smaller then what the spec books say and leave a ring around the primer pocket. Thanks for any help...Eric

[knh]

;) you only write about the sizing of the case.how many rounds have loaded with the bullets seat and crimp?I have never used the type of press or method you are using so am lost as were you are in a finished bullet.

[sevtchevelle]

I haven't fully loaded any complete rounds yet. When I noticed this after doing several on the Lee size die I stopped because to me it doesn't seem correct that the die would basically shrink the casing. The press am using is a Lee reloader that I got from Midway for 25 bucks, didn't see much point in spending much on a single stage as I want to move into a 650xl when I get a handle on the process.

Some of the brass I get is from buddies who shot Glocks and also random range brass. The glock brass when checked against my case gauge and empty barrel won't fit, so the Redding GRX die which is a push through die and removes the "Glock Budge". After going through the GRX die the brass is straight and measures .421-.422 the entire length. After going through the Lee sizing die the brass measures .417 until near the primer pocket and the case measures .421. So the Lee size die is basically necking down the case .004 and leaving a ring around the primer pocket.

Am a total noob to reloading but this doesn't seem right to me so I never went any farther in the process...Eric

[OUshooter]

I use an undersize die and once you get the bullet loaded the rounds have a lovely coke bottle bottle shape.

Once in awhile a case will get a slight ridge just above the head. Usually you can feel it on the down stroke of the press. I just pull those out and toss in the recycle bin.

I've not used the grx die but I thought once the cases went through they didn't need sized again.

Edited October 21, 2012 by OUshooter

[a.roberts]

Case needs to be undersized to provide proper bullet tension to resist setback. Load some up.

[PKT1106]

I use Lee dies and what you find is normal when resizing the brass. The Lee dies are chamfered around the bottom so you won't get a true resize all the way down the case. There will be a ring at the bottom where the die body stops.

I use all kinds of brass with my Lee die set and haven't had an issue with loaded rounds in my STI Edge.

[CocoBolo]

Since you are an Engineer I know you have the Go No Go gauge, aka the Drop Check. Take those cases and insert them primer end into the drop check if they go in past the line without resistance then they are are good to go. Well if they drop in forward all the way they are also good to go. Not messing with you, just proving the point they are rimless.

I have the GRX and use it two ways, on Brass and on Loaded rounds when I don't brother to use it before loading, it removes the buldge either way. Yes you still need to size the brass after the running thru the GRX before loading.

I've seen the line you speak of on brass, before I thew it in my press, either it was make that way or someone else did what you did, they have worked fine, have not blown any up yet.

I've not loaded any pistol rounds on the el cheapest lee press that comes free with the reloading book, but I use it for all of my .223 brass prep, I cut a hole in the bench under it so the primers fall into a 5 gallon bucket. While it looks whimpy and cheap it has done the job. I also use it for the GRX.

[superdude]

SAAMI specs indicate a diameter of .424 at the head and rim, and since your cases are under that, you should be good to go.

As noted, your size die will shrink them down below that to get good tension on the bullet. They will swell slightly when you seat the bullet. THIS IS NORMAL.

[Biloxi23]

I do a lot of loading on a Lee single stage press, and with the Lee tungsten carbide die. I normally I crank the sizing die a wee bit tighter than the book says. I load 40's for Glocks and STI's. In over 10,000 rounds I have had exactly three bad rounds, with one eing in my last match. That was my fault because I got lazy and did not chamber check the ammo. I got lazy because it had been so long since the last bad round. so up comes a classifier match and guess what? That was my fault for sure.

[Poppa Bear]

I would say you are OK as long as the "ring" is a visual thing and not a physical thing. If the sizing forms a physical ring at the area just above the extractor groove it is generally a sign of a case that has been over bulged. The case is now weaker after being sized and could fail. I get a couple per hundred that form this ring, and just on the increased pressure needed to work the handle I know what is happening. I chuck them into the garbage rather than into my prepped brass bin.

My technique is to size and deprime all my brass on a single stage before I run it through the Dillon just so that I can weed out all of the bad brass before I start.

[knh]

I haven't fully loaded any complete rounds yet. When I noticed this after doing several on the Lee size die I stopped because to me it doesn't seem correct that the die would basically shrink the casing. The press am using is a Lee reloader that I got from Midway for 25 bucks, didn't see much point in spending much on a single stage as I want to move into a 650xl when I get a handle on the process.

Some of the brass I get is from buddies who shot Glocks and also random range brass. The glock brass when checked against my case gauge and empty barrel won't fit, so the Redding GRX die which is a push through die and removes the "Glock Budge". After going through the GRX die the brass is straight and measures .421-.422 the entire length. After going through the Lee sizing die the brass measures .417 until near the primer pocket and the case measures .421. So the Lee size die is basically necking down the case .004 and leaving a ring around the primer pocket.

Am a total noob to reloading but this doesn't seem right to me so I never went any farther in the process...Eric

[knh]

I haven't fully loaded any complete rounds yet. When I noticed this after doing several on the Lee size die I stopped because to me it doesn't seem correct that the die would basically shrink the casing. The press am using is a Lee reloader that I got from Midway for 25 bucks, didn't see much point in spending much on a single stage as I want to move into a 650xl when I get a handle on the process.

Some of the brass I get is from buddies who shot Glocks and also random range brass. The glock brass when checked against my case gauge and empty barrel won't fit, so the Redding GRX die which is a push through die and removes the "Glock Budge". After going through the GRX die the brass is straight and measures .421-.422 the entire length. After going through the Lee sizing die the brass measures .417 until near the primer pocket and the case measures .421. So the Lee size die is basically necking down the case .004 and leaving a ring around the primer pocket.

Am a total noob to reloading but this doesn't seem right to me so I never went any farther in the process...Eric

[knh]

first make sure you want to reload,why you wish to reload and how often do you shoot.research the the brands of press and type of reloading you want to get involed.there is much more to reloading then lets just do it and buy equipment that next month or so you want to stop or never get started.reloading takes an person that is mechanically inclined and some what skillfull with there hands.And patient to pre plan furture loads as to bullet gr. and powder gr.,but it is fun to shoot what you reload.good luck what ever way you go to load or not to load that is the question.

[Waterfowl-widowmaker]

Absolutely normal. Coke bottle affect caused be undersized die. I use the EGW U die and it does the same thing. The ring is caused by the case being burnished as it is re sized.

[Steve RA]

The reason is that the web area of the case (surrounds the primer pocket area) is basically solid all the way across the case (with the exception of the primer pocket right in the middle)and this will not "size" down like the balance of the case above it.