odd crease in case

[Hammbone]

I have a Lee Classic 4 hole turret press running all Lee dies. I lightly lube every 10th case. Periodically I get this odd crease from the bullet seating / crimp die. (See image, just above the extractor grove). What's going on? Should I dissassemble the round when this happens and dispose the brass? This happens to be Winchester brass with Bayou 147gr bullet, lightly crimped to 0.381". I can't say for sure if it happens on all brass, but I've noticed it a few times with Winchester. Also, just for reference, this is the 3rd time this piece of brass has been loaded.

[newboy]

The only thing I see, is where the resizing die has stopped sizing before it got to the base. If it fits in your chamber on your pistol, no problems. If it bothers you, try a resizing die with less of an entry radius, which allows you to size more of the case, or get a bulge-buster, or use conventional sizing die (non-carbide) with no radius at the mouth.

[mlmiller1]

what newboy said. Youre not getting sized fully to the bottom of the brass. It is either your sizing die isn't low enough or you are getting a bulge in your brass from less supported chamber & high pressure loads. If they chamber in your pistol, it is probably your sizer isn't getting down low enough. If they don't chamber, you are getting a bulge which could lead to a blown piece of brass.

[Poppa Bear]

Are you seating? Crimping? Or, are you doing both with the same die?

Or, are just noticing it after the round is completed and not realizing that the sizing die is the problem.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Poppa Bear

[gng4life]

That looks normal. I have my sizing die set to where it almost touches the plate and I get this a lot. Depends on the brass you are using and the shape it is in but normally, these check out okay. I would make sure to gauge them to ensure they fit in your chamber. About 95% of mine that look like that will fit fine and shoot without any issues.

[Hammbone]

The only thing I see, is where the resizing die has stopped sizing before it got to the base. If it fits in your chamber on your pistol, no problems.

Newboy - your right, my mistake. This is coming from my sizing die. I set it up per Lee's instructions. The bottom of the die just barely contacts the shell plate when the ram is fully extended. And yes, it chambers just fine. No issues there.

mlmiller1'] ...or you are getting a bulge in your brass from less supported chamber & high pressure loads.

I'm pretty confident it's not a high pressure issue. I'm loading some pretty tame stuff, and I've never noticed any high pressure signs with the primers.

Are you seating? Crimping? Or, are you doing both with the same die?

Or, are just noticing it after the round is completed and not realizing that the sizing die is the problem.

I am seating and crimping with the same die. On this particular round, I noticed something felt different when it happened. And it was during the sizing operation.

[gng4life]

One other thing...have you measured your neck? I can't tell if it's the picture or not but looks like there is still a bell on the case mouth.

[Poppa Bear]

Being as you are using a 4 hole Lee, are you just using 3 of the 4 holes? I size on one, powder on two, seat on three, and crimp on four. It is a lot easier and much more controllable when you separate seating from crimping

[Hammbone]

Being as you are using a 4 hole Lee, are you just using 3 of the 4 holes? I size on one, powder on two, seat on three, and crimp on four. It is a lot easier and much more controllable when you separate seating from crimping

I use all 4 holes. I size on 1, expand & drop powder on 2, seat and crimp on 3, post size with FCD on 4. On my latest test batch I backed out the crimp on the Factory Crimp Die and just used it for post sizing. Not sure if that's the way to go or not. Just experimenting there.

[jrb06]

Don't seat and crimp on the same die. If you are using the LFC die that should be your only crimp station. Just seat at station 3 and crimp at station 4 and that is all you need to do. Raise shell plate and screw the crimp die down to the shell plate with the stem screwed way out, then lower plate insert round at required OAL, raise plate and screw stem on crimp die until it just touches the round lower shell plate slightly screw stem in 1/8-1/4 turn and crimp, check crimp repeat and adjust as needed.

[shane8168]

One other thing...have you measured your neck? I can't tell if it's the picture or not but looks like there is still a bell on the case mouth.

I would have to agree I still see some bell here.

I get that mark a lot with mine too, I think it is the place where the sizing die stops...

[Hammbone]

Don't seat and crimp on the same die. If you are using the LFC die that should be your only crimp station. Just seat at station 3 and crimp at station 4 and that is all you need to do. Raise shell plate and screw the crimp die down to the shell plate with the stem screwed way out, then lower plate insert round at required OAL, raise plate and screw stem on crimp die until it just touches the round lower shell plate slightly screw stem in 1/8-1/4 turn and crimp, check crimp repeat and adjust as needed.

When you're referring to the "crimp" die here, I assume you're speaking of the FCD? ...so on the seating/crimp die I'd just have it backed out so that I'm not crimping, yet have the stem adjusted to seat to the correct depth?

[Poppa Bear]

Correct. I use a combination of RCBS, Lee, Redding and Dillon for my dies. I always back the seating/ crimp die out a bit just to make sure that it does not try to apply any crimp. I then place a master round at the correct OAL into the press and screw down the seating die until it just touches. Seat a couple just to make sure it is at the correct depth, and then move onto the crimp die. Back out the seating stem and then screw the die in until it just kisses the mouth of the master cartridge. I then crimp the test cartridges slightly screwing the die in until I get the correct amount of crimp. Lock everything down and run a few through to check that everything is correct.

[Hammbone]

Correct. I use a combination of RCBS, Lee, Redding and Dillon for my dies. I always back the seating/ crimp die out a bit just to make sure that it does not try to apply any crimp. I then place a master round at the correct OAL into the press and screw down the seating die until it just touches. Seat a couple just to make sure it is at the correct depth, and then move onto the crimp die. Back out the seating stem and then screw the die in until it just kisses the mouth of the master cartridge. I then crimp the test cartridges slightly screwing the die in until I get the correct amount of crimp. Lock everything down and run a few through to check that everything is correct.

What/who's die do you use for your final crimp. Can I acheive th is with Lee FCD? My understanding is that the crimping mechanism on a Lee FCD works a little different than say a Lee seating/crimp die.

[Poppa Bear]

I use a Redding crimp die for .40, a RCBS die for .45, and a Lee FCD for my 9 mm.