Some rounds not passing gauge test

[bigarm]

I was loading some (100) 45 acp rounds yesterday. Some of those, maybe 10 or less, would not go fully into the case gauge. They were all close. After finishing, I put the rounds that did not pass through the seating and crimp dies again and about half of those then passed. Took the last few (4 I think) and had my wife run them through her Les Baer. They fed and shot fine. Should I adjust anything or leave as is? It would be nice if all passed the gauge test, but I am not sure that is necessary. If I change anything, would it be the crimp die or something else?

[tires2burn]

The sizing die would be the first thing I would check. The die should just barely touch the shell plate when fully extended and then back off to release pressure on the shell plate. The crimp die could be set to tight. Just take the bell out and you should be good. Sometimes when I have a case gauge problem ( range brass ) its the rim of the case that has a burr from the extractor. I will run a file over the burr and it plunks fine.

Edited August 12, 2014 by tires2burn

[superdude]

You can certainly try to make adjustments to your setup to see if that will help. But keep one thing in mind: your barrels' chambers are the ultimate case gauge. In the final analysis, it does not matter if the rounds fit the case gauge because you won't be shooting them from your case gauge. It only matters if they fit your barrels. If they fit your barrels, you're good to go.

[Bob DuBois]

Did not mention press or dies have good luck with a Lee carbide sizing die loading on 550. Lee's sizing die will size closer to the extractor groove than other brands and a little tighter.

Check your sizing die should be right at the shell plate bring it down till it touches with pressure on the operating handle. I like to use a small strip of paper like a go no go gauge should pull out with slight effort and not push back in.

All crimp does is give the round a smooth surface to chamber with to much crimp accuracy will suffer. The first stage sizing die allows the case to hold the bullet.

[Steve RA]

Polish the powder drop, no matter how much the sizing die reduces the diameter, if the powder drop expands the neck portion too much you will have the set back problem. Also, don't crimp, merely straighten the case walls. Run a straight edge against a factory round and see how they do it.

[Cowboy1629]

I would check the adjustments on your dies. After that anything that doesn't pass the gauge save for practice. Most likely they will all work but no sense running them in a match when you need practice ammo anyway. Besides if you get a malfunction it's good practice for you to clear it.

That's what I do with my ammo and to be honest I'm not sure if I got a failure from any of them. Your chamber will be more forgiving than the case gauge. At least if you have a malfunction in a match you will know it wasn't due to your ammo.

[bigarm]

I worked with the sizing die and readjusted it, but still getting ones that don't pass the gauge test. For now, as someone said, I will use those as practice rounds. I may try adjusting the crimp, but I am not quite sure why too much crimp would cause it not to fall into the case gauge. My wife is much more observant than I am and says that it is the bottom of the brass that is the hang up. I am using a Dillon 550 b and Dillon dies. Would a U die in the first station make a difference? I am using one with my 40's because I did not have dies and it was suggested so I got one for that set and a Dillon taper crimp die and it seems like I have a Lee seating die, although I am not sure why I chose that one at this time. There must have been a reason! I just can't remember it!

[Sarge]

Try to put a loaded round in the gauge backwards. Being straight walled it will slip in, If it barely goes then it is the base of the round that is the problem.

You may have used the LEE seating die for a few reasons. It's cheap. It's got a fine thread adjustment to it compared to the Dillon course threads that was a total PITA to adjust in fine increments.

[fishsticks]

I had a similar problem with Dillon dies, but for 9mm. Going to a U die and using hornaday one shot case lube solved the problem for me.

[tires2burn]

Is the base of the case going all the way into the sizing die? if not, the case will have a bulge at the base. On my Lee sizing die when the case is sized all I can see is the rim when the case is in the die. Measure the base diameter and compare with the mouth after the crimp station.

Edited August 13, 2014 by tires2burn

[bigarm]

Try to put a loaded round in the gauge backwards. Being straight walled it will slip in, If it barely goes then it is the base of the round that is the problem.

You may have used the LEE seating die for a few reasons. It's cheap. It's got a fine thread adjustment to it compared to the Dillon course threads that was a total PITA to adjust in fine increments.

I tried to put the rounds in backwards that did not go into the case gauge. Some would barely go in, some would go in about half way and two wouldn't go in at all. So, what does that mean? Thanks for the help.

[tires2burn]

Sarge explained what it means.

[Sarge]

Not going in at all is probably a burr or nick on the rim. The others are probably just not sized low enough. The Udie might work but I would like to clarify that you are Lubing the cases. Dry cases will bulge at the bottom under stress of sizing.

Another test is to size some brass and leave them empty and see if they all gauge. Then load them and see if they are now not gauging

[bigarm]

Yes I am using homemade lube of liquid lanolin and alcohol. Maybe I should put it on thicker, but it is certainly noticeable when I use it. I will try sizing brass and see if they gauge. I appreciate the help. I realize that I am asking a lot of questions, but I am learning a great deal. The learning curve is much quicker with all this help. I kind of like this retirement so I have time to do this. Miss the money though.

[bigarm]

Not going in at all is probably a burr or nick on the rim. The others are probably just not sized low enough. The Udie might work but I would like to clarify that you are Lubing the cases. Dry cases will bulge at the bottom under stress of sizing.

Another test is to size some brass and leave them empty and see if they all gauge. Then load them and see if they are now not gauging

I sized some brass and all of it fit the gauge. I reduced the bell and changed the crimp. I took a factory winchester 230 grain fmj and duplicated the crimp on it (or pretty close) which was less crimp than I was using. These changes reduced my case failure rate by probably close to 75% and the ones that would not fit in the case gauge were closer than before. Probably half of those that didn't fit the gauge the first time, did after I ran through the crimp die again. The few that won't fit I will use as practice rounds and I think they will most likely work fine.

[grouptherapy]

Ck head space with your barrel as stated earlier. Most everything that fails case cker passes with barrel in hand. Has to be pretty severe for mine to fail in the actual barrel it's firing from.

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[njl]

Not going in at all is probably a burr or nick on the rim. The others are probably just not sized low enough. The Udie might work but I would like to clarify that you are Lubing the cases. Dry cases will bulge at the bottom under stress of sizing.

Another test is to size some brass and leave them empty and see if they all gauge. Then load them and see if they are now not gauging

I find a pretty good % of my range pickup brass has burrs/nicks on the rim sufficient to stop them from going into the gauge backwards. It doesn't seem to affect reliability, but I have filed them down if I was really worried.