soundlzrd Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 So I have been loading for just under a year on my 550. I have successfully loaded 38 and 9mm. I'm using lee dies, small pistol primer brass, titegroup and bayou 230 grn. I set the dies up, except the Dillion powder die, lee lee instructions. The Dillion powder funnel was set up like I had on the 9mm where I also use Bayou bullets. However, I think I added too much flare which caused a clunk when I tried to seat the bullet. I also get two clunks when I run the cartridge through the factory crimp die. Things got better when I backed the flare out, and now it almost passed the case gauge, but now I am shaving the coating off the bullet. Thoughts on what to try next? Thank you Sean Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Can you show a picture of the case just after you flared it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 Sure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Tough to see, but it looks like you need more flare to stop shaving the bullet. Coated bullets need more flare. Check your dies to be sure they are clean. If you have any coating from the bullet or brassing from the brass, it will stick and cause the clunk noise and a jerking of the handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thanks. I thought the same about the flare, but wasn't sure. I'll look up how to clean dies. Hadn't thought to do that to new dies. Or any for that matter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DagoRed Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 It's a close thing sometimes. If I flare enough to not shave the playing on extreme bullets sometimes then the case will sometimes wack the edge of the seating die if the alignment when I rotate isn't just right. For me I had to back the flare off a bit and make sure everything is clean so it's indexing correctly. It's a fine line for me, using exact same setup as you. I have no problem on the crimp die though. Also might try living your cases I found that helps to Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tires2burn Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) I usually load up my shell plate and pull the handle down to seat all the stations and loosen each die just enough to center the die and then tighten back down. This seems to eliminate any misalignment for me. Edited July 24, 2015 by tires2burn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 A Mr Bulletfeeder powder funnel will cure your problem. URL: http://www.mrbulletfeeder.com/ Email Rick and get a price. rick@mrbulletfeeder.com If memory serves it is about $35. Or, buy it here. http://www.cedhk.com/shop/products/Mr.BulletFeeder-by-DAA-Powder-Funnel-for-Pistol.html It replaces your Dillon powder funnel. Adjust it so that you get the most minute flare, or none at all.The two step expander enlares the case mouth just enough to let the bullet insert. The bullet stands straight up and you seat it without scraping plating or poly off. IMO, it is worth its weight in gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Interesting. I have been looking at Redding comp dies and new crimp dies as the issue seems to happen after the flare. This is less expensive, but wont cure the clunk in the FCD, or would it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 It seems you went from too much flare, to not enough. You shouldn't need different dies or powder funnel, just get the flare adjusted properly, as it takes very minor adjustments.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I just did some checking and the Lee FCD is about .003" smaller in diameter than the Dillon crimp die. (on .40 cal) The Dillon die would be less likely to "clunk" when passing over the flare than the Lee. I use Dillon dies and have never had shaving problems in 9, .40, or .45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 At lunch today I got a chance to read through this forum a bit more. Opening up my search to just Dies, I was able to find I am not the only one to have this issue. I am thinking of ordering new dies as I have now experianced this issue on two machines with different flaring dies. I am thinking about a Dillion seating and a Dillion crimp. Any reason I should get something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Played some more with dummy rounds when I got home from work. Was able to get the rounds to drop in, but when crimping I noticed brass shavings. I also noted my neck measurements go from .472 to .471 at the neck to .473 above the brass on the bullet. I tried to take a video by my phone feel over when the round clunked up into the FCD. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited July 24, 2015 by soundlzrd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 FWIW there shouldn't be any clunking going on. The FCD is a collet type and starts to closes as the brass is already in the collet. It stills sounds like you have a die adjustment problem. My measurements stay fairly consistent at .471 from the base of the bullet to the edge of the case. Are you saying that the bullet is measuring .473 after the edge of the brass. The bullet diameter is wider that the brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 If I'm not mistaken, my .40 "Bulge Buster" used a Lee FCD and it is a fixed diameter die. I just took a .40 case, flared it, and then passed the flared case through the "Bulge Buster". The flare firmly contacted the mouth of the die and when pushed through the flare was reduced to the diameter of the rest of the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Young eyes that's correct on the size. I agree with you in die setup, but in at a loss. Added crimp is all that allows it to fit in the gauge. As far as the bullet being bigger, could the brass be folding in the gas check? TDA, sounds like what mine is doing? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Why are you using a gas check. If you don't had the correct bullet for a gas check then that's your problem. Load without the gas check. Let me please see a picture of just the bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 http://www.bayoubullets.net/45-acp-230-gr-rn-2000-ct/ I could be wrong on what it is Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARRYJ Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 That bullet is not designed for a gas check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Ditch the gas check. It's not a gas check bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 I'm not adding one, I miss understood what that band around it was for. I thought that was a gas check Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Lube groove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundlzrd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Oh, thanks for telling me! I know i still have much to learn Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 OK. Let's backtrack. The bullet is at most a .452. If it is bulging out to .473 something is squeezing the heck out of it, or the bullets are way wrong. What is the diameter of an unused bullet. Remeasure after you seat it. Remeasure after crimp. What load of powder are you using? Could you be compressing the load? Check that you are using the correct powder funnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterthefish Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) FWIW there shouldn't be any clunking going on. The FCD is a collet type and starts to closes as the brass is already in the collet. It stills sounds like you have a die adjustment problem. My measurements stay fairly consistent at .471 from the base of the bullet to the edge of the case. Are you saying that the bullet is measuring .473 after the edge of the brass. The bullet diameter is wider that the brass? The FCD for pistol rounds does not use a collet. It had a sizing ring in the base and otherwise acts as a standard tape crimp die. The first clunk is probably the flared mouth hitting the sizing ring. The second is the floating crimp ring hitting the aluminum plug used to adjust the crimp in a pistol FCD. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited July 25, 2015 by peterthefish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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