muncie21 Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 I use Lee dies to load both 9mm and .40. The dies are setup approximately the same, with respect to sizing and belling/flaring. It dawned on me recently while cleaning up after a caliber change that the 9mm setup creates a lot (by a wide margin) more brass shavings/particles than the .40 does. Anyone else notice this also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microham Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 (edited) What station are the shavings coming from? I usually get some from the crimp station. Edited October 4, 2017 by microham added more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 A bit more flare might be needed. I don't get any shavings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustybayonet Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 18 hours ago, Flatland Shooter said: A bit more flare might be needed. I don't get any shavings. A bit less? If brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 1 hour ago, rustybayonet said: A bit less? If brass. I'm thinking it may actually be copper shavings. Hard for me to figure how the brass itself is getting shaved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustybayonet Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 5 minutes ago, Flatland Shooter said: I'm thinking it may actually be copper shavings. Hard for me to figure how the brass itself is getting shaved. I have had it happen with too much bell. I think the case is wider than the crimp die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted October 5, 2017 Author Share Posted October 5, 2017 I load mostly coated bullets, so the shavings are definitely from the cases. Because I'm on a progressive, I can't really tell which station is causing this. I'll try reducing the bell a tad to see if this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himurax13 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Is your brass wet tumbled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammer1911 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Mine is and I have never had this previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge40 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) If your getting shavings that look like copper its probably not enough bell. I have loaded with not enough bell and it shaves the bullet. Usually more of a problem with coated than plated or jacketed. If you are getting small flakes that almost look like gold flakes in your loaded ammo bin or on the shell plate and elsewhere thats probably too much bell. Your crimp die is probably shaving brass off the case as it crimps the case. Ive had the gold flake style problem regardless of bullet type. Edited October 6, 2017 by Edge40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted October 6, 2017 Author Share Posted October 6, 2017 I wet tumble and I'm 100% sure it is brass from the case, as I load with hi-tek coated bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 15 hours ago, rustybayonet said: I have had it happen with too much bell. I think the case is wider than the crimp die. ^This. The Lee FCD is like a sizing die. So if there's too much bell, the edges rub against the carbide ring, and shave off slivers. It's the same as if you ran a Belle case into the sizing die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Guys are correct, check for too much bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 I did a test to see how little flare I can use, before I see no brass shavings using the Lee FCD. Unfortunately, when I get to the point of no brass shavings, I get bullet shavings from too little flare. In other words, if you use the FCD, you're going to get some brass shavings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 If you will sand the inside of the die you'll knock off the high spots that cause the brass shavings. I did it on a Lee seating die with a little gizmo that was in my Dremel kit. Has a slit in the end you can put sandpaper in. Just use it, or something like it, in the unfinished portion up to where it actually sizes - or seats, in a seating die - not the machined part of the die that does the actual function it is designed for. You can make a little "gizmo" out of a piece of 1/4" dowel rod by cutting/sawing a slit in the end about a half inch long to put the strip of sandpaper in and then use in a drill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfalcon00 Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Yeah I use Lee FCD for my pistol stuff and have never been able to totally get rid of the brass shavings. The shavings are the worst with 9mm and the least with my 38 special with the 45 ACP being somewhere in between. Never have figured out why one caliber is worst than another although I haven't had any problems associated with the shavings in thousands of rounds so I just keep a brush by my 650. I am not a gamer tho and all my pistol stuff is just range ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 too much bell is one cause... the speed of the entry into the seating die is another. I polished the mouth of the bullet seating die and then backed off the bell a wee little bit. I still get some flakes, just far less than before. running fast gets more. miranda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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