Push through case gauge failures

[AHI]

Just checking empty sized cases fail the gauge and are sickie in the barrel.

[bigedp51]

I use a Lee factory crimp die with the carbide ring in its base as the push through die. And then size the case with a Lee under size die.

 

I have never heard of using the Lee U die as a push through die to remove any bulge in the base of the case.

 

I think the carbide ring in the Lee U die is a smaller diameter than the Lee factory crimp die and may be causing your gauge problem.

[roundball]

I load bunches of lead bullets. When loaded rounds fail, I always have to look for lube buildup in my gauge. The devil is in the details.

[nikdanja]

I had that problem with my shock bottle. I had a buddy with the same gauge and bullets that wouldn’t fit in mine would fit in his. I called shock bottle and sent mine over with the gullets that’s didn’t fit. They are going to re-ream it to fit those bullets. 
 

hope this helps. I went years thinking it was my dies, then my press and on and on. 

[Brooke]

I originally loaded 9MM. Lots of it up to 9000 per month. No problems.

 

When I started 40, I had all kinds of problems with  case gauge and chamber fit. The Hondo gauge was a reliable predictor of what the gun would accept. Honestly I thought I would never be able to reload 40. I switched a  Lee U for resizing and a Lee factory crimp die. The problem got better but still too much fallout. I was using a well known coated bullet at 0.401 diameter. Decided to switch to 0.400 Blue bullets.

 

Problem with gauging essentially disappeared. I will have an occasional failure that turns out to be a split casing or something unknown that is fixed by running the finished bullet through a Redding push through die.

 

I started buying processed brass that has been cleaned, decapped, and roll sized. The problem is essentially gone. The brass costs a little more but not that much. 

 

I have gone from thinking I just couldn't load 40 to essentially no issue whatsoever. I just brought a roll sizer to see if I could return to cheaper brass. Don't know yet. I could never justify the roll sizer on cost versus what Im paying for my current brass but since most brass suppliers are small businesses that come and go, I was afraid they might go under. I prefer to be self sufficient.

[alien_pickles]

I also use a lee crimp die in my bulge buster. I'm not sure how I would use a U die. I will add that I've noticed it sometimes takes several passes through the push through die before the case is properly resized. Once isn't always enough to fix the issue

[roundball]

I'd google OP's Hundo case gauge. Looks like we were thinking of gauge the did a single cartridge. This thing on the net did one hundred at a time. Might do well to see if the cases failed in the same hole in this hundred round gauge. I see boondoggle in this thing.  I use the Redding push through die with no problems.

Edited November 22, 2019 by roundball

[HesedTech]

This thread is getting old, but the OP asked how can a case sized by the push through die fail after loading? The answer is the bullet bulges the case in the loading process.

 

Check your cases before loading, but after sizing and the push through die, and then after. Look at the head stamps and see if there is a pattern, if not maybe you are occasionally seating bullets crooked causing the case side to bulge.

 

Just a couple of more ideas in a graying thread.

[roundball]

Get another gauge. 

[Hockeycor22]

On 11/22/2019 at 7:22 PM, HesedTech said:

This thread is getting old, but the OP asked how can a case sized by the push through die fail after loading? The answer is the bullet bulges the case in the loading process.

 

Check your cases before loading, but after sizing and the push through die, and then after. Look at the head stamps and see if there is a pattern, if not maybe you are occasionally seating bullets crooked causing the case side to bulge.

 

Just a couple of more ideas in a graying thread.

Exactly. If there’s a bundle, we will say a block buldge, even the lee die don’t get rid of it fully. It will push it towards the bottom. To fully eliminate, you would need to roll size. 

[Brooke]

You need to give us some data. I use the  Shock Bottle (Hondo) 40XL gauge. It reliably predicts what I need to fit my Atlas Nemesis.

 

So what dimensions will the gauge accept? I find it accepts 0.423 diameter and reject 0.424.  Measure your resized brass and finished rounds at the mouth, halfway down, and just above the extraction groove. It is very important to measure a resized brass and measure it again after you load it.

 

Also buy some name brand factory ammo that easy fits in your gun..I bet you find that it measures in the 0.417 to 0.422 range at various points on the case. So that's where you need to go.

I collect and reuse about 90% of my practice brass. I have found that it gets a little larger with repeated use. I assume the brass has lost some of its elasticity and does not recover as far. Some brass especially Win starts failing the   case gauge more and more.. I bought a roll sizer which seems to size the brass reliably to 0.425. Not quite good enough but the Lee Udie I use in the press finishes the job quite well and my fallout goes to zero.

 

Collect some data on your brass to analyze your problem.

 

One last thing. A good looking crimp may not be enough. See if crimping a little more fixes the problem. Put the finished round into the gauge upside down. If it falls in easily it isn't your sizing except possibility the crimp.

 

Measure some factory ammo and compare to yours

Edited January 4, 2020 by Brooke

[roundball]

I'd try another cartridge gauge. That Hundo thing looks like a boondoggle. Die's just don't go bad. Might help to know what caliber gun you are using. Is this once fired brass from another gun? Have you had trouble chambering your rounds from the very first? Is this a recent even. It would be helpful if you gave some more information. One of the benefits of the push through is that is sizes the entire. My Redding push through does 357 SIG, 40 S&W and 10mm with no problems. I use single cartridge gauges on these rounds. You may experiment with you taper crimp portion of you set it if the problem is in loaded rounds.

Edited January 4, 2020 by roundball

[redneckram]

On 11/2/2019 at 5:21 AM, Brooke said:

I originally loaded 9MM. Lots of it up to 9000 per month. No problems.

 

When I started 40, I had all kinds of problems with  case gauge and chamber fit. The Hondo gauge was a reliable predictor of what the gun would accept. Honestly I thought I would never be able to reload 40. I switched a  Lee U for resizing and a Lee factory crimp die. The problem got better but still too much fallout. I was using a well known coated bullet at 0.401 diameter. Decided to switch to 0.400 Blue bullets.

 

Problem with gauging essentially disappeared. I will have an occasional failure that turns out to be a split casing or something unknown that is fixed by running the finished bullet through a Redding push through die.

 

I started buying processed brass that has been cleaned, decapped, and roll sized. The problem is essentially gone. The brass costs a little more but not that much. 

 

I have gone from thinking I just couldn't load 40 to essentially no issue whatsoever. I just brought a roll sizer to see if I could return to cheaper brass. Don't know yet. I could never justify the roll sizer on cost versus what Im paying for my current brass but since most brass suppliers are small businesses that come and go, I was afraid they might go under. I prefer to be self sufficient.

Do you have any updates? Which Rollsizer did you get?

[Brooke]

8 hours ago, redneckram said:

Do you have any updates? Which Rollsizer did you get?

 

The Australian Whitehed Engineering roll sizer from Alpha Dynamics (DAA US). I bought the upscale model rather than the in both cheaper version but I expect either will work.

 

Those who blindly say the Hondo gauge isn't a good one are totally wrong. They work perfectly for me in both 9mm and 40. I have several single hole gauges. The Dillon gauges are too forgiving for my 40. A couple of others are so tight nothing fits. The Hondos are perfect and easy to use.

 

Back to roll sizers...in 40 the roll sizer as delivered sizes 40 cases to 0.425. Not good enough for my gun but good enough for the LeeU die to finish it off to essentially 100% acceptance in the Hondo. This has completely solved my massive issues with reloading 40.

 

I am still considering turning a 9mm resizing wheel down to give a little smaller diameter than 0.425....maybe 0.422/0.423.

 

I can't fail to say that anyone saying a Hondo is no good has not used one.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Brooke

[shred]

As the main dude that manufactures and sells the Hundo gauges, I can state that the vast majority of the time somebody has a problem with their ammo not fitting the gauge, it's because their ammo is way over SAMMI specs for loaded rounds and not just in length.  Generally that's bulged brass, loose dies, leftover bell or oversize and not-round bullets.  I get it, we're shooters, we're thrifty.  We get the cheapest bullets and use brass until it cracks.

 

It takes a lot to wear out a carbide sizing die, but they can and they also vary one to the next. 

 

The deal is a SAAMI maximum-size round will fit a minimum-SAAMI chamber.  We make the 100-round gauges to SAAMI minimum chamber size.  More than likely your chamber is bigger than that, but we don't know how much and they're all different, and I think it's better to reject good rounds than let bad ones through so that's how they're made. 

 

Barrel manufacturers get maximum-size chamber reamers and run them until they wear down to minimum, then chuck it and get another.   It's not uncommon for ammo that won't fit the gauge to fit the gun.  Just depends where on the scale your chamber is.

 

All that said, we aren't perfect and do sometimes make a bad gauge.  We'll replace or repair any that are factory defective.  If you aren't sure but don't want to ship your gauge off for inspection (we have to charge return shipping if it turns out to be in-spec), you can send in a few dummy rounds that show the problem and we can put them on the inspection tools and see what's up.

 

In .40 a quick check of the case sizing is to try dropping them into the gauge backwards.  If they fit like that, check the front end by the bullet/bell/crimp.

[Jopp]

On 8/28/2019 at 12:54 AM, AHI said:

I use this https://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/3-g-rx-push-thru-base-sizing-die

I beleve it sizes a bit smaller than the Lee set up.Also use redding dies to load.

This one, the grx die worked for me, no more case gage hang ups, and always getting Free in my Pistol