Not All My Reloads Are Case Gauging?

[tms]

I'm using a new Dillon 550 with thier carbide dies and reloading .45 ACP 200 grn LSWC. I have 1000 mixed brass in good shape given to me from a club member but not all my reloads will fit my case gauge after they are loaded. I have a Dillon case gauge I'm using. Am I not resizing enough or can I be overcrimping? I have shot 300 rnds of these reloads without a problem, they all chamber, fire, and eject.

Some people have told me not to worry about gauging while others say they gauge every round.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Terry

[boo radley]

I'm using a new Dillon 550 with thier carbide dies and reloading .45 ACP 200 grn LSWC. I have 1000 mixed brass in good shape given to me from a club member but not all my reloads will fit my case gauge after they are loaded. I have a Dillon case gauge I'm using. Am I not resizing enough or can I be overcrimping? I have shot 300 rnds of these reloads without a problem, they all chamber, fire, and eject.

Some people have told me not to worry about gauging while others say they gauge every round.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Terry

When I reload .45acp, I want all my rounds to case gauge -- I'm using an LE Wilson that is a bit tighter than the barrels of either my Les Baer or Kimber. This isn't to say I bother gauging everything, but just use it from time to time during the reloading process, as I do calipers or weighing the powder charge, as a QC check.

So I guess the question is, *why* aren't the cartridges passing the gauge? I have the same set of Dillon dies, and if I had to guess you don't have the crimping die screwed down far enough, but that's just conjecture without you providing more information and the critical measurements of one of your reloads.

[EricW]

Post some pictures of the problem rounds if you can. It could be any number of things. Look at the base of the brass to see if it has Glock bulges. Check the case mouths for deformations or lead rings. 45 ACP is a pretty easy round to load for. One way or another we'll get you squared away.

[tms]

Can't post pics, the digital camera is at the cottage but I'll give you the dimensions. This brass is a mix of Federal, Win, and some Rem. The Federal brass when reloaded will case gauge easily but the rest only about half will. Going by my Lyman book, I'm meeting the .473" at the crimp, and the .476" at the base but I get a small increase in between. You can't see it with your eyes but the calipers are measuring .477-.479" just above the base. My overall length is 1.245, under the 1.275 max.

I'm using Excel 200 grn LSWC (.451-.452).

I did increase the belling and it helped with some of them but not all. Should I seat them less, would that help with a bulge, or is it possible I'm not resizing them far enough in the first stage? I have the sizer die touching the shell plate as per the Dillon instructions.

Thanks, Terry

[Harmon]

replace dillon crimp die with Lee factory crimp die...magically the case gauge problems go away...especially with lead bullets.

Also Its my opinion that the case gauge is a useless tool unless its cut to the same specs as your chamber.

Chamber check each round you plan on shooting at a match. leave the case gauge alone

Harmon

[ChuckS]

It has been a couple of years since I reloaded .45 but I seem to recall that quite a few rounds would not fit in the case gauge but chambered OK in my gun. It turns out that there were extractor hook "scars" on the rim of the cases that would not allow the rounds to seat all the way in the gauge. The body diameter was fine. The gauge I have is a hair tighter than the barrel I use so it is a good test since if it chambers in the gauge, it should be fine in the barrel.

I have tried spot checking, checking everything and checking match ammo and wound up back at checking everything. Having a malfunction at ANY match sucks. Having a malfunction at practice can only get you worried what's going to happen at a match. (I wonder if that was ammo or the gun?? ).

Later,

Chuck

Edit: Oh yeah, one more thing: Harmon is right on with the Lee FCD. I use them on .40 and .45

Edited July 16, 2006 by ChuckS

[dillon]

I suggest a tighter taper crimp is probably all you need. At themouth, it should measure .469"-.471". Believe me, we aren't going to put dies on the market that don't work.

[tms]

Thanks for all the help. I have done a few adjustments, move the sizer die down, increase the belling slightly and tighten the crimp. Now out of 100 reloads I get 8-10 that won't gauge. I see the point of if the gauge doesn't match the chamber it doesn't matter if they gauge.

Thanks again, Terry