Loose Bullets

[ideled]

I'm somewhat of a beginner to reloading ammo. I have reloaded and successfully shot a little over 300 rounds. I just bought some new bullets (158 gr 38 spl lead cast) and reloaded about 50 rounds and I noticed that some of the rounds have a loose bullet. I was able to spin and push down the bullet in its case by using some finger pressure.

Before I redo some of the rounds that have a loose bullet, would it be unsafe to shot those rounds the way they are now? The bullets are not entirely loose, for the most part I have to use some finger pressure to either spin or push down the bullet. My main concern is if this is unsafe for myself or my gun. I would hate to get hurt or damage my gun simply because I didn't take the time and redo those cartridges.

[OCD41911]

No it's not safe to shoot them. Figure out seating/crimping those "new" bullets on empty cases first, before priming and charging.

[MrPlutonium]

If you load them the way they are into a cylinder, the bullets will walk out as you're firing and lock it up. Readjust your sizing die and give it a good crimp after seating.

You're either not resizing them correctly or belling the case mouth too much before seating the bullet.

[Divernhunter]

Need more crimp and this should be in the ammo/reloading section.

You know that is the place where all othe other newbies post for sale their overpriced stuff instead of in the MARKET section where it belongs.

[Fishslayer]

If the bullet is spinning it's because you have no case tension. Crimp is not the fix.

[russ69]

Measure the diameter of the bullets, they should be .357 for 38 special. Are you fully resizing, all the way to the shellholder?

[Fishslayer]

Measure the diameter of the bullets, they should be .357 for 38 special. Are you fully resizing, all the way to the shellholder?

Actually .358 for most cast lead.

x2 on the sizing.

Check for split case?

[ar15barrels]

Excessive crimp will sometimes loosen up the fit of the bullet.
Check the bullet after seating the bullet, but before crimping it and see if those are tight in the case.
If so, then excessive crimp is a possibility.

[rabidmonk]

Excessive crimp will sometimes loosen up the fit of the bullet.
Check the bullet after seating the bullet, but before crimping it and see if those are tight in the case.
If so, then excessive crimp is a possibility.

Was going to chime in with this. I did this myself when I started reloading. Best to break those rounds back down and not shoot them.

[ideled]

Thanks guys for all the posts. I fixed the problem by simply crimping it. Turns out I was never properly crimping the cartridge. I found this out after reading the Lee instructions line by line for the crimp die.

[ar15barrels]

Thanks guys for all the posts. I fixed the problem by simply crimping it. Turns out I was never properly crimping the cartridge. I found this out after reading the Lee instructions line by line for the crimp die.

If you were NOT crimping, you have bigger problems.
The bullets should NOT have been loose enough to turn before they were crimped.

Start over with ALL your die setups and see what is going on.
Perhaps you are using a crimp die that sizes the case after you seat a bullet and that is squeezing the bullet undersized right in the case.
Perhaps your expander is too large for your bullets.

[SPUTTER]

When in doubt, read the instructions!!!

[ideled]

I went ahead and re-crimped all the cartridges that I have made. After I did that, the bullets were locked in tight. I am not going to go through all of the reloaded cartridges with all of the dies, I have shot a little over 300 rounds with my current setup without any issues. Thanks again guys for all the posts.

[ideled]

Hey Sputter, a real man doesn't read instructions.

[rabidmonk]

I went ahead and re-crimped all the cartridges that I have made. After I did that, the bullets were locked in tight. I am not going to go through all of the reloaded cartridges with all of the dies, I have shot a little over 300 rounds with my current setup without any issues. Thanks again guys for all the posts.

I'll never understand why someone would come here and ask for help, then ignore the advice given. Is your safety really not worth the time it would take to pull the bullet off the case and check from start to finish when you've identified a problem?

This is how people get hurt with reloads, and how guns go kaboom!