First rounds I ever loaded today

[franco802]

Well, I finally got everything squared away. After days of reading and adjustments. Here's a pic of the finished product. Please critique, I have thick skin. I'd rather learn, than blow myself self up.

I tested quite a few of these in my new never fired Marlin 1895 GBL 45-70. On some of the rounds, the last 1/16" when seating the lever down was a little rough. But the case went in. Most were smooth. But I did NOT fire any of these yet.

[___M|9||___]

looks good to me, what set up do you have as far as dies and press?

[pacrat]

An observation on my part, that requires a question. The crimp looks right, but in the pic it looks like the crimp is just a bit low on the bullet. Is the crimp in the cannelure? It appears as if there is a ring of lead showing above the crimped case mouth. The crimp should be "in" the cannelure. Not just below it.

In your post of a few days ago. You didn't mention the rifle the loads were for. And I mentioned the sizing to "just allow bullet seating option". Which makes cases last longer. With a lever gun you should FL size to assure functionality.

If your lever is working rough on some. Next time FL size your cases as required on a lever gun. And then run them all through the rifle. Before you load them. If they chamber fine without a stiff lever. The stiffness could be caused by the case bulging slightly at the mouth when you crimp. If the crimp isn't "in" the cannelure.

As I said in your other thread. It's a bit of balancing act to get the seater/crimp to act together at the proper time, to get the proper crimp, at the proper location on the bullet.

[franco802]

An observation on my part, that requires a question. The crimp looks right, but in the pic it looks like the crimp is just a bit low on the bullet. Is the crimp in the cannelure? It appears as if there is a ring of lead showing above the crimped case mouth. The crimp should be "in" the cannelure. Not just below it.

In your post of a few days ago. You didn't mention the rifle the loads were for. And I mentioned the sizing to "just allow bullet seating option". Which makes cases last longer. With a lever gun you should FL size to assure functionality.

If your lever is working rough on some. Next time FL size your cases as required on a lever gun. And then run them all through the rifle. Before you load them. If they chamber fine without a stiff lever. The stiffness could be caused by the case bulging slightly at the mouth when you crimp. If the crimp isn't "in" the cannelure.

As I said in your other thread. It's a bit of balancing act to get the seater/crimp to act together at the proper time, to get the proper crimp, at the proper location on the bullet.

I'm with you on this. A friend of mine said that bullet should be seated farther down. But then Lyman calls for 2.550 and no longer. Mine are at about 2.500. Something still doesn't seem right I think.

[CSACANNONEER]

When it comes to COAL, it really depends on your exact chamber and throat. But, until you get a little experience, you should stay within published specs. If you just want them to look better, try seating them 10-20 thousands deeper. As pacrat said, it can be tricky to seat and crimp in one motion. When I teach beginners, I've gone to teaching them to seat and then, removing the seating sten and just using the die to crimp in an extra step.

[CGT80]

Separate seat and crimp dies are best and it is how I do 30-30, 30 carbine, 30-06, and 460 mag with cast boolits on a dillon 550, and 9mm and 40 cal on a 1050 with cast boolits. It also works better on jwords, but they are not as temperamental.

What load and bullet are you using?

[pacrat]

I'm with you on this. A friend of mine said that bullet should be seated farther down. But then Lyman calls for 2.550 and no longer. Mine are at about 2.500. Something still doesn't seem right I think.

Published data by manufacturers of reloading equipment, powders, bullets, and all manner of components are "guidelines".

They are written on paper, not carved in stone and deemed as words to never be ignored.

When loading bullets with crimping cannelures, use the crimping cannelure, not the words written on a page. Unless you want to load them longer. In which case you do not crimp them.

Like CSACANNONEER said. Only your individual rifle can determine what is the proper OAL for your rifle. In this case it is your bullets that determine proper OAL. Seating the bullet a little bit deeper than Lymans suggested lenght, so it crimps in the cannelure properly will have no ill effects.

JM2c

[franco802]

looks good to me, what set up do you have as far as dies and press?

Hornady dies and Dillon 550b.

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[franco802]

I learned a ton in this thread. Seems like info on here from seasoned reloaders and reading books is what's going to keep me the right direction. Bullets I'm using are 45-70 Govt. 450 Marlin - 458 Winchester Magnum - 410g RNFP Lead Hard Cast - (BHN 17-18). Sized to .458. 37 grains IMR4198 powder, CCI primers. Puts me at about 1600 fps with a 26900 cup.

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[pacrat]

I'm with you on this. A friend of mine said that bullet should be seated farther down. But then Lyman calls for 2.550 and no longer. Mine are at about 2.500. Something still doesn't seem right I think.

I learned a ton in this thread. Seems like info on here from seasoned reloaders and reading books is what's going to keep me the right direction. Bullets I'm using are 45-70 Govt. 450 Marlin - 458 Winchester Magnum - 410g RNFP Lead Hard Cast - (BHN 17-18). Sized to .458. 37 grains IMR4198 powder, CCI primers. Puts me at about 1600 fps with a 26900 cup.

First quote above with comparison to second quote. Lyman gives a specific OAL, for the specific bullet that they used to develope the data, with the crimp cannelure placed by that manufacturer. What are the odds that they are the same bullets you are using? With the cannelure in exactly the same location in relation to the meplat of the bullet?

Answer..........SLIM TO NONE.

Some loads, using heavier longer bullets for the 45-70 go out to 2.825", for the 500 grainers. Anything short of that, that feeds from your magazine reliably, and functions in the rifle reliably. Is GTG.

What you have loaded are OK, but not optimum. Go ahead and shoot them. No harm will be done. When you reload them next time. Set your seating stem down a bit so they crimp in the groove/cannelure.

You are doing fine, enjoy.

[CGT80]

I learned a ton in this thread. Seems like info on here from seasoned reloaders and reading books is what's going to keep me the right direction. Bullets I'm using are 45-70 Govt. 450 Marlin - 458 Winchester Magnum - 410g RNFP Lead Hard Cast - (BHN 17-18). Sized to .458. 37 grains IMR4198 powder, CCI primers. Puts me at about 1600 fps with a 26900 cup.

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I am curious to hear how the recoil is on these. That certainly isn't a light load at 1600 fps.

Reloading requires more than just looking up data, if you want to go very far with it. People who like to problem solve and experiment a little, usually like the process. There are so many variables and the fact that each firearm can be different that many people end up learning to customize the ammo for the firearms they have. Once you work from the published data and learn how changes from that data may impact the load, you will start to figure out how to taylor your loads.

You might also like reading the castboolits forum. It is for reloading and boolit casting, what Calguns is for Kalifornia based shooters. It is easy to get information overload, over there.

[franco802]

I really appreciate all the answers. I am actually going to re-seat these until I hit the canular. I believe all I got to do is throw it back on the seat/crimp die and adjust the seating part of the die another 1/32nd of a turn. I'll play with it when I get home today. I did notice I have an empty spot on the toolhead now. I guess that was for if I had run a separate seating and crimping die.

[CSACANNONEER]

I really appreciate all the answers. I am actually going to re-seat these until I hit the canular. I believe all I got to do is throw it back on the seat/crimp die and adjust the seating part of the die another 1/32nd of a turn. I'll play with it when I get home today. I did notice I have an empty spot on the toolhead now. I guess that was for if I had run a separate seating and crimping die.

NO!!!!!!! Since the crimp is already there, what will probably happen is that you will either buldge or start to colapse the case. They are just fine to go shoot.

[franco802]

NO!!!!!!! Since the crimp is already there, what will probably happen is that you will either buldge or start to colapse the case. They are just fine to go shoot.

Damn nevermind then.

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[pacrat]

Damn nevermind then.

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Good choice. Choot'em then reset seater stem. Then Choot'em again.