Lee Undersized Carbide Sizing Die 38 Special

[Douglas Munro]

Anyone have issues with .38 special case mouth tension seating 125 FMJ's? I have some mixed old brass, some just swallow up 125's down to the crimp groove / canalure? I bell / flare a very small amount to just allow the bullet base to stand up in the case. I hope this will help restore some neck tension / under-sizing it a bit. Anyone use this? Not finding munch info on it.

I am currently using lee .38/.357 dies, so maybe that has something to do with my current issue.

[9mmepiphany]

An optimal resizer would likely solve your problem...http://redding-reloading.com/online-...g-carbide-dies.

Likely a less expensive route would be to trim your cases to a uniform length

[JagerDog]

Thin brass?

38 special brass is cheap enough there's no need to deal with too thin brass.

[opos]

I had a similar issue...Lee carbide sizing die...125 grain SJHP...R/P brass...the result was that the brass was slightly thinner (at the thin end of the specification) and the particular die was at the high end of the allowable spec and the stacked tolerances made things exactly as you describe...I sorted out all the R/P for a while to "prove" the problem...I contacted Lee and they asked for samples of the brass, the bullets and the die...result was they sent me a die that was "tighter spec" and I now load all brass with no problems at all (same bullets ). Bet it's a problem with "stacked tolerances"...


Update...I had said it was Winchester but it was R/P brass...not Winchester.

[rg1]

Thin .38 Special brass is common. RP brass is often thin. The combination .357 magnum/38 Special sizing die often will not size thin brass enough for good bullet tension in thin cases. Never shoot loads with loose bullets and crimps are not enough. If you can push the bullet against your bench and it slides further into the case or thumb pressure moves the seated bullet then you have a serious problem that could cause a stuck bullet in your barrel. I made my own undersize die for .38 Special cases then I read a post that would have saved me the trouble. If you have a 9MM Luger sizing die use it to size 38's. Size normally with your .38/357 die then size again with the 9MM sizing die which is only a couple thousandths smaller. Only size to just below where the bullet would stop. Then expand normally and load. If your expander die is doing nothing and you can feel it not expanding you may have loose bullets. Loose bullets in .38 Special causes blooper loads with barely enough velocity for the bullet to clear the barrel and eventually you WILL get a bullet stuck in your barrel. I've come to not like combo die sets like .38/.357 or 40 S&W/10MM and others. I'd pay more for one caliber die sets.

[Douglas Munro]

Lots of excellent info from you gents, thank you, Price of NEW starline brass is excellent! I never knew Lee made .357 only dies, I thought they were always 38/357 combo. Just got into loading fmj's and short 125 show how little tension RP cases have. I purchased that .38 Undersized die, sticking with lead .358" bullets I would have probably never noticed this issue. Good info and thank you all again.

[rsrocket1]

Just to make sure, did you measure your 125g FMJ's to ensure they are 0.357" and that they aren't 9mm 0.355"?

[Douglas Munro]

Yep

[Douglas Munro]

Got that "U" lee die today, ran a few RP cases thru it, loaded them up nice and fireball like, and they did not budge under recoil of in a 2" light weight .357 mag monster. FYI it really works.