Ruining 45 ACP - hints on beveling, flaring or preparing case

[Rogerbutthead]

Please give me some tips on how not to ruin my purchased lead 185 semi wadcutter lead bullets.

I can't seem to get about 1/3rd of my attempts to seat correctly. An edge of the bullet will catch on the case, and a distinct tilt or even bend will occur and the round is ruined.

Using lee dies on an RCBS rockchucker. What tool do I need to get to better prepare the cases? I see vids on filing flat the top of the bullet seater, I am thinking more of the cases seem to need to be opened more but with what tool?

Will use the partially ruined ones with moonclips on a 45 revolver.

The ruined ones, not sure what I will do with them.

https://i.imgur.com/SWeRIOJ.jpg

These are the not absolutely horrible ones.

I do want to fire through my 1911's, but a lot of my completed rounds - I don't feel like even trying to fire them through a magazine fed weapon.

[BigBronco]

Not sure about Lee dies however the RCBS come with two seating stems. One for round nose and a additional one for semi was cutters. Your problem is the seating stem.

You might try getting an end mill the diameter of your bullet nose (tip) and ream out the seating stem. However do not do it by hand as you may not cut it true. Would use a drill press. Or buy better dies.

[mikeyr]

[Rogerbutthead]

I have written support a Lee to try to purchase a flat headed bullet seater for my Lee carbide Speed die set. Do not want to file the one pictured.

How should I flare out the cases? What tool do I use?

[smoothy8500]

You don't "need" the flat seater per se. The belling feature is in the powder-thru expanding die. The inner mandrel needs to come slightly down to flare the mouth a little.

[Capt.Dunsel]

Please give me some tips on how not to ruin my purchased lead 185 semi wadcutter lead bullets.

I can't seem to get about 1/3rd of my attempts to seat correctly. An edge of the bullet will catch on the case, and a distinct tilt or even bend will occur and the round is ruined.

Using lee dies on an RCBS rockchucker. What tool do I need to get to better prepare the cases? I see vids on filing flat the top of the bullet seater, I am thinking more of the cases seem to need to be opened more but with what tool?

Will use the partially ruined ones with moonclips on a 45 revolver.

The ruined ones, not sure what I will do with them.

https://i.imgur.com/SWeRIOJ.jpg

These are the not absolutely horrible ones.

I do want to fire through my 1911's, but a lot of my completed rounds - I don't feel like even trying to fire them through a magazine fed weapon.

Start with getting an "M" expander , your lead bullets are a little bigger than jacketed , that's your problem . Lee makes one .

As far as a seating stem , take a standard one , fill the nose ( the hollow part) with hot glue and press in one of your WC nose bullets , zinger you just made a seating stem to fit your new bullet profile , and just peel it out to go to round nose .

Have done it many times myself for custom bullets for many , many years ( used to use sealing wax but it is harder to find since nobody uses snail-mail anymore)

['ol shooter]

I bell the cases just enough to accept the bullet, then crimp just enough to remove the bell so it drops into the case gage.
I use the Lee Universal Case Expanding Die to bell the case mouth.
If you crimp tight enough to squeeze the bullet, the bullet will now be loose because brass springs back and lead does not.

[arrowshooter]

In addition to the fixes mentioned above, make sure that you are pushing the brass all the way into the case holder. If not, it will do that very thing every time.

[elk hunter]

do not be surprised if you experience some shaving when you shoot those in your revolver.

[Rogerbutthead]

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90798-Universal-Expanding/dp/B000N8N538/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=194752037911&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9032191&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2823181722068442215&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-312066652057&keywords=lee+universal+case+expanding+die&qid=1554256450&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NQ8Y57F/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1L8KJNV6W33W7&psc=1

I am guessing that is Lee's version of a Lyman M expander? Ordered the above and will update.

Thank you for the help.

[tawadc95]

Not the same.

Pull out your calipers and stop guessing.
Measure bullet diameter and a prepped case mouth inside diameter.

If the case mouth is not .004"-.006" larger than the bullet diameter you will shave lead resulting in poor accuracy and heavy leading or wrinkle the case.

The bullet will start if it's a beveled heel but once it hits the full diameter driving band...oops!

[Rogerbutthead]

I was already trying to hand start them into the case. Shaving the bullet with a blade seemed impractical so I was looking here for help on the right tool.

Since I already ordered the above, I will wait to try them to see if additional improvement is needed.

[hambam105]

See Lyman M Die.

[elk hunter]

Your problem is not the bullet it is not enough flair of the case mouth. Flair the mouth more.

[rsrocket1]

As many others said here, flare your case mouth more. It should be flared enough so that you can place a bullet in the case and it can stand by itself about 1/8-1/4 inch below the case rim and not all the way down to it's seated position. You should probably screw the powder through expansion die further down.

You are using the powder through expansion die before seating the bullet aren't you?

On some presses, you may need to screw the die down so far that the lock nut won't engage the threads. If necessary, you can flip the lock nut over and get the die to screw down a little more while still engaging the nut.