Holy Carp! I made Ammo!

[RomanDad]

I just got finished pressing my first 200 rounds of .357 Sig.... Wow... Fun! A little maddening! But fun!

[Antihero47]

Congrats, be sure to let us know how they shoot! Get ready for the disease.

[Nessal]

Feels even better shooting em!

[CSDGuy]

AWESOME RD!!!! The reloading disease is addictive...

[Gio]

Gongratz!

[anyracoon]

You will never ever save money, but you will shoot more, enjoy hand crafting your own ammo and welcome to the BrotherHood!

[RomanDad]

I probably destroyed 10 Cases in the process.... Bullet would get kinda sideways during the seating press, and Crunch!

Is some crushage NORMAL, or will that go away with experience?

[Fjold]

I probably destroyed 10 Cases in the process.... Bullet would get kinda sideways during the seating press, and Crunch!

Is some crushage NORMAL, or will that go away with experience?

You need to guide the bullets into the seating die with your fingertips as you raise the ram.

Make sure that the expanding plug in the 2nd die is adjusted down far enough to flare the mouth of the case just enough for the bullet to sit inside of the flare and not tip over. Don't flare it too much, just enough for the bullet to sit in it without tipping over, the more you flare it the more you work the brass, which will cause it to work harden and lead to early failures due to splitting.

[Chief-7700]

I probably destroyed 10 Cases in the process.... Bullet would get kinda sideways during the seating press, and Crunch!

Is some crushage NORMAL, or will that go away with experience?

Might want try belling the case mouth a bit more the roll crimp die will remove the bell.

[C.W.M.V.]

I know what you mean OP! I started a few months ago. What's even better is now my wife is getting into it. Yesterday she made her 1st batch-100 flat nose .45acp, and today she made 100 more 9mm and learned to cast lead bullets too. Its awesome!

[RomanDad]

So I just pumped out a 100 Rounds of .40 S&W.... MUCH easier than the .357 sig

[Antihero47]

357 Sig is a bottle necked cartridge no? Does it have an expander die to bell the case mouth? You would think it would be sort of like rifle ammo needing to decrease the case mouth diameter.

[RomanDad]

Ok... Now Im trying .223, and having nothing but trouble.... There is no bell in the tube, and the bullet doesnt want to sit on there at all.... What am I doing wrong?

[joelogic]

The sizing die expands the neck. Check your die. Like the post above hold the bullet and ride it into the seating die.

[Linus]

The sizing die expands the neck. Check your die. Like the post above hold the bullet and ride it into the seating die.

+1 Your supposed to guide the bullet into the seater die or you ca use boat tail bullets.