Reloading 40 s&w! I need help

[Jakywaky]

Trying to setup my lee classic turret to load 40 s&w. I followed the instruction and did good on my .223 reloads but now I'm setting up for 40 s&w and I'm having trouble dialing up my die set. I trimmed my brass to .0845 and loaded one round with no primers and powder with an oal of 1.125. I used the EGW CASE GAUGE AND THEY DON'T GO ALL THE WAY IN. Any advise will be helpful.

[MKE]

Sounds like your boolits are over crimped. Back off just a quarter turn on the crimp die and see if that helps.

[gemoose23]

Brass new or Range pickups..

If range pickups.. have bulge?

If no bulge.. check decap die and make sure it is resizing the case all the way down (die should be barely not touching the shellplate/holder). You could be not resizing the brass the full length, and the case gague is binding on it.

If Bulge, you'll have to get a bulge buster, redding or lee makes one (lee is cheap if you already have a 4 die set)

[Colt562]

Trying to setup my lee classic turret to load 40 s&w. I followed the instruction and did good on my .223 reloads but now I'm setting up for 40 s&w and I'm having trouble dialing up my die set. I trimmed my brass to .0845 and loaded one round with no primers and powder with an oal of 1.125. I used the EGW CASE GAUGE AND THEY DON'T GO ALL THE WAY IN. Any advise will be helpful.

I wouldn't trim pistol...I dont know of anyone that trims it actually. It sounds like you didnt set up your sizing die correctly. If you are using carbide dies skip the next sentence. Put your die in and pull the ram up until the die and shellholder touch, lower the ram and screw in the die another half turn, then tighten the die again. Its called being able to cam over. Don't cam over with carbide dies.

[Jakywaky]

Thanks I will try that. First time reloading 40 s&w.

[Colt562]

Thanks I will try that. First time reloading 40 s&w.

no worries, but I would skip trimming pistol brass, waste of time IMO.

[the led farmer]

Do they fit in your guns chamber?

[XDRoX]

Your sizing die isn't low enough. Common mistake. And you never need to trim 40.

[Mack661]

I have had good luck loading .40 with an undersized die that evolution gun works sells for $29.95. The die which is undersized also sizes farther down the case taking out the glock bulge. Also I have never trimmed pistol brass.

[Shoot-it]

I had the same problem with my xd-40 and i am using range brass I had to seat the bullet 1.105 in order to get the slide to lock .I am using 180 gr bear creek bullets.I still get one here and there that will not chamber but if i put the round in the mag it will then cycle .I might have to look into that undersized die.

[J-cat]

Don't listen to the non-trimmers. Trimming is good for the load. We need more info: How did you adjust the dies? Is the round chambering in your gun?

[Colt562]

Wait so ur saying since we said don't trim pistol brass, not to listen to us?

Great logic

[CalTeacher]

Don't listen to the non-trimmers. Trimming is good for the load.

No.

[rsrocket1]

I've never needed to trim any straight walled pistol brass ever. That includes all sorts of range pickups. Bottle neck rifle cases, yes, but pistol cases, no.

Several potential problems which could all be diagnosed if you knew where the finished cartridge is hanging up in your barrel which is a much better indicator than a case gauge.

Color the offending cartridge with a magic marker, do a plunk test and see where the marker gets rubbed off. (look up "plunk test")

If it's at the bottom of the case, you aren't running your sizing die far enough. Screw it down more.

If it's at the case mouth, you may have flared too much and didn't close the flare properly

If it's along the case for the length of the seated bullet, the bullet is too fat for your chamber and they need to be sized down (or you can use the Lee FCD to iron it out, but you may lose some accuracy because the swaging is not guaranteed to be as accurate as a true sizing).

If it is on the bullet itself, you will have to seat it deeper, but you'd better start with a lower charge of powder because pressures rise exponentially with seating depth.

BTW, don't crimp the bullets any more than just enough to close the flare or maybe barely beyond vertical. 40 S&W headspaces on the case mouth and an over crimped case can either drop in too deep or pinch between the bullet and throat and send pressures through the roof.

[J-cat]

Wait so ur saying since we said don't trim pistol brass, not to listen to us?

Great logic

Yes.

Has nothing to do with logic. Your advice was inappropriate.