oversized cartridge remedy?

[Guest 70below]

I recently loaded up my first batch of 500S&W rounds. I fully loaded only a small batch of the many casings that I sized, expanded, and primed.

Well as it turns out, I believe I over expanded the cartridge mouth and several of the rounds I loaded wouldn't chamber.

Apparently I will have to de-prime and resize all the cases then expand them again. Also I would assume I'll need to break down the loaded cartridges that wouldn't chamber and do the same? Correct?

I thought I had read somewhere about a die you can get that checks cartridge dimensions as you load?

[Guest Mugster]

Yeah. With handgun ammo on these progressive presses, a post processing die has become popular. The lee factory crimp die insures your round will fit the correct dimensions. I think dillon has one too.

Your probably belling too much. With a lead bullet, just increase the bell until it doesn't shave lead off. With a jacketed bullet, I don't bell hardly at all. Which you should probably be shooting jacketed out of that hand cannon anyway.

So you can fix the problem without a die. Depending on how oversize it is, you may want to correct it a bit because your probably working the brass too much...and it won't last long.

[nb forrest]

You can set the crimp on your seating die to take all of the bell out. You will have to run a pretty heavy crimp anyways with a big bore revolver.

[gregintenn]

Re adjust the crimp setting on your bullet seating die while being careful not to change the OAL. Then, run all the affected rounds through it. No problems.

[Guest 70below]

Yeah. With handgun ammo on these progressive presses, a post processing die has become popular. The lee factory crimp die insures your round will fit the correct dimensions. I think dillon has one too.

Your probably belling too much. With a lead bullet, just increase the bell until it doesn't shave lead off. With a jacketed bullet, I don't bell hardly at all. Which you should probably be shooting jacketed out of that hand cannon anyway.

Yeah, I definitely put too much "bell" on it. just a rookie mistake and I didn't realize how much it really was until I was done. I was loading plated bullets, but they we're really light target loads. Turned out to feel about like .38's at the range. I just traded for some 440gr hard casts with gas checks to use for my heavier loads. I didn't know that Lee had a factory crimp die for a 500, I'll have to do some looking.

You can set the crimp on your seating die to take all of the bell out. You will have to run a pretty heavy crimp anyways with a big bore revolver.

I hadn't heard that I needed to run a heavy crimp with a revolver, why is that? I just lightly crimped because it seemed I had plenty of hold on the projo.

[gregintenn]

I hadn't heard that I needed to run a heavy crimp with a revolver, why is that? I just lightly crimped because it seemed I had plenty of hold on the projo.

The heavy recoil of your revolver will force bullets forward as the revolver recoils backward. Actually, the bullets tend to stay still as the revolver recoils. Enough of this, and the bullet in at least one of the chambers will back out of the case enough to lock the cylinder in place. Also, pistol and revolver bullets are shorter than rifle bullets, which limits the surface area that contacts the case with the bullet. This acts as a friction grip. Without all the friction grip of the rifle bullet, and with the increased recoil of a handgun, a crimp is often needed to keep the bullet in place.

[gregintenn]

Lever action rifles with tube magazines also require a good crimp as the back of the cases push against the next bullet, seating them deeper into their case. This causes higher pressures due to the lessened case capacity.

[nb forrest]

The heavy recoil of your revolver will force bullets forward as the revolver recoils backward. Actually, the bullets tend to stay still as the revolver recoils. Enough of this, and the bullet in at least one of the chambers will back out of the case enough to lock the cylinder in place. Also, pistol and revolver bullets are shorter than rifle bullets, which limits the surface area that contacts the case with the bullet. This acts as a friction grip. Without all the friction grip of the rifle bullet, and with the increased recoil of a handgun, a crimp is often needed to keep the bullet in place.

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