bulge in 9 mm cases

[Guest kj4gxu]

I reloaded my first round of ammo with a Lee Loader Kit (the hand hammered one) and I'm not overly happy with my results.

The rounds that would chamber were accurate, with no signs of over pressure on the cases.  The problem is that I ended up with about 1 out of every 5 or 10 rounds thatt would not chamber.  

 

All of the brass I'm using is range brass that I collected after shooting.  I measured and checked some cases after coming out of the resizer and discovered that most would chamber just fine, but every so often one wouldn't.  There's usually a barely perceptible bulge near the base of the case when this happens.  It is detectable with a caliper with a difference that reads about 1/100th of an inch.

 

I've done some research and it appears that I've probably inadvertently scooped up some brass from other shooters at the range and their pistol has a little more space around the base of the case than mine when the round is chambered allowing more expansion of the case.  The lee loader dies apparently don't do a good job of full length resizing the case therefore leaving a bulge at the base of the case.

 

Does this explanation make sense to some of the more experienced reloaders on here?  Is there a simple way to resolve this issue when using the Lee Loader kit.  I know the best solution is to step up to a press with a good die set, but is that the only way to resolve this resizing issue?

 

I'm planning on getting a press anyway, I guess I'll just have to try to step up squeezing it into the budget.  

 

Thanks

Eric

 

 

[dlm37015]

eric call me i have a press for you i might even have dies its free david 615-497-4205

[Guest kj4gxu]

Thank you David, that's very generous and appreciated.

[BigK]

I don't know what caliber you're loading, but I'm guessing it's a pistol round (9mm? 40S&W?). If you're picking up range brass, odds are you'll get a lot of brass shot from a Glock, which are notorious for leaving bulged cases. The case is not fully supported by the chamber, like you said. Glocks aren't the only ones, but due to their popularity, it's the most likely explanation.

 

I've only seen the Lee Loader once and never actually seen it used. So, I don't know the specifics very well. Does the resizing die only go down the case part of the way?

 

Once you get a press set up, you'll be able resize the full length of the case. That'll take that bulge out...MOSTLY. 9mm cases are tapered though and the bulge doesn't always completely go away.

[Guest kj4gxu]

Big K it is 9mm, when I hammer the case into the resizer it goes all the way down so that just the extracting groove and base of the bullet are sticking up, I've tried knocking it in farther and it just won't go any deeper than that so I'm guessing that's as deep as it should go.  The instructions don't actually seem to specify if it should go flush or not.

 

My guess is that the back end of the resizer is just not tight enough to take out the rest of that bulge.

 

It really scared me the first time I hit one of those bad cases too.  The slide was locked in place and it took me a good several minutes of jiggling it before the round worked loose and allowed the slide to move.  After clearing it everything worked fine until I hit the next poorly sized round.  I'm guessing the action must have jammed the round into the chamber and friction was holding it in place.

[mikegideon]

I used a Lee Loader when I was a young 'un. You need to take David up on that press. I also suggest you pop for a set of these...

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/885350/lee-deluxe-carbide-4-die-set-9mm-luger

[Jonnin]

Big K it is 9mm, when I hammer the case into the resizer it goes all the way down so that just the extracting groove and base of the bullet are sticking up, I've tried knocking it in farther and it just won't go any deeper than that so I'm guessing that's as deep as it should go.  The instructions don't actually seem to specify if it should go flush or not.

 

My guess is that the back end of the resizer is just not tight enough to take out the rest of that bulge.

 

It really scared me the first time I hit one of those bad cases too.  The slide was locked in place and it took me a good several minutes of jiggling it before the round worked loose and allowed the slide to move.  After clearing it everything worked fine until I hit the next poorly sized round.  I'm guessing the action must have jammed the round into the chamber and friction was holding it in place.

 

Yes, you can easily make a round that just barely goes partway in and sticks.   If its bad enough, the only answer I have found is to use a dowl rod, stick in in the barrel and tap gently while you pull on the slide.  Tap gently and beat are not the same thing.   You may or may not feel uncomfortable with this process, as it involves a loaded gun and a barrel obstruction, however modern guns will not (supposedly) fire on a partly open slide so .... up to you.  I personaly can't get them out any other way, as I am not super strong.

 

Glock bulge sounds likely.  The lee loader does best if you use brass that came from YOUR gun originally; its like neck sizing (read up on this technique).

 

You can "probably" "fix" any of these rounds you encounter with a sizing die body with the decapping pin removed.  So... take the barrel out of your gun, check each round to see if it goes in easily, and if not toss in a pile to "fix" later.   ???? Just a thought, I *think* this will work for you for now BUT I have not done it, as I have not had your problem, so its a backseat driver solution...

[Guest kj4gxu]

I've already spoken with David and am definitely going to take him up on that offer.  

[BigK]

There is an inherent fault with trying to resize 9mm cases to begin with. If the brass is "in spec" the mouth is .380" and the base is .391". Most dies use a carbide ring to resize, so you simply cannot resize the entire length of a 9mm case. Any die that used a full length carbide insert that accounts for this taper will be quite expensive, if one even exists (I'm not sure).

 

Nonetheless, straightening the side walls with the deprimer and then again with a Lee Factory Crimp die once the bullet is seated will take enough of the bulge out to use the brass. Just don't expect brass to last long if it's ONLY shot from a Glock. This constant overworking of the base of the brass will make it brittle.

[Guest kj4gxu]

Jonnin;

  Luckily I didn't have to go to the point of trying to drive it out.  I was able to fiddle with the slide and eventually got it to come out on it's own.  I'm not sure at this point if I'm going to continue fiddling with the Lee Loader but Obviously I'll be checking all of the brass in the barrel before I move on to priming, powder and bullet stages if I do.

Thanks for the advice

Eric

[Dang]

New to forum - been there done that. 

 

My advice is get that press and a decent set of dies.  Lee are fine for single stage and they will get most of the bulges out.  I think redding does a good job also.  They just dont work well with prgessive presses.  Carbide ring radius is less than other manufacturers and the cases will hang up on the ring ocasionally.

 

As someone else said the Lee factory crimp die will get it out also and they will work with jacket bullets on a progressive press. 

 

I use a forester "sp" case gauge and if one of the case is a little harder to size I check it in the gauge.  If I am not lazy or reloading for competition I check every loaded case also.

[MiddTennTaco]

David, do you have any spare 9mm dies for sale? Im having trouble finding them anywhere except at auction on ebay for $150. I still need to pick up some supplies from you aswell, let me know. Thanks!

[BigK]

“Glock Cases: We do not recommend "fixing" cases fired in pistols with unsupported chambers,

because there is no way to make them safe once they have bulged. The case wall is thinned

where it bulges, and resizing the outside of the case back down to the correct diameter does not

restore the case back to its original thickness. If this case is fired in a pistol with an unsupported

chamber again, and this thinned section of brass happens to line up with the unsupported part of

the chamber, there is a high probability that the case will rupture.”

 

--from the Lee Precision website

 

I know they have to warn you of every little thing for liability purposes, but there's definitely a greater risk. You'll have to decide how much risk you're willing to take, though.

 

 

David, do you have any spare 9mm dies for sale? Im having trouble finding them anywhere except at auction on ebay for $150. I still need to pick up some supplies from you aswell, let me know. Thanks!

 

Holy Cow! $150 for a set of dies?

Edited March 11, 2013 by BigK

[Jonnin]

Good point!

 

However, bulged & fixed cases WILL fire in a fully supported chamber safely, so it will depend on your firearm type.  

[MiddTennTaco]

Look for yourself, thats how much the normal Lee sets are ending for at auction. Sickening. I could kick myself for not picking up a set at a LGS a couple weeks ago for $50 + tax. Now theyre out of stock and I cant find them anywhere but Ebay so im $hit out of luck. At least I have .38 spl dies. I need to get with David for powder and primers for that as well. People are crazy I swear.

[dlm37015]

i will look in the morning for dies i used to sell them now i just dont have room

[DWARREN123]

Also case lube is a good idea when resizing 9mm Luger cases. Makes a world of difference in the amount of pressure needed to work the press.

[MiddTennTaco]

i will look in the morning for dies i used to sell them now i just dont have room

Thanks David, let me know.