Bullet getting stuck in Hornady 45 ACP Seating/Crimp Die

[shark101au]

Hi I just started reloading for 45 ACP and bought this set of Hornady Nitride Dies - http://www.hornady.com/store/45-ACP-AR-Win-Mag-.451-3-Die-Set/

I'm using a Hornady AP press and have loaded 9mm using RCBS dies with no problem.

MY problem is after adjusting the crimp, to where it would fit in my Dillon case guage and gun barrel, it seems the bullet sticks a little and I have to jerk the ram to lower it. The finished round looks fine and fits well, but the jerk is causing me to have powder spills.

Any ideas what's causing this? Thanks.

[Colt guy]

I can think of a couple of things you could check.

1. Not sizing all the way down in the 1st station with the sizing die.
2. Not belling the case enough with your expander or over belling or over belling the brass.
3. Clean and inspect the seating die is something in it?

Are you using the Hornady Thru the powder expanding die with your powder measure or are you using the die that came with the set? If you are using the thru the powder die is it the correct .451 and not the .452.

Or you could call Hornady and they will walk you thru it.

[rjacobs]

seat and crimp in two different dies. I cant stand seat/crimp combo dies. You get one set, you go to set the other, and the adjustment for the first is off. I never was able to get any of the ones I messed with set to where I felt I was getting quality ammo. You also can run into things like this.

Try backing your crimp all the way out(dont crimp at all) and see if just using the seating portion causes the press to stick. If you are running smooth again you could start to very slowly add crimp back in and see when it starts to stick.

[markm]

seat and crimp in two different dies.

I've never tried to so it with one die, but it just seems to be wise to separate the two steps.

[shark101au]

seat and crimp in two different dies. I cant stand seat/crimp combo dies. You get one set, you go to set the other, and the adjustment for the first is off. I never was able to get any of the ones I messed with set to where I felt I was getting quality ammo. You also can run into things like this.

Try backing your crimp all the way out(dont crimp at all) and see if just using the seating portion causes the press to stick. If you are running smooth again you could start to very slowly add crimp back in and see when it starts to stick.

I've done what you suggested backing the crimp all the way out and it doens't stick, as I crimp more, the more it sticks. But if I don't do this the bullet doens't fit the chamber or the case guage.

I think I'll get an extra crimp die. Any particular one you'd recommend, I was thinking the Lee FCD.

[shark101au]

I can think of a couple of things you could check.

1. Not sizing all the way down in the 1st station with the sizing die.

it appears to be sized correctly, when I check the case in the Dillon case guage.


2. Not belling the case enough with your expander or over belling or over belling the brass.

I thought this may have had something to do with it, but the case is only belled jsut enough to allow a bullet to sit from a bullet drop.


3. Clean and inspect the seating die is something in it?

It's possible I dind't clean it well enough, but it seems to be sticking pretty hard jsut for a little excess oil.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll clean it again and see if it makes a difference.

[jstone]

If you ever plan on loading cast bullets stay away from the lee. The post sizing ring will size the lead bullet. Redding crimp dies are very nice.

[rjacobs]

I think I'll get an extra crimp die. Any particular one you'd recommend, I was thinking the Lee FCD.

I like taper crimp dies with pistol. All you are trying to do is remove the belling that you created to help seat the bullet in a previous step. If you were loading something like 38spl, 357 mag, or something like that, I would recommend something else(factory crimp or roll crimp), but taper crimp is what you want for 9mm and 45acp. Lee makes one, Redding, Dillon, and probably a few others. I usually run Dillon pistol dies so I have used theirs extensively.

[jstone]

The lee factory crimp dies for pistol are either taper or roll crimp depending on the cartridge. They actually provide a great crimp the only problem is the post sizing ring. It is not a big deal with jacketed bullets but you can run into problems with lead bullets.

If you dont want to buy a new die just use your combination seater/crimp die in 2 steps. Back off the die so it only seats the bullet. Then remove the seating stem and set it up to crimp only.

[bigedp51]

The problem is almost everyone hates to trim pistol cases to a uniform length, any long cases will bulge below the crimp causing the problem discribed. And the Lee FCD sizes and straightens any bulge the crimp may cause

The cure is to trim your cases and to only give them a very light taper crimp, and seat and crimp in two seperate operations. Also the taper crimp should only be .001 to .002 smaller than the diameter of the case just below the crimp.

And a taper crimp isn't a real crimp because these cases headspace on the mouth of the case and it is nothing more the a chambering aid to keep the case mouth from causing feeding problems.

So when crimping pistol cases you only "kiss" the case rim lightly.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/crimp-4_zps7b8c9848.jpg

Even in the illustration below the taper crimp is a bit much, and if you shoot plated bullets if you over crimp it can cause some big problems.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/Crimps-3_zps15b1fd66.jpg

Below is an example of a seriously over tapered crimped plated bullet that can cause leading when the soft lead core oozes outside the plating. (less is more)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/overcrimp_zps9021f0ac.jpg

[Steve in PA]

Been reloading 9mm, .45acp and other cartridges for going on 23 years now using RCBS dies. I've never, ever trimmed a piece of pistol brass in that time. I also seat and crimp in one step and never had an issue. How about posting a picture of a finished round that has been sticking.