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Reloading=bulge in case

Alleno
I am having problems reloading 38 SPC Double ended wadcutters. I am using 148 gr national DEWC lead bullets at .358. When I seat the bullet I am getting a lot of cases with bulges near the middle of the case. This keeps them from fitting into the chamber. My solution that I was hoping to get advice on is this. Can I remove the decapper pin from my re-sizing die and run all the bulged cases back through the re-sizing die? This would allow me to chamber all the rounds ( I have already tried it and this irons out the bulge), but I am unsure if they would be safe to fire? I havent tried firing any like this due to safety concerns. I am seating the bullet flush with the rim of the brass, with 3.3 grains of Unique. This round (at least the ones that chamber) is extremly accurate in my S&W 686. Any ideas?
Thanks

Alleno
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • jonk
    If I understand correctly, if you are seating the bullet flush with the rim, ie. the case neck, then you are probably seating way too deep. Try backing out your seating screw. You are seating so deep that the brass itself is crushing against the inside of the seating die. Or at least this is what it sounds like to me.

    Regarding running loaded rounds through the sizer, well... I can't see how it would cause a problem but it would make me nervous.

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
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  • Bert H.
    Alleno...

    I agree with jonk in that you are probably running the cartridge too deep into the seating die in an attempt to seat the bullet flush with the case mouth. It could also be related to full length resizing of the case... you might try only resizing the upper half of the case.

    As for "ironing" out the wrinkles, I don't think that is a good idea, and if you shoot them, my bet is that the case will split or crack right where the ironed out wrinkle is located. I don't believe that you or your revolver is in any danger from firing them though... your reload is fairly anemic.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • gunnut505
    After trying to duplicate your problem with Hornady bullets, I discovered that if I run the seating die in my Rockchucker down an extra 1/2 turn past where it hits the case (with no bullet), it will buckle the case about 1/8" below the factory "dimple" that runs around my old Peters brass.
    What you are doing when you run a loaded case into the sizing die is taking a chance that it will stick in the die from excess lead shavings from the seating process.
    I used to have the same "problem" when I tried to get a solid crimp in my 300WM; I have since learned the trick of reducing the sizing ball diameter, and letting neck tension hold the bullet without a crimp.
    I also ran a few that had collapsed shoulders in my sizing die with lots of imperial sizing wax on the neck/shoulder area, with mixed results. Some stuck so bad (Barnes X, and Nosler 220gr. Partitions)that I had to use a piece of rebar with me behind the wall of the garage, pounding the bullet into the case so it would release the case neck! PLEASE!!!, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!! I piled 4 sandbags on the case "just in case", and was glad I had used a 12' rebar!
    One let loose (from friction/impact of powder by rebar), and shredded the die, the first 2 bags, and the cinderblock backstop!
    After that, I decided to spend the $30 on a new die set if I got another one stuck.

    If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!
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  • king999
    You are either seating too deep or crimping excessively or both. Seat so that a LITTLE of the bullet shows, and crimp only a tiny amount.
    You can safely resize as you described, but let the cartridge into the die SLOWLY.
    Morty
    Have fun, be careful!
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  • fergusonmorse392
    1. Yes you can remove the decapping pin and slowly run the buldged one back thru the sizing die.
    2. You my be seating to deep or crimping to much.
    3. I think your problem is case length. Few people think its necessary with 38 special but trimming your cases to one length will stop your problem.( if you pick a handfull of your empty brass & measure them you will see what I mean, the ones that are the longest will be the ones that buckle at your current seat/crimp setting.)
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  • fergusonmorse392
    You can also correct this by backing off the crimp & doing all your seating, then back off the saeting stem turn the die down & run them all back thru doing only the crimp. (use one of the longer cases in the batch to set the crimping part of the die.)
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  • intercessor
    Had the same problem with my 32 H&R Mag. Found that I was trying to crimp them too much. Backed of just a little and everything is fine.
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  • Alleno
    Thanks for all the input guys. I am probably just seating the bullet to deep. I am using a light crimp anyway. I will try leaving more exposed bullet sticking out of the case. I am still nervous about running them back through the re-sizing die, I agree it would be most likely harmless, but it is easier on the mind to just toss them and do it correctly on my next batch. I appreciate all of you taking the time to help me out.
    Thanks

    Alleno
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  • snowtigger
    Since I shoot a 308 Norma magnum,I buy ammo when I find it. Several years ago, I bought a box that wouldn't chamber. I did as you said, I removed the decapping pin and re-sized them.
    Worked fine, except for the stuck case, that was interesting. I driled a small hole (by turning the drill bit between my fingers) just above the case head and filled the case with WD-40 before trying to remove the stuck case. I will never fail to use enough case lube again, I hope...

    I have since "ironed" several 44 mag reloads in this manner. Never had a problem. In my limited experience, this seems to be caused by not making sure the cases are trimmed to the same length.
    I am not advising you to follow my lead, just telling you what happened to me.
    You could also pull the bullets and re-size the cases,

    It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.
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  • Tailgunner1954
    One thing no one has mentioned, if the case has a severe wrikle in it (before you re-resize it) after you fire it, throw it out. Once the case has been crunched hard, it tends to crunch every time you reload it.
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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