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Why do my pistol reloads look like this?

MitchInOR

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 1, 2008
344
1
Oregon, Willamette Valley
As the title says. 40 S&W, RCBS carbide dies and 180 grain Montana Gold bullets.

I've shot hundreds of these without any issues. They are smaller diameter in the middle of the brass. I have tried to depict in the photo the best I could.

 
It is a little hard for me to see what the problem is, but but I know what you are referring to. After firing the case head can expand (a tiny bit). When you resize the brass, the head does not get resized. After belling the mouth and seating a bullet, the brass around the bullet is pushed out (again a tiny bit), leaving the middle of the case slightly narrower than the head and the mouth. If you don't have a go/no go guage you can take the barrel out of your pistol (obviously for safety reasons, and a very important step), and drop you bullet down the chamber. It helps if you have some factory loaded ammo to compare it to, but as long as you have not trimmed your brass it should fall in and out easily and headspace properly. I have loaded thousands of rounds. When I first started reloading was concerned about what you are seeing. After showing it to many (if I knew how to underscore many I would), people that reload, I had enough confidence to fire them. Never a failure to feed, never a failure to fire, never any sign of overpressure (of course you have to be obsessively following known good data).
 
Actually, I lied. When I first started reloading for pistol about fifteen years ago I continually tried to overcrimp which put a slight bulge in the case. Had I known about using the chamber as a gauge I would not have wasted a bunch of time in bullets that would not chamber. Also, occasionally, when loading a new bullet, I will have to mess with coal in order to get feeding right. My Glocks are very forgiving, and I really like my kimber, for a 1911 it will eat anything.
 
Yes they drop in and fall out of the removed barrel easily. Never any feeding issues or light primer strikes. I'm totally satisfied with the performance.

I just wished they looked like factory loaded ammo.
 
Do they look like that before dropping the bullet in?
You coud try loading some on my setup to see if you get the same thing out of lee dies.
PM me if you want to try.

K.I.S.S.
 
My 9's look like this too, the FL sizing dies that I have "oversize" after resizing. You can get the die opened up but I don't see a reason to as long as they function and perform as you want.

It's common for my 9's and 45's to do this, the set of 40/10mm dies that I have (same company/model too) don't do it. When I measured it the difference is ~0.0015" with a mic set.
 
What you're seeing is caused by slightly undersizing the cases. The bullet swells the case back out when it's seated and it makes it look like a reverse doughnut effect. Out side of slightly over working the brass, I shoot them. If you want to CURE the problem, try switching the sizing die with a friend to do a few dozen and see how HIS die does. If you find a die that works, call or email the maker of your die and tell them what the problem is. MOST die makers will help you get what you need.

Take care,
Victor