Riverpigusmc
08-19-2013, 07:57 PM
Started setting up dies in a turret head for .38 spl. Set the sizing,decap die (RCBS non carbide), lubed and sized the cases, them tumbled off the lube. So far so good (I thought)
Setting up the Lyman M die was nothing like setting up for .45...that went wonderful. With the .38, had to find the sweet spot...too little, and the bullet didn't sit straight, a hair too much, the bullet fell in the case like...well, I won't mention first wives. And, after running them BACK through the sizing die, the bullet STILL dropped in..so it seems the SIZING part ain't doing squat...perhaps the 20 bucks for a used die set wasn't the best option :confused:
Decided to seat and crimp in seperate steps. Set up the RCBS seat/crimp die to seat the bullet at around .475 as per Hodgeon..right at the top of the crimp groove. Locking down the seating stem in this ancient die ain't happening
On to the Lee FCD...set the die body as per instructions, then started turning down the floating roll crimp. Got it almost to the bottom of the die body before anything happened...after it started rolling the edge in, I continued, as you could still spin the bullet in the case. By the time the bullet stayed stationary, the crimp looked like I'd hammered it in place...looked like petrified monkey crap, actually.
Thank the good Lord I don't shoot the J frame much
Rant over
pig
Setting up the Lyman M die was nothing like setting up for .45...that went wonderful. With the .38, had to find the sweet spot...too little, and the bullet didn't sit straight, a hair too much, the bullet fell in the case like...well, I won't mention first wives. And, after running them BACK through the sizing die, the bullet STILL dropped in..so it seems the SIZING part ain't doing squat...perhaps the 20 bucks for a used die set wasn't the best option :confused:
Decided to seat and crimp in seperate steps. Set up the RCBS seat/crimp die to seat the bullet at around .475 as per Hodgeon..right at the top of the crimp groove. Locking down the seating stem in this ancient die ain't happening
On to the Lee FCD...set the die body as per instructions, then started turning down the floating roll crimp. Got it almost to the bottom of the die body before anything happened...after it started rolling the edge in, I continued, as you could still spin the bullet in the case. By the time the bullet stayed stationary, the crimp looked like I'd hammered it in place...looked like petrified monkey crap, actually.
Thank the good Lord I don't shoot the J frame much
Rant over
pig