.45 Cases Too Big?

[Thumb]

I'm in the process of loading some .45 ACP and am having a problem with a few cases every now and then being too big. In big I mean when I set a bullet on the case it just drops down. Now I am running them through the sizer/decapper on the first stage of my press and then it gets the mouth expanded. I thought at first I had the expander set to much and finally I took the expander out completely and ran one of the cases through the whole process again and the bullet still slipped into the case. I can't figure out what's going on because most of the cases are OK. It's not too many, maybe about 4 out of 300 so far.

Anyone ever have this problem and if so, what was the cause of it?

FYI, I am using a Hornady L&L AP press with Lee dies.

 

[243winxb]

Thin brass case walls. Remington brand does it for me. If not related to the brand/lot of brass, then its a die problem, not sizing enough?? Bullet set back on loading into the chamber may raise pressures to a dangerous level if loading to maximum. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/572212/lee-u-carbide-small-base-sizing-die-45-acp-45-gap

 

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Just got back from the range today and as soon as I get all my honey-do's finished I'll take a look at those cases. Not saying you're wrong about the die being bad but if it was, wouldn't all the brass be like that? Just saying.

 

[243winxb]

wouldn't all the brass be like that?

No. Wall thickness is different between brands. Some brass is thinner ( Rem.) than others. It can be measured with this tool.

 

[chuckbuster243]

what they ^ said... There are a couple brands that do that... When it does I dump the powder pop out the primer and they hit the scrap bucket... Not worth the hassle. Matt

 

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OK, all 3 cases were IMI cases and they measured at around .0088" with my calipers and then I checked some Winchester, Federal and Blazer and they all measured in from .011" to .012". Guess that's enough to do it huh.

 

[2506]

I had problems with Remington cases being too thin and the jacketed bullets would just drop down into them so I only use cast bullets in the Remington cases because they are .452 diameter and work fine.

 

[gotcha]

OK, all 3 cases were IMI cases and they measured at around .0088" with my calipers and then I checked some Winchester, Federal and Blazer and they all measured in from .011" to .012". Guess that's enough to do it huh. Absolutely!

 

[Thumb]

Just an update. I know that I have loaded up all brands of cases before and never had this problem and tonight while I was loading up some more it hit me, maybe it's the bullets because I just opened up a new box of RMR 230gr RN bullets and the first one I tried to set I could not get it to start into the case. So I decide to measure the old lot of RMR bullets that I had been using and also some of the new ones and guess what, the new ones are .0015 larger in diameter than the old ones.

So then I decided to get out some of the cases that I was having problems with being too big and had no problems loading them. I guess from now on when I open up a new box of bullets that I'll measure them first to see what kind of cases I should use.

 

[artbosco]

I'm in the process of loading some .45 ACP and am having a problem with a few cases every now and then being too big. In big I mean when I set a bullet on the case it just drops down. Now I am running them through the sizer/decapper on the first stage of my press and then it gets the mouth expanded. I thought at first I had the expander set to much and finally I took the expander out completely and ran one of the cases through the whole process again and the bullet still slipped into the case. I can't figure out what's going on because most of the cases are OK. It's not too many, maybe about 4 out of 300 so far.

Anyone ever have this problem and if so, what was the cause of it?

FYI, I am using a Hornady L&L AP press with Lee dies.

4 out of 300 is not a problem at all. That's 1.3%. Throw the 4 away and move on. Life is good!