Lone Wolf Barrel - suggestions for reloading?

[Dezynco]

I got my Lone Wolf barrel for my G22 today. I'm wanting to run cast bullets through it. However a few of them do not lock up all the way. Do I need a "bulge buster" or a taper crimp die, or just experiment a little with my seating depth.  Anyone with suggestions?

[Oldshooter]

With my limited experience with cast bullets the only thing that jumps out at me is seating depth.

[tom548]

Try them in you factory barrel and see if they fit. I think the Lone Wolf barrels have tighter chambers than the factory. If the case was shot in the factory barrel you may have to remove the bulge or relieve the chamber a little.

[Dezynco]

Well, that's the problem.  They run great in the factory barrel, but I've poked around the internet and found about firing lead through the factory barrel, and about the really large factory chamber that allows a bulge at the base of the case.....


I seated the bullets just a tad deeper and tightened down on the crimp and seems to be working pretty good now.  It is pretty sensitive to the way I grip it, so if I don't cinch down on it, it won't lock up all the way.


Accurate beyond belief, though!

[Savage]

Two things:
1. Seating depth. My Lone Wolf barrels have a short leade. The full dia of the cast bullets frequently hit the rifling preventing the slide to go into full battery. If it does go into battery, you'll have a booger of a time ejecting the unfired round without pulling the bullet.
2. Get a "Lee Factory Crimp Die". Again, the oversize dia of the cast bullets will frequently bulge the case preventing chambering. Especially when using mixed range brass.
These two things will virtually eliminate chambering problems in the Lone Wolf barrels.
Good Luck!
Savage

[Dezynco]

OK!  Thanks Savage for.the.information!

[Dezynco]

OK, I got my hands on a Lee carbide factory crimp die.  What a difference!!!  Worked wonders with the cast bullets and the Lone Wolf barrel.  Great advice, thanks Savage!


I believe that I will take the adjusting screw and the crimp ring out and run all my brass through the die to remove the bulge at the base of all my cases.  Some of them are range pick ups, so there's a mixture of all types of brass.  I found out that all the "Bulge Buster" does is gives you a punch to force the cases through the die and a container to catch them as they come through.  Convenient but completely unnecessary.  They go through rim first easily.  I can use the punch from one of my push-through bullet sizing dies to cram them through the die.

[Savage]

I believe that I will take the adjusting screw and the crimp ring out and run all my brass through the die to remove the bulge at the base of all my cases.  Some of them are range pick ups, so there's a mixture of all types of brass.  I found out that all the "Bulge Buster" does is gives you a punch to force the cases through the die and a container to catch them as they come through.  Convenient but completely unnecessary.  They go through rim first easily.  I can use the punch from one of my push-through bullet sizing dies to cram them through the die.

Hadn't thought of that! Might give it a try on some of my 9mm brass that were bulged by the 9mm guys shooting "Major".

Thanks,
Savage