Cast bullets swelling???????

[Darrell Davis]

FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!, I THINK!

Well, I do think I have finally found the cause of the situation.

Probably wouldn't have taken as long if I had been as long with reloading a centerfire auto as I have been with reloading other things.

Anyway, I had again ran all the loaded cases through the Lee die which is said to take things back to factory loaded ammo specs, and no luck. Didn't help at all.

Well, I have been thinking about again taking the P345 apart and this time checking the chamber just to make sure there was nothing bad happening there which might have slipped by me.

There was a minor amount of lead build up in the chamber, but nothing which kept the loaded rounds from chambering in what appeared to be a normal manner.

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!! while dropping reloaded ammo with Gold Dot bullets - which by the way feed/shoot without any issues - into the chamber along with some of the problem cast bullet rounds, I saw that the cast rounds didn't seem to chamber  as deeply as the Gold Dots.

Hmmmmmmmmm?!!

Upon closely looking at the two rounds side by side, along with repeatedly dropping them into the chamber, I noted a small ridge of lead just at the case mouth of the cast loads.

A bit of "adjustment" with a sharp knife and the cast bullet loads dropped to a depth equal to the Gold Dot rounds.

Like I already indicated, if my experience with a centerfire auto reloading was as "in depth" as my been there done that experience in other areas, this probably would not have slipped by me. Probably won't again, I hope!

Anyway, problem finally solved!

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[Darrell Davis]

OOOOOOOOOOPs,

What did the time factor have, if anything, to do with the issue?

I have not a clue and will just be glad to get all this loaded ammo cleaned up, fired and then be able to address that ridge of lead during the up coming reloading sessions.

I have learned something, hope that maybe this topic has refreshed some minds on a lesson already learned and continued the education of the rest of us, even Ol'Coots like me!

Keep em coming!

CDOC   

[Gohon]

Sounds like your original crimp was to heavy.  All that is needed is just enough to smooth out the bell on the mouth of the cartridge case.  On second thought maybe the bell was the problem............not enough and you were shaving lead.

[Darrell Davis]

Well, the bell is, as far as years past indicates, OK.

But I will be watching the process during the next loading session.

I have also wondered about seating the bullet very slightly deeper, just past the edge of the break from the body to the nose.

Need to have a casting session first to get some more fodder, then can go to the next step now that I know what to watch for.

As per an overly heavy crimp, we will see and keep an eye on that, seating depth and etc. etc..

Don't want this type of issue messing with a well functioning gun!

Keep em coming!

CDOC