Lee Pistol dies

[beerbelly]

I just got a new deluxe four die , .38 special-.357 mag. set. Adjusting the bullet seating die as per instructions and it will wrinkle the brass casing. It seem to have to much travel. They do not print separate  instruction for the .38 special and the .357 mag.
   Anyone know the way to adjust the bullet seating die for the .357 mag? Thanks for any help.
                                Beerbelly

[gypsyman]

beerbelly, this is how I adjust my Redding dies, and it souldn't make a difference, weather their Lee,Redding,RCBS,etc.
With the seating die, I run the ram all the way to the top,shellholder and empty brass in place. I screw the die down, until it contacts the case. Then, I back it out about 3-4 turns. This should leave you room to adjust the actual seating stem down. I have the seating stem almost screwed all the way out. After putting powder in the case, seat the bullet, run the case up into the die, screw the seating stem down until it makes contact with the bullet. Depending on how far down the bullet needs to be seated, screw the stem down. If its a short bullet like a 125gr. in a .38, I might screw it down a few turns untill I get close to the cannalure,or crimp groove.
If, I can't screw down the seating stem far enough to seat the bullet where I want to, then, I'll loosen up the die, and re-adjust the main body down a turn or 2. Then readjust the seating stem. If, you can't get the main die body screwed down far enough with wrinkling the brass, get a longer seating stem. gypsyman

[gypsyman]

Just had another thought. A major Lee dealer told me along time ago, that Lee makes dies just for the .38. Don't ask me why, but he claimed that the seating die wasn't milled out far enough for .357. If your dies are marked .38/.357, then they should be ok.I think. gypsyman

[SHOOTALL]

How would the die know if you inserted a 38 or 357 case ? everything at the top is the same ? With my die I just don't run 357 mag cases in as far . Run a  case in until it reaches the crimp ring touching but no crimp if the die has one ( sounds like it does ) , back out the case add bullet and run in and adjust stem until desired seating is reached . Then load rounds if a seperate crimp die is used  back out stem , set crimp then adjust stem back into place lock it down and load .

[beerbelly]

gypsyman I tried your way of adjusting the die and it worked fine! I just ran a bunch and no deformed cases. Thanks.
                                           Beerbelly

[tc scout]

Just had another thought. A major Lee dealer told me along time ago, that Lee makes dies just for the .38. Don't ask me why, but he claimed that the seating die wasn't milled out far enough for .357. If your dies are marked .38/.357, then they should be ok.I think. gypsyman

Beg to differ, I load 38, 357 and 357 max, all with the same Lee dies with no problems.
As has been stated by others, you have to adjust to case length.
If a case is being crushed, it is screwed down too far.
I don't crimp with the seater,I use the factory crimp die.

You have the 4 die set, so you do have the factory crimp die.

[Catfish]

When loading different lenth rounds with the same seater I would recomand you make up a dumby round for each round. Then when you switch form one to another just back off you seater untill you know it is to long. Put the dumb case in tour press and pull the ram down to seat a bullet. With the ram dowm screw you seater down untill it hits the bullet and you are set to reload that round.

[stimpylu32]

Beerbelly

This one is in the tips & tricks sticky .

Loading 38 spl and 357 mag with the same dies .

This one is from Coyotejoe

I got tired of readjusting dies when switching between .38 Special and .357 mag and considered buying another die set, but being both a cheapskate and a procrastinator I never got around to it. Then I flashed on a solution, probably an old idea but new to me. I took my digital caliper to the local True Value Hardware store and checked the thickness of a 7/8" flat washer. Eureka it miked .135" thickness, exactly the difference between .38 and .357 case length. I adjust the dies perfectly for .38s and when loading .357 I place the flat washer under the expander and seater dies and I have a perfect setup for .357. Eighty-five cents did seem pretty steep for one steel washer but a lot cheaper than a set of dies.

stimpy

[Tommyt]

Beerbelly

This one is in the tips & tricks sticky .

Loading 38 spl and 357 mag with the same dies .

This one is from Coyotejoe

I got tired of readjusting dies when switching between .38 Special and .357 mag and considered buying another die set, but being both a cheapskate and a procrastinator I never got around to it. Then I flashed on a solution, probably an old idea but new to me. I took my digital caliper to the local True Value Hardware store and checked the thickness of a 7/8" flat washer. Eureka it miked .135" thickness, exactly the difference between .38 and .357 case length. I adjust the dies perfectly for .38s and when loading .357 I place the flat washer under the expander and seater dies and I have a perfect setup for .357. Eighty-five cents did seem pretty steep for one steel washer but a lot cheaper than a set of dies.

stimpy

Good Tip 4 sure
now I wonder if 2 washers will do a MAX
I am using a D 550 so set up takes some time
This may make life much easier

Tommyt

[wncchester]

"Adjusting the bullet seating die as per instructions and it will wrinkle the brass casing. It seem to have to much travel."

You need to readjust so that doesn't happen; try raising the die body until it stops.  Not at all sure I understand what has "to much travel" so it wrinkles cases.  ??

The washer trick will work but it's so simple and quick to adjust the dies as needed I've never seen the need for it.