Reloading 240xtp for the 444. Have had a couple cases crumple when seating and crimping. Determined upon examination and measuring of the bullet that they were ofversized just a bit. But now I've noticed occasionally bulge at base of bullet even with the proper sized bullets. Sometimes the bulge goes completely around and sometimes it visible only half way around. What possible else is causing this? And those with the bulge if they still chamber what effects will this have as far as safety i.e. pressure or accurracy problems?

Couple of things come to mind that may be affecting your finished reloads.

1) The bullet seater/crimping die might not be set up just right and is pushing down on the case mouth pretty hard as you try to crimp. Might try running in the stem a bit to seat the bullet, then run the stem out and crimp separately. This is where the Lee Factory Crimp Die comes in so handy. Making the seating and crimping two different operations will save lots of brass!

2) The bulged necks where the bullet shows will not cause any undue concern if they chamber easily. The bulges showing only half way around the neck would indicate the bullets aren't being seated squarely - have you chamfered the inside of the case mouth? You need to assist the bullet to the extent possible when feeding it into the seating die to assure it's aligned with the case mouth.

The next misalignment can happen when the shell holder and the seating die aren't in good alignment.

Not too uncommon when the cases are sized fully (and a bit small in some dies). Not really the bullet diameter's fault, more about sizing the cases smaller than normal. If you measuere a factroy load along it's length, may find your sizing die is actaully sizing the case a bit under that diameter...so when the case is expanded and the bullet seated, it has that "wasp waist" look and can visibly see the base of the bullet.

It's the uneveness of this buldge that may be a problem. Either the cases are beins sized somehwat off-center and the bullets are beind seated straight (which would give that one-sided buldge)...or...the cases are straight and the bullet is being seated crooked.

Could be that the case is being sized small and the seating die has generous tolerances.

One simple thing to check is the shell holder...dig arround the shell holder's rim recess with a toothpick and see if there is a "gunk" build up that keeps the cases off center in teh shell holder.

Little real reason to size a case any more than is needed to do two things:
1> Re-enter the chamber freely
2> Hold the bullet securely

Give LESS sizing a try. Just sizew the case so it meets the above needs and your problem may dissappear.
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Pressure. Probably a little more pressure with the bullet/case grip as tight as you describe....but it would not be a big increase. Case expands pretty early in the pressure curve...but it would still provide a bit more resistance thatn normal, so you would be wise to work loads up from below.

Kdub, thankyou
I have been giving some thought to seating and crimping separately. Had heard alot about the factory crimp die and think I'll just have to give it a try. I have been using the belling die with priming part of the procedure. Your suggestion about alignment of die and press is something I'll exmine more closley for sure. There does seem to be a little bit of play in the up stroke on the press. I have to look down to get the cases going into the resizing die. Most of the time the bulges are only on half of case. Would rotating the case half way through the seating possibly eliminate this?

As a general practice to eliminate (in my mind's eye!) the possiblility of a misaligned bullet, I always rotate the case 90 deg at a time and try to seat bullets in 4 increments - that is, rifle cartridges. Handgun cartridges just get the single pull and crimp.

Tend to think every little bit helps in the reloading process to assure the best possible cartridge.

Reloading 240xtp for the 444. Have had a couple cases crumple when seating and crimping. Determined upon examination and measuring of the bullet that they were ofversized just a bit. But now I've noticed occasionally bulge at base of bullet even with the proper sized bullets. Sometimes the bulge goes completely around and sometimes it visible only half way around. What possible else is causing this? And those with the bulge if they still chamber what effects will this have as far as safety i.e. pressure or accurracy problems?


I had a similar problem with 45/70. I got a Lee universal neck expander and slightly belled the case...then seated the bullet...and crimped in a separate operation. As long as I keep them uniformly trimmed the problem is solved....BTW...the neck expander is useful for bottleneck rounds too..especially if you load lead... :rolleyes:

kdub,ribbonstone and mtmrolla,
Thankyou for the advice, it is greatly appreciated. I haven't the chance to look at anything yet but, when I do and get it figured out I'll let you all know.

I think Kdub is right on the mark only been doing this for 4 yrs so take my advise for what you will but , my single stage press when the case is sitting in the shell holder on the ram it will lean a litle and I often especially on rifle loads have to sit the case up straight and guide it in. Are you lubing the cases before you resize? if not you may be starting the bulge prior to the seating process and didnt notice it. However Kdub is telling you a good point seat in a seperate step ! Handgunners have been doing this for yrs. And the force put on the case in a conventianal seat and crimp die is more than what is exerted in a two step process. seat the bullet a little turn it push it in a little more then turn it again and then all the way kdub is right somtime they hang up for some reason usually in arifle cartridge. I would deburr first. I agree with mtmrolla too on the case mouth expansion deal worked for my brother .I think mostly your problem lies in that you need to crimp in a seperate step back you die off a liitle so it dont crimp. and use a seperate crimp die. GOOD LUCK.

Hi Everyone,
I haven't had the chance to get back to the bench yet. Have had family in town and the weather has been so darned hot I can't even bring myself to sit in an enclosed garage. Did make it to the gun shop to look for a factory crimp die, none availabe. However I didn't leave empty handed. Picked up a williams 5D for the 444. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a chance to sit down and look things over.

I have this same problem with the case bulging at the bottom of the bullet. The bulge goes half way around just like you said. I took a case I had just resized and measured it with some calipers and it turns out it case neck was too small. I am shooting 45-70 with .458 diameter bullets and the die was sizing the inner diameter of the case neck to .447. This apparently made it difficult to get good alignment when the bullet was seated, hence the bulge.

At this time I would like to thank kdub for his earlier comment on his thread where he mentioned seating in 4 increments, turning the round 90 degrees everytime. This REALLY helped. The bulge has all but disappeared.

Right now I am waiting for a decapping die that I have ordered so I can back the sizing die out. This way I can adjust the sizing of the case neck. With the die backed out I can no longer rely on the built in decapper so I need a separate decapping die.

Hi everyone, Finally got a chance to tinker with the reloading equipment today. I have come to the conclusion that there are a couple of contributing factors to the problem.
1. Resizing die is resizing the case too small. I resized a dozen cases and all came to an inside diameter of .425. I tried to back the die out but to no avail. still got .425.
2. I then adjusted the belling die and that did help a little bit. But it did not completely cure the problem.
3. I then turned jmy attention to the press and here is where the major contributing factor is. I noticed the press has some considerable slop[ in it , which is rewulting in poor alignment with the die on the up stroke when seating the bullet. As soon as the bullet makes contact with the inside of the die you can see the case cant forward at the shell holder. After tinkering with a dozen rounds I finally got to where I could seat the bullet straight with a consistent and even bulge completely around the base using the 1/4 turn incremental seating technique while also putting pressure on the shell holder to keep the press aligned. Alas I still have a bulge ,but it has been lessened. I think a new press and a new die are in order here.