Hi guys,

I have been having a problem after crimping rounds for my .44 mag. After I crimp them, there is a very slight ring of brass that is loose around the case mouth. Where talking a ring that has a thickness less than that of a human hair. It appears that it is being shaved off the top of the case, but the only and first time that it happens is with jacketed bullets. I don't think it's because I am crimping to hard, because on the last batch, they were jumping crimp at the last range outing. These weren't very heavy loads, 180 gr. XTP @ 1300fps. Any help on this subject would be great.

thanks,
vanbuzen9

Two things come to mind: check your crimp die adjustment, or seating die if you're crimping with it, to make sure it's backed out to where it should be for proper fitting. Check alos the case length to make sure they did'nt grow since you last set the die. Straight walled cases usually don't grow much from shooting but can grow during the sizing process if not lubed adequately.

A couple of other things I could add to Cossacks thoughts.

Are you belling the mouths of your cases enough, the act of seating a bullet on a case not belled enough could cause what your talking about.

I like to seat and crimp in two stages. It seems to give me better loads. My magnums, 44 and 41 both like a good crimp. This keeps the bullets from moving in the cases and from what I've read promotes better accuracy and consistancy.

Did you chamfer inside and outside of the case mouths. That is a burr that is breaking off if you did not.

Sounds like you're crimping too hard. The only ring I've ever seen on a case is the one put on by my FCD for 30/30 that I use but it's never seperated from the case. I use a Lee three die set (before FCD) for my 44mag and spl loads and use the roll crimp that the seating die puts on, in another stage, from seating the bullet. Of course you must raise the seating plug some before using it in a seperate stage.

Bill

I see where the crimping die may need to be backed off a tad and maybe also you are chamfering just a little to much of the case mouth to where it is to thin and when you crimp it might be cutting a ring of the case.

Did you chamfer inside and outside of the case mouths. That is a burr that is breaking off if you did not.I think you're right. I've had this happen with new brass or once fired brass in which I've neglected to chamfer the casemouth. Once the case has been crimped a few times the ring will not form again as the outside of the casemouth loses that sharp corner. By the way, anyone shooting a .44 mag should make sure they have a good crimp on the bullets.

Well I used to do this all the time when I loaded for the 44-mag because I used the seater crimp die to crimp the cases . Then I went to a seperate crimp die problem solved. no more shavings. now another thing is and I hate to disagree with another knowledgable member but, belling the cases too much makes the crimp die have to jump over the top lip of the case causing the shaving problem the only and I repeat only need to be swelled enough to just barely get the bullet started in the case. when you press the bullet in to the desired depth and it still has a little bit of a bell then you are belling them out too much just barely enough for instance to get the bullet to sit in the end of the case.

Yes, that's the accepted practice. Just barely bell the mouth enough to start the bullet without shaving lead or copper. A large flare will serve no purpose other than to work harden the brass.

the same has happen to me also.I found that my cases were not all the same size and the longer one's had that problem being over crimped.

This happens on my .44 mag loads when I don't chamfer the outside of the brass prior to loading. It's the sharp edge getting sheared off during the crimping process - not a big deal..

It's never caused any kind of problem for me anyways. I always inspect and wipe off every completed round I load...

Are you sure that it is brass from the case and not guilding metal being scraped off the side of the bullet?

If your cases have a sharp edge inside they could be peeling the bullet especially if you are not champfering the case necks.

If the brass ring is being scraped off the edge of the case as the bullet enters it seems that it would be pushed into the neck and not left outside.

Next time it happens pull the bullet and check to see if it shows signs of scraping.