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May 26, 2012
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I'm trying my hand at pistol cartridge reloading for the first time. I've been a rifle reloader up to this point and am running into the following problems.
I'm using a standard Lee 4 die set for the 357 mag and the brass is crushing during the seating step.
Q) is it absolutely necessary to use lube for jacked bullets (using 180 gr. xtp/hp's)?
Q) If so, how much lube and do I just coat it up to the crimp groove?
Q) How much do I need to bell the case mouth to start the bullet?
Q) Since I'm using the standard 357 mag. dies there seems to be an excessive amount of the case left unsupported by the dies, could this be a contribuiting factor also?
Q) If the dies are indeed a factor, does anyone have a spare set of dedicatted 357 Max dies laying around, and if not where besides bid sites could I buy a set?
Sorry for all the questions but I have already ruined 3 cases and don't want to mess up any more!
Thanks in advance to all you DW guys who are so knowledgeable.
Jim
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November 17, 2008
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I will try.
Q) is it absolutely necessary to use lube for jacked bullets (using 180 gr. xtp/hp's)?
A) No.
Q) If so, how much lube and do I just coat it up to the crimp groove?
A) NA
Q) How much do I need to bell the case mouth to start the bullet?
A) Just enough to let the bullet start.
Q) Since I'm using the standard 357 mag. dies there seems to be an excessive amount of the case left unsupported by the dies, could this be a contributing factor also?
A) Maybe. But during the seat/crimp phase I don't believe the die supports anything but I could be mistaken.
Q) If the dies are indeed a factor, does anyone have a spare set of dedicatted 357 Max dies laying around, and if not where besides bid sites could I buy a set?
A) Midway probably, a lot of Manufactures rate their dies for all 3 38-357-357 Max.
Others will chime in shortly.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
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December 4, 2011
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It sounds to me like maybe you need to back off the seating die some more and adjust the seating plug to properly adjust depth. There should be very little force required to seat a bullet, certainly not enough to crush the case. Is the bullet maybe not starting straight? Maybe just a bit more bell in that instance to let the bullet reamin upright I've had some cases crush on other calibers when seating if the bullet 'falls over' as I'm starting to seat. I use a Dillon 650 progressive so its easier to miss this happening as you are watching many things. I use 357mag dies to load my 357 max cases without problems.
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February 11, 2010
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Lee has two sets, the 38/357 and one that just says 357 and that's the one recommended by Lee
for the 357 MAX. Either one can be used but the 357 die works better.
Either way you can not set the dies per instruction as they are always for the shorter caliber.
Die 1 de prime/size, you can follow instruction, raise ram with shell holder, screw die down until
just kiss. lock it, run it.
Die 2 flare/powder die, insert case in shell holder, raise ram, screw down die till you feel touch,
then screw in half turns until reach desired flare. lock it, run it.
Die 3 , turn out small knob of dies a good bit, raise ram with shell in holder, screw down die till it
just touches case, turn out one or two turns counter clock wise. insert bullet in flare, raise, screw
down little center knob of die three till touch, lock die ring, lower and raise ram and continue to
screw down center knob to desired bullet depth, run it.
Die 4, crimp die, (you may or may not get a full final size on this because of case length but
that's OK cause die 1 did that already and it will size where the bullet is and that's all you need for final)
Screw out small center knob, raise ram with shell holder, screw in die till kiss, lower ram, insert case
with bullet in holder and raise ram slowly, if it has to much resistance at the end of the stroke raise the
die a little till it feels right. lock it, raise ram with case/ bullet and lower little center knob till you just feel
touch and then go half turns more until you reach desired crimp.
-Blacktop
May 26, 2012
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Blacktop; are you saying that if I'm using die #4 I can use it to seat the bullet as well and do away with die #3?
February 11, 2010
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freestate101 said
Blacktop; are you saying that if I'm using die #4 I can use it to seat the bullet as well and do away with die #3?
No, sorry if I confused you, when I say case/bullet in the die #4 paragraph I mean a shell/case with bullet
already seated properly in case from die #3.
You can pretty much use Lee instruction on #4 die set up but don't take it 100% because after you kiss
the shell holder to die and back out the small knob you will want to try one case slowly and when you
raise case all the way up in the die the very last of the stroke gets to feeling like its getting tight you
might want to back die out a little at this point. I'm not talking about the resistance you feel when
your crimping. I'm talking about a crushing feel of resistance and you might get a case buckle.
Technically you can do away with die #4 all together and do a bullet seat and crimp with die #3 but #4
helps by separating the crimp step and then sizes one last time for any bullet bulges.
-Blacktop
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