[cds43016]

I load 100 grain Badman cast bullets in my 32 S&W Long and my 327 Federal Mag. I have no problem loading the 32 Smith Long but do have an issue with the 327. I’m using Lee Dies. When loading the 327 I cannot flare the case mouth enough to place a bullet easily in the case mouth without the flared case hanging up in the bullet seating die. My understanding is that I should be able to flare the case just enough to be able to seat a bullet in the case mouth so that the bullet will enter straight in the bullet seating die without shaving lead. The bullet should be able sit in the case slightly without support after being flared. I can’t do this with the 327 without having a problem with the bullet seating die hanging up. However, as long as I place the bullet straight very carefully in the case while seating it doesn't seem to be shaving lead but this doesn't seem right. I think it has to do with the 327 case being thicker than the S&W Long. I use Starline cases. I have loaded thousands of 45 ACP rounds for bullseye shooting with cast bullets and never experienced this problem. Any advise?

Thanks!!!!

 

[gqucool]

I heard you have to back out the die a bit then tighten it down & adjust. There are some comments about this in the reloading section. In a few weeks I will be doing the same thing.

 

[41RED]

Sorry to hear about your problem. I use Starline brass most of the time without any problems. Sounds like your mandrel in the belling die is in to far and needs to be backed out several turns. When you lever the brass into the die it makes a banging sound and that is normal for Lee dies. This is so if you throw powder while belling the case it will knock all the powder through the die and into the case. You will also feel some resistance when you draw the case out of the die.

 

[msauter]

I found that the Lee expander die for 32 H&R Mag with new Starline brass was quite sensitive to getting the proper adjustment ... and the brass would hang up in the die when pulling it back out, to the point where I was actually stretching the brass case, lengthwise. Once I fired that first batch, I trimmed the brass back to the proper length, then did a light chamfer (inside and out), and I have had no more problems.

If it is not expanding the case neck enough to properly seat the bullets, then you need to crank the die down just a little, try it, and repeat until you get the proper expansion. I was the one that started out with a mis-adjusted die, so I know you can put an extreme bell on the case mouth if you want to!

 

[smithnframe]

Are you chamfering the inside of the neck on new and once fired factory brass?

 

[cds43016]

Yes I lightly chamfered the case mouth. Even with that if I bell the case mouth enough to allow the bullet to lightly rest in the case mouth, it will not enter the seating die. If I'm careful and bell it just enough so that it still enters the seating die and carefully align and hold the bullet in the case mouth while seating it doesn't look it it shaves lead most of the time. I don't have the problem with the 32 Smith & Wesson Long.

 

[at liberty]

If you measure the expander plug and then the bullet, I think you will see the problem. There is a two stage, M-die type expander for the Lee Powder-Through dies. You could also just get yourself a Lyman M-die, placed either before or after the powder measure station. You will then also need a combo seat/crimp die, for which I suggest a Hornady.

Sizing new brass just makes it gall on the expander and allows the shape of the bullet base to print through the case. You wouldn't see this with slightly larger Cowboy dies from RCBS. My Lyman set, specifically for 327 Federal Magnum, is also well suited to lead bullet sizes. Try loading new brass without sizing. Check a few empty new cases in a gauge first to be confident.

Check your bullets. You may need to resize them to no more than .001 larger than standard jacketed. I believe the range for 32 cal bullets is 311-314, and you need to be on the lower end. Mine are .312. I also have some as 313 that I had to stop using and reserve for 32 H&R that was more forgiving about slight mushrooming around the crimp, difficult to impossible to adjust out, given the standard (jacketed) sizing of the dies.

 

[38-55]

I use the Lee 32 S&W Long dies but I use the Lee Universal expanding die. I cast & load for 5 different 327 revolvers and have never experienced what you are......and I'm using 115 cast gas checked Ideal 311316 sized to .313 in all of them. They all handle it well but the Single 7 has a shorter cylinder so that is a separate adjustment.

 

[mikld]

I've had similar "problems" with some dies sets (other than Lee also). If you can push the case up into the seating die with just the case mouth rubbing the die ID, no harm will come to the case, bullet or die. If it's difficult to run the case into the die, you could hone the ID with emery/crocus cloth a few thousandths (visualize what's happening inside a seating die and you'll see there's no real need for a tight fitting die just to seat the bullet, but perhaps closer tolerances are needed if you crimp and flare with the same die)...

 

[smithnframe]

What are the bullets sized to?

 

[cds43016]

Bullets are sized 313.

I crimp in a separate step using the Lee Factory Crimp die and apply a light crimp..

Polishing the Bullet seating die to open it up a little bit looks like a good idea.

 

[mikld]

I crimp in a separate step using the Lee Factory Crimp die and apply a light crimp.

.

There, in my opinion, is the cause of the problem. The flared cases are hitting the carbide sizing ring in the FCD.

 

[cds43016]

Close - the problem is that the cases are hitting the bottom of the Bullet seating die if they are flared enough to easily accept the bullet. I don't flair as much and hold and carefully align the bullet when bullet seating it will work but risk shaving lead if not done very carefully. If I open the flair any more, the case won't even enter the bullet seating die. Cases that I can seat a bullet in have no issues with the factory crimp die and the crimp looks good. It's the difficulty with shaving lead with bullet seating that the main concern. The same bullets loaded in 32 Smith & Wesson Long do not have this issue. The are using the same dies (I have two sets - both for 32 Smith & Wesson Long each mounted in a lee turret so I don't have to adjust every time - I use a Lee turret Press with a 4 die set) . The Lee dies are supposed to work with 32 Smith & Wesson Long, 32 H&R Mag and 327 Federal Mag.

I sent in a Ticket to Lee. They said check the bullets and they are fine and champfer the case which I did,

 

[chsparkman]

I load 327 with my old RCBS seating die that I got many years ago for 32 mag. I expand and flare with the Lyman M-die, and I do not experience the problem you describe. If you are able to borrow another brand seating die from a friend, I think I would try that.

 

[at liberty]

Bullets are sized 313.

I crimp in a separate step using the Lee Factory Crimp die and apply a light crimp..

Polishing the Bullet seating die to open it up a little bit looks like a good idea.

If you crimp in a separate step, then the resistance at the seating die could mean that it is screwed in far enough to crimp as well. Might want to revisit the die instructions.

 

[mikld]

If you can, get a "normal" seat/crimp die. I had similar problems (one of a few) with the Lee FDC I had. The FDC is a compromise, seating/crimpoing/sizing die and for me, none of the fearures worked as well as regular old seating and crimping die...

 

[at liberty]

If you can, get a "normal" seat/crimp die. I had similar problems (one of a few) with the Lee FDC I had. The FDC is a compromise, seating/crimpoing/sizing die and for me, none of the fearures worked as well as regular old seating and crimping die...

I know the FCD as crimp only, no seat function or adjustment. The 4-die set comes with a separate seat die, which is capable of crimp also.

 

[cds43016]

Taking advice given above I trimmed the case and chamfered in and out. This seems to have helped. I was able to adjust expanding die to get just a little more flair and was able to load a batch of bullets without shaving lead or having problems with the case mouth catching on the seating die.

The brass was unfired but I resized it anyway. Apparently this stretched the brass a bit just enough to cause a problem

I hope this fixes the problem. Thanks all.