|
|
Post by erjdriver on Oct 16, 2014 8:35:39 GMT -5
Good morning all,
After running with Springfield's suggestion about the Bulge Buster from Lee, I did a little research. Here's a pretty good video that explains the issue and the kit used to remedy it. I'm glad this guy ran empty cases AND loaded rounds through it for demonstration:
I'll be ordering this for both .40 S&W and .45 ACP. It looks like the least expensive place is from Natchezz Shooter's Supply. You have to buy both the Lee Crimping Die (I'm getting the "Carbide Factory Crimp Die") and the Bulge Buster Kit...both will run approximately $30. When I get this set up and run some loaded rounds through it, I'll report the results.
Thanks Springfield!!!
ETA:
Bought the crimp die and bulge buster kit from Midway.....Natchez just bends you over and rakes you over the coals on shipping.
|
|
|
|
Post by springfieldxdm on Oct 16, 2014 19:15:18 GMT -5
I love mine, I have a 5 year old that's my shadow and wants to help me reload all the time. My rock chucker is set up for him to run .40 brass through until he gets tired. If you lube the cases with imperial wax it will run really smooth. If your cheap and don't want by another factory crimp die you can use your existing one. If your lazy like me you just buy another one to keep from swapping the guts around and readjusting your die. As a side note make sure you file the opening of the "red catch container where it meets the die. If not the brass will hang up and lift the red case up dropping the brass all over the floor.
|
|
|
|
Post by hacker54 on Oct 16, 2014 21:34:20 GMT -5
ERJ, Is any of the brass that you have that presents a problem is any of it Glocked brass?? If so Lee does not recommend doing brass from an unsupported chamber. Here is their page on the Bulge Buster Kit. leeprecision.com/bulge-buster-kit.html |
|
|
|
Post by springfieldxdm on Oct 16, 2014 22:02:37 GMT -5
 This is what they are talking about with glocked brass. You can run them through the dies, they will press down after much trouble and sweat. The problem is you will still end up with an unsafe crease and a thin spot in the case head area. Crease=bad idea No crease=get loaded |
|
|
|
Post by erjdriver on Oct 16, 2014 22:29:15 GMT -5
ERJ, Is any of the brass that you have that presents a problem is any of it Glocked brass?? If so Lee does not recommend doing brass from an unsupported chamber. Here is their page on the Bulge Buster Kit. leeprecision.com/bulge-buster-kit.htmlHacker, I did read the instructions for the Bulge Buster Kit and saw the the remark about unsupported chambers. ALL my brass has been purchased from Everglades Ammunition and Reloading. Since it's "range brass", I have no way of knowing from what platform it was shot. This is the product description of their once-fired .40 S&W brass, of which I've bought 5,000 pieces so far: "This brass is cleaned, 40 cal range brass. Mixed headstamp brass sourced from private and law enforcement ranges. We use a dust-free cleaning process that polishes the cases and removes dirt, sand or other foreign matter. The brass is hand sorted to remove unserviceable pieces and extra brass is included to cover any damaged pieces missed during the inspection process."The brass I've loaded and primed so far (the first lot of 1,000 pieces I bought) looks NOTHING like the piece of brass pictured above in Springfield's post (thanks for posting that, BTW). Most of it has simply had a little expansion at the base of the case (that's what I'm calling a "bulge") preventing it from seating fully in the Lyman Cartridge Gage (my brass looks and "acts" just like the brass being demonstrated in the video). If I had a piece of brass looking like Springfield's pic, it would find it's way into the recycle bucket. So far I haven't encountered anything near that. I honestly think this issue will be resolved with the Bulge Buster Kit and I'll have a chance to inspect each piece of brass as I run it through my single-stage JR2 before it even gets anywhere near the reloading stages on the Pro2000. ETA:p.s. Springfield...I did see where someone posted that tip about trimming the opening of the hopper. And I'm lazy too, as I just ordered a Lee Factory Crimp Die and the Bulge Buster Kit from MidwayUSA. |
|
jbnut
Member
Posts: 169 
Location: Warren, Pennsylvania
|
Post by jbnut on Oct 17, 2014 15:47:59 GMT -5
My boy had bought some "once Fired" 40SW Brass awhile back and we did find some cases just like Springfield's picture. We sorted them out and put them in the recycle bucket.
|
|
|
|
Post by erjdriver on Oct 26, 2014 17:32:54 GMT -5
**UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE** **UPDATE**
OK...the day of truth arrived today!!! The .40 S&W stuff arrived at my brother's yesterday (I mistakenly had the order shipped to his house.....stupid me) and he brought it over today. My shipment consisted of the Lee .40 S&W Factory Crimp Die and the Lee Bulge Buster Kit. The set up is a cinch...just insert the push pin into the shell holder slot on top of the ram and follow the rest of the enclosed instructions to modify the Factory Crimp Die with the Bulge Buster insert (I'm using a old, old RCBS JR Single-Stage Press for this project). I had about 150 rounds of .40 S&W that were already completed and I just fed them through the Bulge Buster. There were probably 10 or so that didn't smooth out that I'll need to work on or totally pull down, but it was more from a bulge at the bullet seating point instead of toward the bottom of the case that's indicative of the "Glock bulge". Again, NONE of my cases looked anything like the photo in Springfield's post above. These cases just had a slight bulge from either going through a Glock or from being over crimped by me, which is a distinct possibility. The remainder, however, slipped into my Lyman Cartridge Gage like a hot knife through buttuh.  Then I ran about 300 more pre-primed cases through the Bulge Buster and my brother ran them through the Pro2000. It seriously went as smoothly as the video in my original post. I did use my RCBS Seating & Crimping Die, and once I fined tuned my crimp juuuuuuust to the point where it was enough to allow the case to slip into the Lyman Cartridge Gage, I snugged everything down. I now have probably the most consistent rounds yet to be "manufactured" on this press. The OAL is VERY consistent and 99% of the rounds fit within my personal tolerances and I no longer have a bulge or partial crushing issue due to over crimping. Final rating of the Lee Bulge Buster Kit.....11 out of 10!!!!! I can only say that I appreciate the wonderful folks on this board for their guidance. I probably learned more in the last week than in the past 6 months from this little episode right here and can apply it to ANY caliber I load for semi-auto or with a taper crimp from now on. Thanks y'all!!! ETA:The issue of the hole in the hopper described earlier in Springfield's post didn't seem so prevalent. So maybe Lee listened to their customer feedback and made that hole larger at the factory to make it unnecessary to ream it out some more. At least I didn't have that issue with bullets or brass feeding up through the crimp die and falling into the Bulge Buster hopper. I also did not use any kind of lube...both the complete rounds and the empty brass fed through just fine without it. |
|
My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
