Re: Reloading Barnes 325 Busters
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:53 pm
MRRJF wrote:So I started reloading some busters and another concern has popped up. Using the Hornady taper crimp die and crimping down to .476, this is NOT providing a good hold on the bullet. This is causing me some concern! I cannot crimp more as I understand the mouth of the case is where the head spacing occurs. This also make me wonder if the factory ammo is also suspect in regarding to bullet retention in the shell casing. Any thoughts from the experts?
MRRJF-
Not an expert, but here are some thoughts anyway.
Bullet retention aka "bullet pull" is an important part of 450B handloading that deviates somewhat from other cartridges. There are many threads in the reloading forum that discuss this, including problems and solutions involving crimping.
A couple of suggestions for exploring your problem, and I apologize if you have tried them already.
1) Have you checked bullet retention in your factory ammo? Doing so might either put your mind at ease regarding its quality, and might also provide a baseline for checking your reloads. I have used the same technique that Hoot has described employing in the past. That is, with an inertia bullet puller of good quality, how many solid whacks does it take to get the bullet out of the case?
With the 325-grain bullet weighing 30% more than the factory load, it's expected that disassembly may require a couple of whacks fewer. If your handloads come apart with just one or two firm whacks, then you need more bullet-case friction for proper retention. Crimping is only a part of bullet retention.
To check on your technique, try loading bullets of the more usual weights, and particularly the Hornady 250-grain FTX. (You don't have to use a primer or powder for this check.) If your loading techniques and equipment produce good retention with the factory-type bullet, then that indicates your problems are likely associated with the bullet, for which some remedies may be available.
A case mouth outside diameter of 0.472 inches is the SAAMI minimum, so you can decrease your crimped diameter to a bit less than 0.476 and still not be worried about proper headspace.
Please keep us informed of your progress.
--Bob
edited for typo repair