Bullet Jump

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Re: Bullet Jump

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:48 pm

Jim in Houston wrote:I side crimp first, then do a taper crimp to .475 +/- to remove any "belling." I do not do the first taper crimp mentioned below.

There are instructions on how to use the taper crimp elsewhere - http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=685. The video shows placement of the crimp, which was always a question and is somewhat subjective, except, of course, it needs to be on the bullet and close to the casing mouth.


For the benefit of some of the new guys here, I'm gonna make a clarification on my crimping practice so that there is no misunderstanding. Each set of dies has it's own personality, be it ever so slight.
If I'm not mistaken, Jim, you do not use the expander die to bell your cases before loading.
I do. Otherwise, I would destroy brass. I've already done several tests with various bullets and every case that I did not run through my expander die first..... It collapsed before accepting any of the bullets. My sizer die is "TIGHT". And that's why I use the expander die, (ever so slightly), but yeah. It's necessary. And that's why I apply an initial slight taper crimp before applying the LSC, then following up with a final taper crimp.
You guys who are rolling your own, you need to pay attention to your own observations on how your dies perform and adjust your routines accordingly. Lots of guys here do not use the expander die. I do. And I've not had any problems with my brass life being shortened. Every piece of brass that I started with.... I'm still using it....(Except for the handful that I accordianed due to me trying to omit the expander die).
YOUR METHODS MAY VARY and are not set in stone by myself or anyone else here.
The main thing that is set in stone here is to STAY SAFE.
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Re: Bullet Jump

Postby Hoot » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:26 am

Continuing on what Dawg said. Using the expander has no impact upon bullet pull when using a stab crimp as your main retainer. If you only use a taper crimp, it does impact the overall strength of the taper crimp. As far as brass longevity goes, unless you bell your cases like a sousaphone, it will not have a negative impact. I've yet to collapse a case not using the expander, but I go slow when starting the bullet trying to feel the heel past the initial interfacing. Here's one of my tricks. After the bullet is barely started I lessen the thrust of the ram and rotate the cartridge 90 degrees, seat it half way and do another 90 degree rotation before the final push. It may sound time consuming, but it's become 2nd nature and I don't even think about it anymore. The reasoning is to maximize coaxiality and no, I didn't just make that up. ;) I really believe that the greater the bullet's width to length ratio such as the 45 caliber, the more critical alignment with the bore becomes as the bullet enters the leade during ignition. Especially if you're striving for accuracy.

There are a few of seemingly insignificant measures you can make part of your reloading routine that if skipped, are not deal-breakers. However they all are synergistic in contributing to a reload that exceeds factory load quality.

Hoot
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Re: Bullet Jump

Postby Jim in Houston » Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:52 am

Sheepdawg is correct. I do not use the expander die. I have not had a problem seating a bullet into a case I have sized, but as I seat the bullet, I start slowly and hold my fingers at the mouth of the case and feel the bullet slide in before I stroke the ram fully. I do not use Hoot's rotation, but I may start doing that.
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Re: Bullet Jump

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Sat Oct 18, 2014 1:15 pm

If I do not use the expander die, this is what happens every time.
image.jpg
Squish
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