.45 ACP case mouth flair

[WEB]

Can anyone suggest a case mouth flair dimension based on bullet diameter. I have been reloading and some bullets seat much easier than others. I am wondering if I need to flair more?

The finished product is working fine: 4.3 grains Tightgroup, 200 gr SWC Bayou bullet, Winchester primer. single stage rock chucker. Lee final crimp

Thanks
Bill

 

[Drail]

The word you mean is "flare". You should only flare just enough to get a bullet started into the case. No more. Taper crimp only for a semi auto. Over flaring and over crimping will lead to cracked cases.

 

[Leo]

Drail is right about just enough to start the bullet without shaving it. I think the difference you feel in variance in case thickness. Since you OD size all the brass with a single die, the internal friction or interference fit will be tighter on the thicker brass. Even if the brass is only .001" thicker, that makes it .002" tighter fit.

I like to run .452" bullets and have a pistol with a KART match chamber. Some cases are just enough thicker that they bind on chambering in that tight chamber. There are also some brands that have notably softer brass. That will affect the feel on the press handle also

 

[Drail]

One other product you might look into is the Lyman M step expander die. Instead of "belling" the mouth out it creates a shallow "step" expansion ring so the brass is not over worked from flaring and crimping and allows a bullet placed in the case to snap into the mouth and set there without tipping and no shaving of the bullet. Bullets that go into cases straight come out of cases straight. If you are primarily loading cast bullets and having to choose between say, .451 jacketed or .452 cast, it is absolutely the best expander die on the market. They are available in a die for one caliber or in a set that uses threaded expander buttons and includes buttons for 5 different calibers. I have been reloading the same brass for 20 years - so many times I don't even keep track anymore and I never see split cases. It really is one of the best ideas anyone has come up with for extending brass life. I think I have around 700 or so .41 Magnum cases that have been loaded at least 30 times - even with heavy loads - and the cases never split. Most dealers that sell Lyman reloading gear will carry the M step dies. I still see them at a lot of gun shows. Not many people seem to know about them or believe it's just a gimmick. It's not. Leo is spot on about thin cases and thick cases - you will develop a feel for that by the force required to pull the handle when resizing and the force required to fully seat a bullet. I avoid the thin stuff because it is almost impossible to get good neck tension or sufficient crimp because the thin brass will not size down enough and will require a more aggressive flare to start a bullet into the mouth. Remington is probably the thinnest and Federal is probably the thickest. I like to get enough neck tension that it takes a firm push to seat a bullet. With sufficient neck tension a crimp is practically unnecessary and setback or pull is not a problem. I like to faintly see the bottom of the bullet slightly bulging the case when it is fully seated. Leo, that Kart match chamber must be pretty snug. That's a good thing.

 

[WEB]

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I bullet is fitting into the flaired case mouth just at the top edge of the chamfer at the bottom of the bullet. I think that is about as minimal as possible? I also try to have the bullet and case be as concentric as possible before pulling the lever. (But I still shave some lead or coating occasionally)
One other note is I am using Hi TEK coated bullet from Bayou. I like the lack of smoke on the range.
I will have to look into the Lyman M step expander

 

[sloughfoot]

Every round I reload is done with just a little flair.

 

[Drail]

As long as it's not done with gay abandon.......

 

[bulletsmith]

Lol, nice.