bullet shaving

[rickdavis81]

Trying my hand at casting my own bullets for 300 blackout subsonic. I'm using the lee 230 gr mold and their sizing die. My lead is supposed to be recycled range lead I got from ebay. When I seat my bullet it's shaving a ring all the way around. This one is one of the worst but I don't think it started 100% straight. Why and any tips to resolve it? Harder lead?

 

[Gunpoor]

You need to use a flaring die on the case mouths before charging and bullet seating. All cast lead bullets will shave lead without this process added into the case preparations. BTW, the Universal Neck expanding die is the only Lee product I still use.

 

[rickdavis81]

I wondered about flaring the case necks. I do it on pistol rounds but didn't know they made one that would do rifle rounds. I'll look into it. Thanks

 

[HARPERC]

What diameter are you sizing to? Have you measured the diameter of bullets? Have you measured your current expander ball? Some variance exist, the LEE Universal, sounds like a good option. Different moulds, different material will produce different diameter bullets, it was always helpful to me to know what measurements I was working with, at each step.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

++ Lee universal.

 

[LoneTraveler]

You need a LYMAN "M" Dye for the caliber you are loading. It has a off set on the shaft that opens the case mouth a couple thousands over the bullet size, then to actual bullet size. I have loaded or still load 243 Win., 270Win., 308 Win. 300 WSM, and 338 WM with Lead, Gas Check bullets. A chrome plated drift punch I have used to bell the mouth of some cartridges, but does not work as well as the Lyman M Dye. Good Luck, It is easy to get hooked shooting lead bullets in a hunting rifle for practice.

 

[rickdavis81]

It's sizing to .309

 

[g0rd0]

for years I have loaded a 168 grn lyman gc in 308. I used 9.5 pounds wheel weights with 0.5 pound of 50/50 bar solder.
I put these through a 3030 contender, a mauser 98 (308win) and a ruger #1 in 300 wm. All subsonic and used for gophers jack rabbits & skunks. Great fun!
I had 307,308, 309 and 310 sizeing dies and found that I wasted my money on all but the 308, after the first spring of trying the different diamiters and loads I found that all I needed was the 308.
And yes when I bought my casting equipment and sizeing dies I also bought expander dies to make up 3 die sets, I had good information on that and never had lead shaveing.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

It's sizing to .309

AFAIK that is correct for lead only.

Get the http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...+expanding+die&sprefix=lee+universal+,aps,238 and flare only until it doesn't shave lead off.

You will need to make sure you run your seating die down to the crimp or use a separate crimp die to close up the flare.

I load solid lead this way for 30-30, 30-06, 7.62x54R and 8mm-Mauser.

So much CHEAP fun plinking. Projectile $.05, powder $.05, primer $.05. Cost of brass ZERO range pick up that will last forever. Cost of wear on the bore ZERO (well almost). Price of high quality 22LR $.18. So it can be cheaper than practicing with a 22. We (the guys I load for) routinely reach steel 18" plate at 400 yards with these. 90% hits are quite possible.

 

[anachronism]

There's an excellent article in the latest issue of "Handloader" on case neck sizing vs bullet diameter. I generally size cast bullets to .311 for 30 cal, depending on how generously the barrels cut at the throat. I also use a .311 M die to expand the case neck, and flare the case mouth slightly. The brass case will spring back (for me) to around .309 or slightly larger, which gives me good case neck tension, plus allows easy seating of the bullets. This works for me, YMMV.

 

[rickdavis81]

They measure around .311 unsized. I'll look into the m die.