I'm new to reloading and have a couple of problems I'm looking for some thoughts about what am I doing wrong.
I just recently purchased a set of Hornady New Dimension Custom Grade Dies, 3-Die Set Titanium Nitride, 380 ACP; and reloaded about 100 rounds.

Problem #1:
I'm having problems with cases being bulged out at 0.20" from case mouth and all around the circumference. The expander die also makes very visible imprint inside the case. It deforms the case wall by squeezing or pushing the wall material down. It leaves a rim inside the case in the same area as the bulge outside, 0.20" from case mouth. This only happens on 10-15% of the cases. See pics.

Problem #2:
A different problem is observed on cases good cases which were successfully prepped, meaning cases were straight and no bulging was present. I'm not sure if this is different issue or related to problem #1. When bullet is seated and taper crimped the bullet makes a visible imprint in the case. It looks like the case diameter is too small for the bullet. The imprint or bulging is not consistent around the circumference but is rather more prominent on one side and less on the opposite. This is most likely due to slight differences in case wall thickness. I have seen this even in some factory loaded ammo but not nearly this much. See pics.

Case diameter as coming from the resizing die is 0.3655" at the case mouth and 0.3715" at the head.
Case length on good cases is 0.6750" and on bulged is 0.6735".

All brass came from once fired Federal and Blazer ammo.
Does anyone have any explanation or remedies for this problem.
Could it be that resizing die is actually too small?
Thanks

I have heard of this happening with Federal Brass, it might have to do with their brass being softer than other brands, it looks like the die is crushing the brass, Have you used any other brand of brass?

Thanks,

That bullet in the lower right sure looks like it is out of alignment with the bottom of the brass. What press are you using?

Sorry I cant really help much as I'm also new to reloading. I had no problems when I did 9mm, but when I started my .45's I was buckling cases. Turned out i had just a little error in the crimping/seating die setup that just made things go wrong. I solved my issues by starting over on all steps. Wish ya luck. I know the experienced guys will be along any moment to give you advice.

Oh and BTW, welcome to Waguns!

It might be that the expander die is not adjusted properly.

From the "manual":



Hard to tell without seeing your actual press and die in person but it looks like the expander is going too far into the case. This die is unlike the sizing die as it may not come anywhere near the shell holder.when properly adjusted for your cases. You only need enough "flare" or "bell" to have a bullet sit on the mouth of the case and not have the case edge cut the bullet as it's pressed in by the seater plug.

If by "expander die" you mean the belling die (which bells the case mouth), and that is the die that is causing that ring, then I would:

1) Confirm that it is a .380 die. Look at the stamp on the top of the die.
2) Try backing off the die, so it doesn't bell as much.

Having a ring at the base of the bullet once it's seated isn't uncommon, so I wouldn't worry about that . . . just yet. I don't like the off-center look of that lower-right round, but once you get the problem solved with the die that is causing those rings, then you can see what bullet seating does. (I know, you said this happens to cases that don't have the bulge . . . but still.)

Also, are the bullets the correct diameter?

Follow all the above suggestions. Check the diameter of the bullet you are using, they can go anywhere from .354 to.357 depending upon .380, 9x18, 9x19, 9x23, 38 auto, 38 super etc.
I would definately get a Lee factory crimp die. The Lee die has a Carbide ring at the base, and will resize the case after the crimp is applied.

Thanks for the feedback.
I'm using RCBS Partner sigle stage press. Die has printed 9mm/380 AUTO on top. This is what it looks inside...

FMJ bullet on the pic is actually one I pulled out of a factory round. I don't have anything else but LRN for reloading since the local indoor range only allows lead and I can't find any 380 factory ammo in lead.
LRN bullets are 0.356" dia. as stated on the box, measured are 0.3560-0.3565" so they're on the upper end of the specs.

deadshot...
Your instructions are exactly what I've done. But I guess it's a matter of interpretation what it means "just enough to seat a bullet". Unless I push the core of the expander die 0.2" into the case there is really not much flare and bullet hardly seats flat on top.

However, I backed off the die to have almost no flare. No bulging now. The picture shows what comes out. There is a bullet imprint but it is uniform all the way around. I'll play with adjustment some more to find a happy mid point. I'll try to find a bit smaller bullets as well.

Flashing back 35 years in memory, reloading 9mm Parabellum, which won't be as thin as .380 Auto: Found Federal brass to be thicker but softer, Winchester thinner but tougher.

One wonders if that expander could be more polished and/or perhaps have a smoother radius.

One needs to expand enough to seat bullets without shaving material, but little more than that.

FWIW, I seem to recall some carbide sizing dies left a "shoulder" near the base of the case; they reduced the brass a bit more than necessary that far down. If the brass is too small, that will contribute to the problems we're seeing with the expander.

Are these rounds sticking in the chamber when you barrel test them?

An indoor range that REQUIRES lead bullets?? Wow, I've never heard of such a thing -- usually they prohibit lead bullets!

But anyhow, it sounds like you're on the right track. When I load .380 and 9mm Luger, quite often I have just enough bell to start the bullet, but I need to hold the bullet all the way into the die. If I put more bell into it, I crush cases during the crimping process or have other problems.

You're on the right track. I wouldn't look for smaller bullets but instead verify that the range ONLY allows lead. I find this requirement, if fact, to be very strange as many are banning unjacketed lead bullets.

Some bullets are just darn hard to get started so look for some with more of a chamfer on the base if you can. Most jacketed bullets have a nice uniform radius on the edge of their base and the jacket material doesn't scrape off as bad as it can with lead.

The "hour-glass" look of your finished rounds isn't all that uncommon. Your cases are being sized to the minimum size and the bullet just pushes it back out. All my 9mm rounds have somewhat of this look to them from the Factory Crimp Die but they shoot great. It's better that they have that look than a bulge that prevents the slide from going fully into battery. Real bad if you have a pistol that tends to fire when the slide is slightly out of battery as it makes for difficult gun repair. Super Glue and J-B Weld are often not enough

About rounds sticking in the barrel... Do you just slide the round in and see if it gets stuck on it's own - or - do you push it in by hand? None of these will stick on its own but if I push them in then will stick. However, there's quite a bit of lube that's being pushed up and collected around the mouth. See the round on the lower right corner on the second pic from my original post - the blue stuff. This is what's causing rounds to stick. I wiped off the extra lube and then there's no sticking.

The Vancouver Rifle and Pistol Club
range is limited to the shooting of lead or lead alloy projectiles only. The use of solid copper or semi jacketed projectiles is prohibited. A maximum velocity of 1000 feet per second is required.
http://vrpc.us/

Remove the barrel from your gun, and use JUST the barrel. Drop a finished cartridge into the chamber; it should drop all the way in, and you should be able to spin the cartridge once it's in there. If it sticks when turning, or won't drop all the way in, then you have a sizing problem in your reloading process.

You can drop a factory round in and try it, to see how it should feel.



WOW.

That would SERIOUSLY limit what you can shoot there. Most available ammunition is FMJ, so you couldn't just go down to Walmart to buy cheap ammo . . . for some calibers, you would need to try pretty hard to find lead ammo. Or, obviously, reload it yourself.

And the 1000 fps max would also be a problem for many calibers. Hell, most 9mm Luger ammo is faster than that!

It sounds like VRPC must have a very limited membership....

EDIT: I wonder if you're misinterpreting that jacketing requirement...? I bet is means that projectiles need to be fully (not semi) jacketed.

That would make more sense to me. It would also mean that you can't shoot lead projectiles . . . like those that you are loading.

That's exactly how I did the barrel test and I consider sizing to be okay. Rounds that got excess lube wiped off do spin and drop out freely. It's only the excess lube that cause some sticking when trying to spin the round.

As for the range, I'm sure it's lead only - no jacketed ammo of any kind. Since this is very short range (50ft) there is too much danger with copper ricochet from the backdrop structure... so they say.