Maximum Case Length
05-15-2009 | 07:46 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Fork Horn
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
From: Lake Tahoe
RE: Maximum Case Length
I do have calipers. I will admit I did skipthe case measuringstep when I loaded the .45s. As I mentioned above, they were once shot factory loads so I skipped a step I will never skip again. I did measure them after I loaded them to make sure they were not longer than the factory FMJs. I seated them to be the same length and I noticed that the bullet was not seated all the way to the shoulder/taper of the JHP. If I would have seated them all the way to the shoulder/taper of the JHP, they would have been shorter than the FMJs. I just picked up the latest version of the Lyman Reloading Manual. I have asked Lee for directions and they are on the way. Some bullets are longer than others like FMJs or JHPs. It seems like if I seat the JHPs to the shoulder/taper of the bullet,thebullet length isgoing to be shorter than the FMJ. So, is their a minimum overall bullet length? Or, as long as the case length measures out,will I be OK? I found the maximum bullet length specs but nothing about a minimum overall length. Is there one?
05-29-2009 | 11:16 AM
#13
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 12,823
Likes: 4
From: Eastern PA
RE: Maximum Case Length
Powerfisher - Here's what to do. Take a case that you sized and deprimed.
Now run it into your flaring die. You want the case mouth flared just enough to start a bullet (this is so it doesn't catch on the sides and crush the case)
Run the press ram to its highest point with the empty, flared case in the shell holder.
Next, put in your bullet seating die and back out the seating plug. Screw the die down until you feel it come in contact with the case mouth.
Lower the ram and put a bullet into the case mouth and raise the ram again into the die.
Screw the seating plug down until you feel it contact the bullet. Lower the ram a bit and screw the seating plug down about 2 turns. Now it will seat the bullet enough to hold it in the case.
Now, lower the ram a bit again and screw the die in a little at a time (about 1/4 turn) and run the case up into the die. Keep doing this until the flare is no longer on the case mouth. Your die is now set to the proper depth, lock it in.
Now, do the same with the seating plug. Screwing it down a little at a time until you get the desired bullet seating depth. Then lock it in.
Your die should now be set properly.
Now run it into your flaring die. You want the case mouth flared just enough to start a bullet (this is so it doesn't catch on the sides and crush the case)
Run the press ram to its highest point with the empty, flared case in the shell holder.
Next, put in your bullet seating die and back out the seating plug. Screw the die down until you feel it come in contact with the case mouth.
Lower the ram and put a bullet into the case mouth and raise the ram again into the die.
Screw the seating plug down until you feel it contact the bullet. Lower the ram a bit and screw the seating plug down about 2 turns. Now it will seat the bullet enough to hold it in the case.
Now, lower the ram a bit again and screw the die in a little at a time (about 1/4 turn) and run the case up into the die. Keep doing this until the flare is no longer on the case mouth. Your die is now set to the proper depth, lock it in.
Now, do the same with the seating plug. Screwing it down a little at a time until you get the desired bullet seating depth. Then lock it in.
Your die should now be set properly.
