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Bulge at base of bullet on pistol cases?
cwinn
Member Posts: 1,223 ✭✭
Hello
I've begun reloading around 2 months ago. Thus far I have only done straight wall pistol calibers, specifically 9mm, .45 acp, .44 Spc and MAG. After around 600 rounds of experimenting, all have been acceptably accurate and I had only 1 malfunction, a FTFeed with a .45 in a Glock 21.
My question is in regards to case diameters. It seems with most of my rounds, I can see where the base of the bullet lies becuase of a slight case bulge. This is with both auto and revolver cartridges. all have chambered fine and I never have extraction issues. Using RCBS dies, I expand the case mouth to the point where the bullet to be loaded can just be placed in the case about 1/32" roughly without falling out when turned over.
I notice that I never see a similar bulge with factory purchased ammo.
Am I doing something incorrectly? Is it something that is cause for concern or will shorten case life?
I've begun reloading around 2 months ago. Thus far I have only done straight wall pistol calibers, specifically 9mm, .45 acp, .44 Spc and MAG. After around 600 rounds of experimenting, all have been acceptably accurate and I had only 1 malfunction, a FTFeed with a .45 in a Glock 21.
My question is in regards to case diameters. It seems with most of my rounds, I can see where the base of the bullet lies becuase of a slight case bulge. This is with both auto and revolver cartridges. all have chambered fine and I never have extraction issues. Using RCBS dies, I expand the case mouth to the point where the bullet to be loaded can just be placed in the case about 1/32" roughly without falling out when turned over.
I notice that I never see a similar bulge with factory purchased ammo.
Am I doing something incorrectly? Is it something that is cause for concern or will shorten case life?
Comments
I actually prefer some degree of a wasp-waist right behind the bullet in my pistol ammo, as it helps to prevent the deep-seating of bullets when they strike the feed ramp. Factory ammunition sometimes has a cannula right behind the bullet, to help prevent the rearward movement of bullets.
It's not a problem whatsoever, and even has slight benefits. The bullet fits tighter (better ignition and less movement on feeding or recoil), and the rounds feed easier.
Your sizer has to accommodate brass of greatly varying thicknesses from brand to brand, which is why they are made a bit tight. The factory knows exactly what its brass thickness is, and they can use a sizer tailored to that - hence, no pinched waist.