Best Carbide Die??

TriumphGuy

I am a bit disappointed in the inability of my carbide dies to fully re-size cases all the way to the rim. I realize it is impossible to fully re-size a case and still have clearance for a shellholder to get a proper grip around a rim, but I think they could do better. One of my dies doesn't even come close, leaving a bulge well up on the case wall. Some dies are worse with a thick retaining rim to hold the carbide insert in the die body. I've tried three brands so far and am not thrilled with any. Hornady dies with TiN coating appear to offer a solution but I thought I would check with you experts.

charliemeyer007

I like my Lee carbide dies, they have been in service with me since the 70's. The only true full length sizer are the Lyman type that are pound in and out, no shell holder.

So I'll guess it 9mm or 40S&W that are fired in a pistol that doesn't fully support the case.

perry shooter

My STAR With LIFETYME dies work great they are carbide but will not work in other brand Presses . I like Redding dies but real problem Is the barrels in the pistol you are shooting . My GUESS it is a well known pistol that starts with the letter G. I would never shoot reloaded ammo in one of those pistols even if you do IRON the buldge out the case is weakened.[V][xx(][:(!]

Ray B

Wilson dies operate without a shellholder, so the case is pressed completely to the rim; or if you have a press you can grind/file the shellholder down and adjust the die farther down in the press, resulting in more of the case being sized, but watchout, you may weaken the shellholder to the point that its rim pulls out, leaving nothing to grip the case.

Hawk Carse

I have the EGW/Lee Undersize carbide die. They say:
"A must for the serious reloader: EGW offers custom designed, carbide sizing dies that are 0.001" smaller in diameter than typical dies. Not only is it smaller in diameter, the bottom corner is radiused which sizes the case further down. This helps prevent feed failures from cases that bulged near the base during reloading- which is typical of brass fired in Glocks and other loose chambered guns."
http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=product&id=838

bpost

Is your issue cosmetic or functional?

If it is cosmetic I would not worry about it; the less you work the brass when reloading the longer it will last. I want to avoid work hardening the base of a case like the plague and trying to size it will work harden it. A neck split is one thing, a base rupture will ruin your day and your gun.

If the issue is functional then you have gun issues.

243winxb

quote:I've tried three brands so far You would seem to be the problem? Sorry. Loading to hot will bulge pistol brass. Have you tried the "Lee Bulge Buster Kit " http://leeprecision.com/case-conditioning-tools/lee-bulge-buster-kit/ [:)]

rsnyder55

quote:Originally posted by 243winxb
quote:I've tried three brands so far You would seem to be the problem? Sorry. Loading to hot will bulge pistol brass. Have you tried the "Lee Bulge Buster Kit " http://leeprecision.com/case-conditioning-tools/lee-bulge-buster-kit/ [:)]


If you go into the description of the kit, it specifically warns against reloading Glock cases or cases that are fired in unsupported chambers.

Glock Cases: We do not recommend "fixing" cases fired in pistols with unsupported chambers, because there is no way to make them safe once they have bulged. The case wall is thinned where it bulges, and resizing the outside of the case back down to the correct diameter does not restore the case back to its original thickness. If this case is fired in a pistol with an unsupported chamber again, and this thinned section of brass happens to line up with the unsupported part of the chamber, there is a high probability that the case will rupture.

243winxb

I seen and read it.

TriumphGuy

Sorry for the lack of clarity. My issue is with rimmed, straight wall cases, .38 spl/.357 mag, .44 spl/.44 mag, and .45 Colt. This is not the well documented "G" bulge on rimless rounds. My .38 spl/.357 mag sizing die, Lyman brand, leaves a small shoulder just above the case head, and seated bullets bulge the case back out a bit, leaving a reverse shoulder. Small, probably cosmetic issues, that probably don't affect anything except case life which is pretty good otherwise as I don't press upper limits on recipes. The paper targets fall just as dead with mid-range target loads. I admire the reloads I see in Handloader magazine. They generally have well formed crimps and no blemishes on the case walls, but they should considering who is loading them.

charliemeyer007

It sounds like your carbide die is undersized a bit, thus the ridge shoulder near the rim and the bulge from seating bullets. I have a Herter's carbide die that does the same thing and it was really expensive way back then.

You could open up the carbide insert a little, there are special "usually green" compounds/wheels to work carbide. Very slow going.

I took a tapered reamer to my Lee 44 mag crimp die. Before a barely detectable case length variation resulted in too much or too little crimp. Now properly adjusted it works great.

243winxb

I use RCBS dies for 38/357, 44, 45acp. my carbide dies are set with a gap the thickness of a nickel between the shell holder & carbide die. The rounds always chamber, ever the hot W296 44mag loads. The bulge at the bullets base is common, showing good tension on the bullet. AT times, to much tension on very soft lead alloy bullets. They may be sized smaller in diameter.

geeguy

Sounds like the issue is not the dies, however,a good way to check:
1. get a Cartridge Gage for one Cal.
2. Size the brass and check in the gage, should easily fit.
3. Assure the bullet "easily" enters the case, but not to large.
4. Do not crimp with std dies, buy a Lee Final Crimp die.
5. Start to crimp little at a time and keep checking with the gage until the crimp suits your needs.

Sounds like you are creating the issue in the final crimp die.

Best of luck