Lead boolits and Revolver Cylinders

Just a brief note to remind you that when you reload cast bullets that are larger than jacket, you may have to use an M-die expander to stretch the case enough in order to not bulge the case, while at the same time fitting the cylinder. Then once bullet is seated it will need to be crimped, I use a Lee FCD, just enough to hold but also enough to bring the case back down to size that will allow the cartridges to kerplunk into the cylinder and fall out freely. That’s what’s going on in this picture on the reloading bench today, making sure the finished cartridge is of correct size to fit the cylinder without stoppage. S&W 1905 3rd Change 4” barrel in 32WCF or 32/20.

https://i.imgur.com/3vS7e4bl.jpg

I love the Lee Factory Crimp Dies and use them a lot. However, for revolver rounds that use lead bullets I punch out the carbide ring. My cast bullets are large and often show some bulge on the case, which works just fine. The carbide die will squeeze down the OD and create undersized lead bullets.

I guess that’ll work, but for a bottleneck cartridge it could cause enough pressure to crumple the case, as my experience has shown. Also, I size bullets for a specific diameter and don’t want them swaged down. The 32-20 has been a true reloading learning experience. Glad your process works for you and you found a work around too.

The Lee crimp die for bottleneck cartridges doesn't have the carbide ring, it has a collet that creates the crimp.

Did you ever pull one of the loaded bullets to see if resizing the case also affected the bullet size?

For anything but lead bullets, I really like the Lee FCDies.

Straight wall revolver cases? Flare, seat, roll crimp, done. Preferably on my SDB at 400 an hour.

For a long time the only 45s on hand were quite happy with as cast @.454-.4545 . Then I secured a S&W 1917 and it wouldn't chamber over .4532 with any sort of a front band .

I load Colts ,S&W , and ACPs for Colts , S&W , and Ruger revolvers. After all the stories about the sloppy war horses it was nice to find perfect dimensions in the Smith ...... It kind a sucks having to segregate bullets just for the S&W . I have a specific mould just for the S&W 1917 as it also refuses to run the 454424 NOE or Lyman round groove . The H&G #130 works well also but I wanted 250 gr and settled for 230 over the 196 gr #130 .

Size , flare , seat , just enough crimp to remove the flair .

I was advised by Tom at Accurate Molds not to use the FCD as it swages down the bullets.

I run a Redding Profile crimp and bullets plunk just fine.

For .38/.357s with throats .358 & up, I load wadcutters as-cast (.360) without sizing the brass. A plain ‘ol RCBS expander does the trick.

Loaded in Starline or Federal wadcutter brass, they chamber in any of the dozen .38/.357s I own, including the one with the tightest chambers, which surprisingly is an early S&W Model 60.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jtarm

I was advised by Tom at Accurate Molds not to use the FCD as it swages down the bullets.

I run a Redding Profile crimp and bullets plunk just fine.

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I guess I could use the crimp from the RCBS Cowboy dies and try that….

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cast10

I guess I could use the crimp from the RCBS Cowboy dies and try that….

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I should’ve qualified that it was with a specific bullet, which was .003 oversized, but I’ve stopped using the FCD for revolvers.

It’s what works for me. YMMV.

That's exactly why i pop the carbide ring out. It only crimps without it.

These are the best straight walled handgun crimp dies.

https://leeprecision.com/357-magnum-...tyle-crimp-die

Note that this one is for 357, you could buy two and have one of the collets shortened to accommodate 38spl since they don't show one for 38spl, but at $15 it's affordable to have two, one for each caliber.

I find these rather easy to modify, as I have done quite a few Lee collet crimp dies. Here is a thread detailing mods to a 45 Colt die, 38 Special would be made from a modded 357 die along the same lines.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...=1#post2239315

I just crimp enough to hold the bullet and close the bell…..