What went wrong? (pictures inside)

[soundguy]

do you own a set of calipers?

have you read the paper insert that came with your (3? ) die set?

[The Joker]

Yea thats what I dont understand, I am doing everything exactly like in the papers that came in the die sets and I have done other calibers and never had this issue.
I do have a stainless Rockford Arsenal caliper. Thats how I know with the flare the diameter of those cases are too wide at .390
I am trying to play with the expanding die to see if I can get it to cause a little less of a flare but cant do it.

[cycloneman]

you have to follow the instructions to a tee. Exactly like they say in the vidoe i provided from lee. take your time and do it exactly as they do. your dies are not set right.

[aa1911]

if you want less flare, you back the insert out (counter-clockwise) until you get what you want. Throw the die in with the insert backed way out or removed; then insert a case and run it up into the die all the way. Take the insert and screw it in until you start making contact with the case mouth. Then it's just trial and error, slowly screwing in the insert until you get the desired amount of flare. Set the lock ring and you're good to go.

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/Pistol3.pdf

you have these instructions? ^^ see number 3

[The Joker]

Yea I am doing it step by step. I do think there might be something with my die now. It seems that backing up the die is not changing the flare at all. I am trying different cases and it seems that no matter how I set up the die they keep coming out to .390

[cycloneman]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Yea I am doing it step by step. I do think there might be something with my die now. It seems that backing up the die is not changing the flare at all. I am trying different cases and it seems that no matter how I set up the die they keep coming out to .390

Why does the flare matter? Seating the bullet and crimping will make this all go away? What am i not following?

[cycloneman]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Yea thats what I dont understand, I am doing everything exactly like in the papers that came in the die sets and I have done other calibers and never had this issue.
I do have a stainless Rockford Arsenal caliper. Thats how I know with the flare the diameter of those cases are too wide at .390
I am trying to play with the expanding die to see if I can get it to cause a little less of a flare but cant do it.

YOUr not gona get the die to do this. It is ment to expand the case. When you put the bullet in the case does it dissapear? What is the issue?

[The Joker]

After expanding the case, I still cannot easily put it by hand into the seating die. (not using a press just holding each in my hands). Thats why I felt it harder then usual when I was trying to load this up, I had to put extra pressure on the lever.

[cycloneman]

So your holdig the seating die in one hand and the unfinished bullet in the other hand and your tryng to seat the bullet with your hands not the press?

Am i understanding you right?

[cycloneman]

.

[myfriendis410]

Back the expander die body out so that you have just enough expansion of the case to start the bullet in it. You are over expanding the case which makes it too big to go into your seating/crimping die. You said before that you were using .38 special dies so this makes sense to me.

[howlnmad]

The excessive flaring has got to be caused by the expander die inserted to far into the press.

Another question for this one. Since you said only 7 out of 50 gave you these results, are they all the same headstamped brass?

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by cycloneman

So your holdig the seating die in one hand and the unfinished bullet in the other hand and your tryng to seat the bullet with your hands not the press?

Am i understanding you right?

Yes Obviously not trying to actually press them together, just to test fit them. That is why I know I am over flaring.

As I said before the dies are .38 special but it is also labeled as "can do .357 magnum too" It is mixed brass that I got from the range.

[streetbob]

Joker if you can, go buy a set of RCBS dies. I have them for the .38 Special/.357 Magnum and I don't have a problem with them. I reload both calibers for my mother's pistol. On RCBS expander dies all you have to do is run the ram to the top of the press stroke with the shell holder installed, screw in the die till it touches the shell holder, tighten up the lock ring on the die, install a .38 or .357 case into the shell holder, adjust the expander till it touches case,lower the ram, I turn the expander plug 1 full turn at a time and run the case through the die till I get the bell I like (usually takes 2 1/2 to 3 turns). I am not knocking the Lee dies (I have a Lee FCD for every caliber I reload for) but the RCBS dies seem easier to operate to me.

[aa1911]

I also use RCBS for all my dies. the Lee factory crimp dies are great and found their way into my reloading bench not long ago but Lee is far from the best quality out there.

that being said, they still work just fine and will give you equal results

[The Joker]

I think I may have found the problem. I am almost embarrassed to post this.
All the deformed looking ones actually ended up being from the same manufacture of brass. I was using assorted brass but just the ones labeled as R-P underneath gave me a problem. Except one, one of their cases didnt give me an issue and seems to be like a good solid round. Anyone else have an issue with R-P brass?

[streetbob]

RP is Remington brass, I reload them without a problem. Matter of fact if I use factory loaded ammo for plinking my PF-9 has tighter groups with the Remington UMC then the Winchester White Box.

[streetbob]

Also if you want to get rid of those R-P cases I would be more than happy to take them off your hands!