reloading 38spec 38spl case neck expansion? What diameter?

[Tall John]

To what diameter (0.00") do you expand your brass case necks on 38 special brass when reloading?  I'm setting up my Hornady LNL AP to use a Powder through expander bushing to open up one of the stations on my press for a bullet feeder die.  To this point I have just expanded enough to where the bullet won't fall off during the seating process but adding the bullet feeder die to my process may require a little more expansion and I don't want to over do it.  I'm loading SNS 125 grn RNFP and 147 Grn RNFP coated lead bullets.

 

And no I'm not switching to Dillon....yet

[Eyesa Horg]

I bell them just enough to avoid shaving the coating/lead.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Make 5 loads with your current setting, then if still shaving lead or having bullets not auto-sit in the bell, you can slowly add a little more expansion and make 5 more.  Stop when it works perfect. 

 

The more expanding you do, the shorter the case life can be (almost no one anneals .38 spl to relieve the belling stress).  And the more attention you have to pay to make sure your crimping reduces all the bell for easy chambering of the loaded round.

 

Bell diameter measurement alone won't tell you much, it's going to be relative to what your bullet diameter (and even hardness) and the shape of the expander button.  Bevel based bullets need less belling than square base (flat) bullets.  So, too many variables if you try to measure your way to the right answer.  Try loading a few and slowly work up to success "in the real world". 

 

good luck, GJ

 

 

[Three Gun Cole]

I use the expanding die included with the bullet feeder, I belt just enough to stop shaving lead. (Trial & error)   The Mr Bullet die is better than the dillon.   Bullets sit flat and load smoother.

 

 

3GC

[Snake-eye, SASS#45097]

On my LNL I bell the case about .003 over the sized case dimension. I also found the with the Hornady bullet feeder die if I use a bullet with a beveled base it sits well in the case. Flat base bullets tend to not sit straight.

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Tall,

 

Sounds like you have gotten some good advise for your set up. That said, I'm a big fan of the Lyman "M" two dia. expand die. It opens the case to bullet tension dia. then opens the mouth of the case a little more to seat the bullet. It can bell the mouth if needed, but I have never needed to do that. I think the the two dia. approach without belling can increase gas life substantially, especially with cowboy level loads. 

 

Rev. Chase

[Tall John]

Thanks everyone!

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

Oh, for a sixth station.

 

I run an RCBS Lockout Die on my LNL-AP; in order to seat and taper crimp is separate steps I use the Hornady PTX in my powder measure with generally good results.

 

I did not like the PTX with .38 Special; I had too many instances of the expander catching the edge of the case mouth.  Yes, the timing was correct and my shellplate was snugged down.  It still happened more than it should have.  I went back to an expander die in Station 2; I seat and roll crimp in Station 5 with revolver cartridges.

["Big Boston"]

A neat trick I discovered. I expand/bell to the point where the case mouth just drags when it enters the mouth of a LEE FCD. I fine tune form there, if I have to. 

 

BB