Crimp issue

[SouthwestShooter]

 Just started having problem with loose bullets after final crimp on my coated bullets.

 

Started getting 5-10 loose bullets  out of 100. Tried resetting crimp and called Dillon without success.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

Even tried bullets from 2 different manufacturers and changing to 100 grain coated bullets.

 

[El Sobrante Kid]

The crimp mostly keeps the bullet in place. The neck sizing creates the tension that holds the bullet. Any chance that your most recent supply of bullets is .0005 to .001 smaller in diameter than the previous bullets? It could also be that bullets of different diameters ended up in your supply.

[SouthwestShooter]

Will check with micrometer.  Thanks 

[Griff]

Did you recently change the sizer/decapper @ station 1?  Is its depth in the toolhead the same as before?  How old is your sizer?  Even carbide or tool steel dies can wear?  Are you using the Dillon powder measure and expander?  If so did you recently change the height of the powder die?  

[Sedalia Dave]

What caliber?

 

Most likely cause is improperly sized bullets.

[Sixgun Seamus]

Had the same problem once. Turned out the bullets were undersized. 1 or 2 thousandths makes a huge difference. Mike them to make sure. The good crimp held them in but they spun in the case. Used them anyway and all went bang and hit the target.

[Choctaw Jack]

A Lee Factory Crimp Die usually takes care of this problem.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

OP, did you measure the bullet diameter? 

Sounds like they are undersized. 

[Boggus Deal #64218]

I use the Dillon powder measure activator for the 1050. It just bells the case mouth to be able to seat a bullet without expanding the case. 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I found that 38 Special brass with a R-P headstamp has the least neck tension.  I only use this brass for revolver ammo.  Starline, Federal, Winchester and most foreign-made brass all have adequate neck tension.

[SouthwestShooter]

12 hours ago, Griff said:

Did you recently change the sizer/decapper @ station 1?  Is its depth in the toolhead the same as before?  How old is your sizer?  Even carbide or tool steel dies can wear?  Are you using the Dillon powder measure and expander?  If so did you recently change the height of the powder die?  

Thanks. Will check all of that. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

I found that 38 Special brass with a R-P headstamp has the least neck tension.  I only use this brass for revolver ammo.  Starline, Federal, Winchester and most foreign-made brass all have adequate neck tension.

What make of size die do you use?

I use RCBS and have no issues with R-P brass.

I also use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

18 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

What make of size die do you use?

I use RCBS and have no issues with R-P brass.

I also use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. 

I use a Lee die for sizing 38 Special but then a RCBS cowboy expander die (for small lots of BP ammo).  On my Dillion 650 I just use Dillon dies.  I use the Lee Factory Crimp on 38 Special brass as this brass has enough dimensional variation that I could not consistently get quality crimps otherwise.  My other revolver brass crimps nicely without a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

16 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

I use a Lee die for sizing 38 Special but then a RCBS cowboy expander die (for small lots of BP ammo).  On my Dillion 650 I just use Dillon dies.  I use the Lee Factory Crimp on 38 Special brass as this brass has enough dimensional variation that I could not consistently get quality crimps otherwise.  My other revolver brass crimps nicely without a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

What's the diameter of the expander? 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Post a picture or two of the finished cartridge. 

[watab kid]

i had this issue with my "NEW" starline brass that i didnt resize - only did 100 before i caught this , now i know to resize new brass before reloading [loading ]

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

5 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

What's the diameter of the expander? 

0.355-inch

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

11 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

0.355-inch

You may need a tighter size die.

Measure the diameter of a hand full of bullets and look for any under .358 dia.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, watab kid said:

i had this issue with my "NEW" starline brass that i didnt resize - only did 100 before i caught this , now i know to resize new brass before reloading [loading ]

OP, is this new or used brass you're run'n? 

[40Chev]

16 hours ago, Choctaw Jack said:

A Lee Factory Crimp Die usually takes care of this problem.

I use that weight bullet and the Lee Factory Crimp die.

Where did you find coated bullets? 

[Choctaw Jack]

I cast and coat my own.

Lee makes the mold, and I use automotive grade powder for the coating.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

OP, any updates? 

[Bison Bud]

I don't think you said whether your using a roll crimp or a taper crimp or whether you crimping in a separate station or seating and crimping at the same time.  However, on a roll crimp you should be able to see that the edge is turned in adequately to hold the bullet.  You might want to disassemble the crimping die and throughly clean it as they do build up with crud and that can cause some inconsistant results.  Anyway, I do agree with others here that the most likely problem is inconsistent bullet size, especially if your casting your own.  I had a 5 cavity Lee mold that varied so much I quit using it altogether.  Are you sizing your cast bullets?  You should be able to tell if one varies considerably as the lever pull will be lighter or heavier depending on whether the bullet is undersized or oversized.  I was getting oversized bullets from the Lee mold, that locked up the sizer when I tried to run them through.  Even though Lee claims that there is no need to size cast bullets when using their liquid Alox lube, I would never again do so.  Good luck and good shooting to all.