Pass-Thru Sizing using LEE FCD

[scubadds]

thanks all for sharing
I assumed my Dillon full length carbide dies would take care of the bulge? Seated all the way to the shellplate....
I am just gearing up to reload 10mm, and have not gotten my bucket of range brass in my hands to inspect yet...

[sstewart]

I have the Reding GRX carbide kit. It's more money but it's turnkey.

[gandog56]

I like the few Redding dies I have. Too bad they are so much more expensive than the Lee equivalent sets.

[scubadds]

question: I went over to a friends commercial reloading facility last night....
They have two Dillon 1050's set up just to remove bulge on .40 cases;

They are only using the Dillon FL die, I ran a few 10mm thru and did the "before and after case gauge check"

It worked fine to remove the glock bulge...

Is that not adequate?
Sorry to ask what may be a obvious question; but I was going to get the Redding setup- but not sure why I need it?

Is the pass thru more for "smiley" brass?

[sstewart]

Like a lot of things in life, its  matter of how much do you want to fix it. FL dies don't really get that last little bit at the rim. Push thru dies do since the whole case passes thru. Theoretically there is less chance of a ramp blow out etc. Your mileage may vary as you make your decision, you pay your money, and take your chances. (play the probabilities)

So, its really your decision here.

[Pablo]

Exactly what sstewart says. I bought a Lee sizer but really don't need it as none of my chambers seem to have enough unsupported area to cause problematic swelling.

[scubadds]

thanks for spoon feeding me on this one....
I get it now....

[The_Shadow]

scubadds, Dillon makes good products especially dies...but you may still want to consider Pass-Through sizing.

I will say, some die sets are better than others for case sizing.  However, the shell plate or shell holder does occupy space and the radius of the sizer die itself equates to missing the very part just above the start of the extractor groove cut.

While it may seem like your cases are fine in a loose chamber or the cases being reused may not have expanded quite as much as those being of higher impulse rounds, eventually you will find where a cartridge that was not pass through sized may not fit a tighter chambered barrel.  If you have a cartridge case gauge, you may see where some will not even fit.

I will also add that it has been the very best step to insure 100% positive feeding reliability for me across all of my guns and barrels being used to include 10mm, 40S&W, 357Sig and 9x25Dillon because I do Pass-Through size them all prior to standard sizing.

Why did I go with the LEE FCD?  I heard where it was a good final crimp die...this was not the case, as it can squeeze the cartridge in such a way that it can reduce the bullet size slightly as they enter the carbide sizing ring.  This left the bullets undersized and loose in some loadings.  Therefore I quit using it for that purpose.

But using that same FCD with its carbide ring to Pass-Through size, has been 100% effective in restoring all of my used brass (except SMILED cases) to very trust worthy cartridges. 

I have tested SMILED cases even with popped/missing primers that were Pass-Through sized and it ironed out the SMILE enough to pass a case gauge , but the SMILE remained and the primer pocket was restored enough to even hold another primer.  While it is not recommended this cartridge was loaded and fired with a moderate load.

[cwall64]

I use the Redding GR-X die, never tried the Lee, but it is a simple mindless step after polishing for me.  It takes very little time since it is a passthrough operation (I have a catch bottle on top that probably holds 200+ 10mm cases) and I can watch TV or listen to the radio while doing.  I never tried the Lee, it is a good bit cheaper and others here swear by it (I have always been a fan of RCBS or Redding dies).

When using the die I can really tell which rounds were fired through my Glock 20 with KKM barrel (or S&W 1006) versus which ones went through the Glock 29 with stock barrel!

[scubadds]

How you guys feel about running loaded .40 thru the Grx? Is there primer pressure??? I have not seen one, nor felt the pressure it takes to pass thru

I ask because a ran across some "seconds" .40 that have a slight bulge; (reloads made before the pre-processed the cases)

[The_Shadow]

It can be done but it is possible that the resizing may squeeze the bullet smaller, but it will work.  I noticed this in the LEE FCD as a finish die and as pass through setup...

[gandog56]

How you guys feel about running loaded .40 thru the Grx? Is there primer pressure??? I have not seen one, nor felt the pressure it takes to pass thru

I ask because a ran across some "seconds" .40 that have a slight bulge; (reloads made before the pre-processed the cases)

If there is absolutely no primer protrusion, probably. Not a good practice, though.

[Taterhead]

How you guys feel about running loaded .40 thru the Grx? Is there primer pressure??? I have not seen one, nor felt the pressure it takes to pass thru

I ask because a ran across some "seconds" .40 that have a slight bulge; (reloads made before the pre-processed the cases)

The primer is not so much of an issue as is neck tension. You don't want to squeeze down a loaded case. The bullet is softer then brass. Itblikely would swage the bullet slightly. The springier brass will "bounce back" slightly, and tension can be reduced. It is the same concept of how neck tension is compromised by too much taper or LFCD crimp.

EDIT:

Regarding the "seconds". If something weren't right about the case specs, I'd most likely pull them. Remove the de-capping stem, so as to not remove the primer, and then re-size, bell and reload.

[DM1906]

You can use the FCD or GRX with loaded rounds. The primer isn't an issue, as the ram will either be a flat surface that engages the case head, or actually has a relief in the center (such as the Lee Bulge Buster kit ram), that prevents primer-anvil contact completely.

If your bullets are getting squeezed, using the FCD or GRX, something else is REALLY wrong, and you'll need to start from scratch. If it does this, the round won't fit in (almost) any chamber. The FCD is a case crimping die, meaning, if you are using it as such, the case w/bullet WILL pass through it at least twice. This wasn't an accident, but by design, to ensure the loaded rounds will fit the chambers. The FCD carbide ring is about chamber diameter, similar to the GRX.

As far as correcting loaded ammo with (slightly) bulged cases goes, I'd not recommend it, but I'd probably do it myself, depending on the circumstances. I've done this with my own target loads many times, but I don't know if I'd do it with other's loads. Too much unknown. Ideally, they should be disassembled, properly sized then reloaded, as previously suggested.

[EdMc]

Off topic, but......welcome back DM1906. You've been missed.