[robc51]

Having an issue when reloading .380 case is bulging when seating bullets. Please help any ideas. I'm using RCBS carbide reloading dies in a Dillon XL650 press. Please help.

 

[LeMat]

What brand of cases are they?

Is it really a bulge simply caused by the bullet, or is the case getting crumpled when taper crimping?

Are you seating and crimping at the same time?

Will the bulged cases chamber?

I reload quite a bit of 380 and get bulges every so often. Some brass is different than others and vary in thickness. Depending on the bulge, they might be just fine.

.380 can be a real pain in the butt.

 

[-06]

If you are loading cast then run them through a sizer to insure diameter. May try expanding the mouth a bit more. My Sig 232 does not like my reloads but the Colt eats everything.

 

[Indyarms]

Possibly too high of a load density... your bullet is crushing the powder, and causing a bulge. I had this issue when reloading 458 socom. I had to swap to a WIN 296 powder. load density was below 100% so it seated fine with no bulge.

 

[AABEAR]

If it is the powder use Winchester 231.

 

[hoplophile]

Are you sure the bullets are the proper diameter for .380? Bullets designed for 9 X 18 Makarov have a larger diameter (.364) than 9 X 17 / .380 or 9MM Parabellum / Luger, which are both .356. In this case it would cause the bulging you describe when seating the bullet.

 

[ssb73q]

Having an issue when reloading .380 case is bulging when seating bullets. Please help any ideas. I'm using RCBS carbide reloading dies in a Dillon XL650 press. Please help.

Hi rob, I don't do .380 reloading, but do quite a bit of .45 ACP reloading. I always use a Lee factory crimp die as my last reloading step. The factory crimp die resizes the completed round to produce a correct round diameter. Without the factory crimp die many of my .45 ACP would be too diameter oversized to reliability chamber. Using the factory crimp die as my last step guarantees that each of the rounds are the correct size.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Richard

 

[AABEAR]

Do you have a max cartridge gage? I have one for every thing that I load. By using it you can spot check to see if they will be inspect. Have saved me from a lot of work.