Expander issues

[Brad]

I finally got a mould for my 32 H&R revolver. I am sizing to .312. I have a set of Hornady dies. The expander in the die set expands the case to .310+ as a .310 gauge pin easily slides in but a .311 doesn't fit. This gives me a bullet that I can seat with my fingers, a bit loose for my taste. I want to feel a little resistance when seating a bullet.
I will, in time, load for this on my Dillon. The powder funnel that came with the 550 conversion kit is at the opposite end of the spectrum. It measures at .307! The expander doesn't even touch the inside of the case so other than flare the case mouth it won't do a damn thing.
I think something closer to .309-.310 would be ideal. Comments?

I will be making a new powder funnel for the Dillon most likely. I will try the one I have first but I can see issues with bullets getting a little squeeze down on seating.

 

[freebullet]

I have a Lee universal and some noe plugs that you can use to get by if you want.

 

[Brad]

Now that just wouldn't be fair, would it? Where is the challenge in taking the easy way out?
Wife is out of town this weekend and I don't have to work. Seems like an ideal time to make a new expander or even a new powder funnel.
I have a couple of the Lee expanders, they came with a few die sets. I need to see what it takes to make a new expander for one.

 

[358156 hp]

Who made your die set?

 

[Brad]

The 32 H&R is a new Hornady set. The Dillon powder funnel was made, obviously, by Dillon.
Hornady makes their expanders such that it is all but impossible to measure the spud, it is removable.

 

[freebullet]

Well, damn...party at Brad's house yall!

Ok maybe not but, it would be easier to copy my noe plug than start from scratch.

 

[quicksylver]

What are you sizing the bullets?

Almost again almost sounds Like the cases are not getting sized enough or are old ..seems to me there should be some spring back after they are expanded..

Got a similar situation with 30-30 cases..thin necks with little or no spring back ..I have to size them down more than I care to do but doing so makes them useable..

 

[Ian]

Spud diameter .001" smaller than bullet diameter usually does the trick, except for 9mm and .40 SW. .001" under should give you about .002" "tension". Make as long of a tapered point as you can for your Dillon expander/charging die so you don't crunch case mouths if the case doesn't perfectly line up with it. With .35 cal and smaller it's a challenge to make a PTE spud that has a big enough hole for powder and yet a small enough, tapered point that it will still easily stab inside the case.

 

[Brad]

Sizer makes cases small enough that a bullet will not start in case. Even then the Dillon funnel won't touch inside of case, it rattles around.
I would like about .001 more tension than I have. Right now I am at .001 and it isn't enough with the thin walls of the brass.
This is all new Starline brass so it isn't a brass issue.

 

[gman]

I'm in the same boat loading cast with the Dillon. I've been expanding case mouths on my Rock Chucker with either plugs from Buckshot or the ones I have from NOE.

 

[Brad]

Top is the Dillon, bottom is the one I just made. The angle for the flare is a little steeper but that shouldn't be an issue. I can adjust that if needed.
The Dillon measure .307, mine is .3098.
Will be interesting to run a comparison and see how seating force is changed.

Made a new Star pusher for this gun too. Those short little bullets didn't like the one I had, it was too short. I couldn't get a decent lube pump unless the bullet was short of the lube grooves mating with the holes. I could have made a new size die with holes closer to the top but this is a far easier solution.