Jacketed bullet bases DO get nicked!

[Elric]

I just pulled down 12 heavy jacketed loads for the .414 Supermag (210gr XTPs), and I noticed at least a third had nicks on the base edge of the bullet. Huh, I prepped each case with inner and outer neck chamfering, flash hole uniforming, and primer pocket uniforming, yet these bases were nicked.

Would this have made the round less than minute of deer? I think not, but in-line dies or Vickermans make a lot more sense.... Either that, or just the faintest kiss of an expander to protect the base.

Honestly, I use M dies on all my cast bullet loads, gas check or plain base. I have never pulled down jacketed flat base bullets before...

 

[freebullet]

yet these bases were nicked.

Yep, look at the chamfered brass under a magnifying glass & you'll see why. I have a little cup filled with 4'0 steel wool on the Lyman auto spinner. The long range brass gets a once over that on the mouth, then tumbled again.

It only matters when it does.

 

[Elric]

I have a little cup filled with 4'0 steel wool on the Lyman auto spinner.

I was just on Lyman, and I'm not noticing it. I have seen them before, but didn't care at that time. Like a hex shank nut driver socket, stuffed with steel wool....

 

[freebullet]

I made mine. Your description is spot on. I picked up that tip from varmint Al's articles.

 

[Brad]

A cordless drill, an old brush, and a wrap of 0000 steel wool works too. Run it in the neck and back out. All those little burrs go away.

 

[Elric]

I made mine. Your description is spot on. I picked up that tip from varmint Al's articles.

http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Neck_Chamfer
http://www.varmintal.com/spinner2.jpg
"An off-the-shelf nut setter for a power screwdriver works very well to hold the steel wool for smoothing the neck mouths"

Hmm, 11mm nut driver (I'm sure a bit larger wouldn't hurt)

 

[Elric]

Hmm, 11mm nut driver (I'm sure a bit larger wouldn't hurt)

Hablando del Rey de Roma... 7/16 is 11.11mm, that is super precise for what we're doing....