How can you assure proper neck tension?

[Lugnut]

FYI- I posted this on an other forum and didn't get much good response yet.. plus I think it's a worthy discussion:

I've been reloading for a little bit now and have run into many common reloading issues but recently I noticed something just by chance. I pick up my brass at the range but sometimes when I'm shooting with others the brass gets mixed up. Anyway- tonight I was loading a couple hundred .45ACP and when I inserted a bullet into one of the cases I noticed it seemed to go in more than the others (after I put a slight bell on the brass I usually place the bullet in and give it a little push into the brass). After the seating stage I removed the cartridge and tried to push the bullet in more with my thumb to see how solid it was. Well I could push the bullet into the case without much force! I checked a bunch after this one and none were like this one.

How do you guys check for enough neck tension?? I would imagine this could pose a problem if I tried to fire that round.... no? There wasn't much tension on the bullet so I can't imagine that any setback could cause much more pressure though.

EDIT: For those of you with good memories. I did have this problem a while ago with a bad Hornady die with the wrong sleave.... I haven't been having these problems with many batches since I rec'd the new die.

 

[EddieCoyle]

...I inserted a bullet into one of the cases I noticed it seemed to go in more than the others...

Was it an R-P headstamp?

I've noticed that in some calibers, some brands of brass are thinner at the top, and therefore have a larger ID after you size them. This results in less "neck" tension and a weaker hold on the bullet. With revolver calibers and cannelured bullets, a crimp will fix the problem. With auto calibers, you're out of luck.

I've noticed this mostly with Remington brass in 10mm, .32 ACP, and .380. I "fixed" the 10mm by sorting the cases and using an EGW undersized die. I fixed the other calibers by not loading those cases.

 

[Lugnut]

Right on the money Jim!! It was an old R&P case. The more I reload the more I find new things to be careful of. I do have many R&P cases that seem to be fine but I'll make sure to check them again!

Do you check all your rounds manually?

 

[Supermoto]

Get a Lee U-die, takes care on this issue by sizing .001 under spec

 

[Lugnut]

Ok- a few folks have suggested the Lee U die. However, without over analyzing things... doesn't this put unnecessary strain on the cases- the ones that size just fine that is. Ironically I do use the undersize die for all .40 S&W but until now had no reason to consider this for .45ACP. Maybe I should start sorting brass....

 

[Supermoto]

you will end up throwing away more brass while sorting then brass that gets over worked by the U-die. Also why would you want to take the time to sort brass if you can solve the problem for $20

.45 brass is basically free, you can find it all over the place at the range. get a U-die at the very least to resize the case all the way down to get out any Glock bludge

 

[EddieCoyle]

Right on the money Jim!! It was an old R&P case. The more I reload the more I find new things to be careful of. I do have many R&P cases that seem to be fine but I'll make sure to check them again!

Do you check all your rounds manually?

I don't recall ever having had a problem with an R-P case in .45 ACP. Like Supermoto said, .45 ACP brass is ubiquitous. I probably have more than I'll ever load. When I used to collect it, I'd sort it before it went into my tumbler, and scrap the cases that were suspect.

The only time I pick it up now at the range is when I find piles of shiny new once-fired-with-the-ammo-boxes-still-in-the-trashcan Winchester cases.

 

[Lugnut]

All good points... I must say though it was quite alarming to see a case that just passed my sizer die and the bullet would slide all the way into the case... that sucks! I already have the undersize die... don't have much Glock brass though so I never used it much.

 

[JimB]

check the bullet

I was loading some 45acp last week, Penn 200gr lswc. i usually
move right along, and the same thing happened to me. the bullet
went way down into the case. Turned out to be a reject that had
gotten in with the others..... I checked it against some 185 gr.
and it was smaller than that.

Jim