Why wouldn't my .357 mag die resize properly?

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rocket500

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Having trouble resizing my .357 brass correctly. It's once fired by me, handloads made with Starline brass, 125gr Hornady bullet, starting load of h110 powder and a magnum small pistol primer.

im using a Lee carbide resizing die. It is seated deep enough to reach the shell holder as the instructions tell me.

After resizing I can seat a bullet by hand (with a bit of effort).

At a bit of a loss. Any thoughts?
 
New die?
It could be out of spec. Is it a sizing die with the decapping pin in it or a factor crimp die?
Not to sound stupid but I've seen guys mix up dies before. Hell I've grabbed the wrong die a few times.
 
I don't load .357 but you resize then flare the mouth, are you doing both?

edit: yes, flare with expander die
 
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After you resize the shell you need to bell the end slightly using the "Powder Through Expanding Die, then seat the bullet with the "Seating Die". After which you use the Crimp Die.

Harry
 
It is the resizing die with the recapping rod I am using.

No point in flaring the case mouth if I can insert the bullet by hand after resizing.

Definately possible that the die is out of spec. Seems unlikely though?
 
If it is screwed in till the die touched the shellholder and maybe a little more if your press cams over then there isn't much you can do.
I'm going to say out of spec.
I does happen. I saw it with a brand new set of Dillon 223 dies. My buddy fudged with them for hours questioning his sanity and all other aspects of his reloading. Rounds wouldn't chamber.
Slapped in the ribs die and all was well. His die was out of spec.
 
I understand the need to flare the resized case but in this case no flare is needed as I can just jam the bullet in the resized case with no flare?
 
It's possible you could have an out of spec die.

Do you have any other headstamp brass aside from Starline? I ask because I've had this very same issue you describe but with PPU in 357 and 44 mag. The casewalls are thinner than other brass which allows you to insert a bullet without even flaring the case.

But starline is the some of the best brass you can get and I've had no issues with their brass in 357, 44, and 7.62x25. So I doubt it's the brass....
 
My Lee die sizes to .355 ID on my Speer brass - just enough neck tension for .357 bullets if you don't expand.
This is with two separate Lee carbide 38/357 sizing dies.

How are you measuring bullet diameter?
With calipers or a micrometer?
I can tell you from first hand experience that you can pretty much push a .3565 bullet into a .355 sized case as I have a box of plated bullets that I could only sort out about 120 that were .357+ and the rest were .3562-.3565


Sent from my C6530 using Tapatalk
 
Well, if it helps you out at all, I just checked and my fired SL goes .379-380 O.D., resized with RCBS carbide .372 and new is .374.
 
Measuring the bullets with a dial caliper. They are dead on .357. My Lee die is "resizing" to just about the same inner diameter. New brass is fine, I have no trouble loading with good neck tension.

I am am thinking the die has to be out of spec. Having no trouble with my reloaded rifle brass.
 
get on the phone or email lee, they are just as good at customer service as rcbs. if determined to be the die, and it sounds like it, you could possibly have a new replacement in your hands by saturday.
 
greencobra said:
get on the phone or email lee, they are just as good at customer service as rcbs. if determined to be the die, and it sounds like it, you could possibly have a new replacement in your hands by saturday.
Click to expand...

Lee is about a 2-3 day return for emails.
Last issue I had the service lady provided me with a link and when I used that link and ordered a new die it came up 0$ on the invoice.
IDK if this is something new or even standard operation.
I do know when you order small parts on line direct they are free except shipping.
Are you using the lee shell holder that came with the die set?
 
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Yes, using the Lee shell holder from the set. I have previously only loaded new manufacture brass with these dies. This was my first shot at reloading once fired brass with these dies. I have been loading other calibers successfully once using fired brass so I think my process is sound.
 
rocket500 said:
It is the resizing die with the recapping rod I am using.

No point in flaring the case mouth if I can insert the bullet by hand after resizing.

Definately possible that the die is out of spec. Seems unlikely though?
Click to expand...


I had a Dillon 9mm carbide die that was just a tiny smidge oversized, so the bullets weren't nearly tight enough. Similar symptoms as you describe.

Interestingly, it was only a problem with R•P brass. R•P is sufficiently high quality brass that I called Dillon and they sent me a new die which works perfectly.


Do you have any other brand brass you can try? If another brand works fine, you can either complain to the manufacturer, or just use different brass.

I'd get a new die to solve the problem once and for all.
 
Lee got back to me and said to try another brand of brass, that the brass may be too thin. They think this is most likely the cause. If that doesn't work they will replace the die.
 
rocket500 said:
Lee got back to me and said to try another brand of brass, that the brass may be too thin. They think this is most likely the cause. If that doesn't work they will replace the die.
Click to expand...

Are they really claiming that Starline brass might be too thin? That sounds like a weak excuse for not replacing the die.
 
milktree said:
Are they really claiming that Starline brass might be too thin? That sounds like a weak excuse for not replacing the die.
Click to expand...

It's certainly possible (mentioned this in my earlier post) but doubtful with quality brass like Starline.
 
Everything made by Lee is cheap crap, get what you pay for.

I recently called Lee about trimming 9x18, the trimmer what was cutting .006 to short. I was told that the mfg tolerances if stacked could result in a .006 short case. I was like the case needs to be at min trim, not .006 below, they offered no support. They knowingly sell a quick trim cut and cutter, that after full adjust +/- what should account for mfg tolerances, that will cut your brass to an unsafe length and Lee will do nothing about it. I sent all their crap back as defective.

The alignment pins in my lee molds shift after use, replaced it once and still shifted a 2nd time.

The universal decapping die works and bullet sizer works.
 
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It is possible the Starline brass wasn't annealed properly allowing the case to spring back after being resized. Try annealing one of your once fired cases and then size it to see. It is a long shot with pistol brass but you never know. Youtube has some annealing videos, some of them are good, some of them BS.
 
Borrowed an RCBS die and the brass resized properly. That pretty much confirms that the die is out of spec. I'll have to send it in.
 

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