Expander/powder die adjustment?
Quote from Reloader on September 18, 2008, 3:49 pmJust bought an RL5550B and have been setting it up to reload 9mm. My question concerns proper adjustment of the expander die and avoiding the "trumpet mouth."
I had been using a Lee Anniversary single-stage kit. The Lee expander die leaves an essentially straight-walled pocket in the brass, and the bullets sit nicely in the expanded brass.
With the Dillon expander plug, however, it seems to go directly from too-small, no-flare to too-big belled/trumpet mouth. I've got it so the bullet will sit in the cartridge, but it's so close to falling out that it just doesn't seem right to me.
Can someone post detailed photos of how much bell/trumpet is acceptable and how much is too much? I've seen the Brian Enos Competition Reloading video where he covers this topic, but the images simply aren't detailed enough to see what's going on.
BTW, I haven't done the micrometer measurement called for in the instructions yet.
Thanks!
Just bought an RL5550B and have been setting it up to reload 9mm. My question concerns proper adjustment of the expander die and avoiding the "trumpet mouth."
I had been using a Lee Anniversary single-stage kit. The Lee expander die leaves an essentially straight-walled pocket in the brass, and the bullets sit nicely in the expanded brass.
With the Dillon expander plug, however, it seems to go directly from too-small, no-flare to too-big belled/trumpet mouth. I've got it so the bullet will sit in the cartridge, but it's so close to falling out that it just doesn't seem right to me.
Can someone post detailed photos of how much bell/trumpet is acceptable and how much is too much? I've seen the Brian Enos Competition Reloading video where he covers this topic, but the images simply aren't detailed enough to see what's going on.
BTW, I haven't done the micrometer measurement called for in the instructions yet.
Thanks!
Quote from Reloader on October 2, 2008, 4:08 pmI don't have any pics, but calipers should do the trick. Size a case and measure the diameter of the case mouth. Adjust the flare so that a flared case mouth is at least .010" larger in diameter, and no more than .020" larger in diameter, than the unflared,sized case mouth. This ensures that the powder measure is fully actuated, without putting excessive wear on the brass.
I don't have any pics, but calipers should do the trick. Size a case and measure the diameter of the case mouth. Adjust the flare so that a flared case mouth is at least .010" larger in diameter, and no more than .020" larger in diameter, than the unflared,sized case mouth. This ensures that the powder measure is fully actuated, without putting excessive wear on the brass.