357 Magnum brass will not fit gauge after resizing.

[vicpinto]

So yesterday I decided to start loading up some 357 test loads to try out at the range. Final check was making sure they fit in my L.E. Wilson max cartridge gauge. To my surprise, some did not. I got curious and wanted to figure out why. The finished rounds drop all the way into the gauge until they get to the web portion of the case. I know the resizing die (an RCBS carbide 3 Die Set) and resizing dies in general to not resize this part of the case so I was pretty sure it wasn't anything I did when seating or crimping the bullets. For shits and giggle I started dropping resized empty cases in to the gauge and a third of the quick sample I did would not drop all the way in.

So this is a brass problem. Reading online some of the causes seem to be really hot loads bulging the web area and/or improper resizing over the life of the case. This is new to me once fired/take your guess how many times fired brass, so I have no idea how they have been treated. I plan on running the remaning empty cases through the gauge. The question is what to do with the ones that do not fit. Can they be saved or are they destined for the cull bin?

 

[TrashcanDan]

Cull bin, unless you can find a die that reaches that far down. And if its that bad, its close to case head separation.
Bulging like that is most likely from (over) chamfered cylinders.
Just out of curiosity, do they fit in the cylinder of whatever you're shooting or do they still hang up?

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

So yesterday I decided to start loading up some 357 test loads to try out at the range. Final check was making sure they fit in my L.E. Wilson max cartridge gauge. To my surprise, some did not. I got curious and wanted to figure out why. The finished rounds drop all the way into the gauge until they get to the web portion of the case. I know the resizing die (an RCBS carbide 3 Die Set) and resizing dies in general to not resize this part of the case so I was pretty sure it wasn't anything I did when seating or crimping the bullets. For shits and giggle I started dropping resized empty cases in to the gauge and a third of the quick sample I did would not drop all the way in.

So this is a brass problem. Reading online some of the causes seem to be really hot loads bulging the web area and/or improper resizing over the life of the case. This is new to me once fired/take your guess how many times fired brass, so I have no idea how it they have been treated. I plan on running the remaning empty cases through the gauge. The question is what to do with the ones that do not fit. Can they be saved or are they destined for the cull bin?

I would look into pickup up an old steel sizing die. You can usually find the set cheap at gun stores because they’re old tech and no one wants to lube straight walled pistol cases when reloading.
They have less of a radius on the die mouth and will size almost all the way down to the rim. Sometimes this fixes the problem.

 

[pastera]

You would probably need to roll size the cases - not worth the money as a roll sizer is around $1k for the first caliber and a couple of hundred for each caliber kit

 

[vicpinto]

Just out of curiosity, do they fit in the cylinder of whatever you're shooting or do they still hang up?

These will be shot through a new GP100. They do not hang up when I insert them into the cylinder but there is some slight resistance before they fully seat.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

These will be shot through a new GP100. They do not hang up when I insert them into the cylinder but there is some slight resistance before they fully seat.

I would shoot them it’s a Ruger it will be fine.
I’ll have to dig through and see if I have a steel sizer.

 

[DW357]

Are there hang-ups with only specific brass headstamps? Just curious.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I'd chuck them in the scrap bucket. If the web has expanded, they could've seen too much pressure. They could've also been resized improperly a bunch of times. Try priming a couple. If the primer pocket is loose, they saw too much pressure. If it's not loose, it doesn't mean that they haven't seen too much pressure, but a loose primer pocket is a tell-tale.

 

[greencobra]

when in doubt, close your eyes, turn your head a bit, let it rip.

 

[vicpinto]

Are there hang-ups with only specific brass headstamps? Just curious.

I've seen it with Federal, SB and PMC brass so far.

 

[EddieZoom]

When in doubt, toss them out.

If they were 38's I'd say shoot them in the GP100....357's....hmmm.....probably not.

 

[vicpinto]

I ended up culling 3/4 of the brass. Not worth the hassle for brass I got for free. Thanks guys.

 

[nutsym16]

Don't risk your life, give them to the wife!