Loading lead

[sigarms226]

Curious to know I am going to start loading lead bullets in my 45-70 and 45 Colt. Now I"m curious to know if that when loading lead does one need to flair the mouth of the case more than one would when loading starter cup n' core bullets? Thanks in advance for reply's.

 

[zuke]

Yes you do.
Larger flare in case the bullet catch's the case mouth and collapse the case and so you don't shave off lead on the base while seating.

 

[joebanana]

Just use a little flare. Enough to seat the bullet without shaving lead off. Over doing it wears your brass out faster.

 

[thump_rrr]

I don't expand the case mouths at all when loading lead.
I chamfer and deburr the cases very well. This creates a natural funnel for the bullet to slide in.
Here is how I described my method in another thread.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5582871&postcount=22

 

[1 ozzy]

cast boolits.com is a very good site for cast bullet info. It is set up similar to cgn. If there is ANYTHING you need to know in regards to lead smelting/casting/bullet lubes and cartridge loads you will find that info there.

 

[tigrr]

When seating lead bullets I have prepped the case with enough of a flare to start the bullet, don't flare excessively. Then you have to set the bullet seating die to crimp that flare back in. I take an empty case flare it, then run it through my seating die with the seating stem backed out. I keep adjusting my die in till it flattens out the flare. Lock it in place and then adjust the seating stem down till you achieve the depth you want the bullet seated.
my 2 cents

 

[Al-Sway]

I don't expand the case mouths at all when loading lead.
I chamfer and deburr the cases very well. This creates a natural funnel for the bullet to slide in.
Here is how I described my method in another thread.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5582871&postcount=22

If you are able to load lead bullets after sizing and expanding the necks, with just a chamfer, then your lead bullets might be well undersized.
In my experience, this has never been sufficient to load lead bullets of any type. They have always needed some flaring of the case mouth.
My best friend for loading cast bullets is the Lyman M die, which provides a good starting seat for the lead bullets.

 

[ben hunchak]

The only way that i have have found to seat cast bullets without flaring is to use an "In-line seating die", I've used most makes and continue to do so with RCBS, Redding, and Vickermann dies with Vickermanns being my favorite. You also get little or no runout with your loaded cast bullet rounds.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Just use a little flare. Enough to seat the bullet without shaving lead off. Over doing it wears your brass out faster.

X2. I've been doing just that little/just enough amount of bell mouthing for years. Works well and that's why some dies have that design provision.

 

[hk33ka1]

The Lee Loader gets my .459" .45-70s in but its tight.

With RCBS .45-70 dies I can do .459-460 with the expander. But usually for .460" + I use a Lee Universal Expander (flaring) die to put a slight flare on the mouth.

In pistol calibres, I just use the normal expander die in the set, once set up to bell enough for the boolit I am using.

 

[zuke]

I use paper patched bullet's exclusively, so I do flare the mouth.
No leading problem's.

 

[sigarms226]

Thanks for all the reply's folks. Just the info I was looking for.

 

[grouch]

It's probably a good idea with plain based bullets to have a LITTLE flare. If you properly chamfer your case necks, it will make very little difference with gas checked bullets.
Grouch