Buldge buster

Does it chamber Ok as it is? If it does you don't need to fix it. But if it does hang up on the bulge then the LEE tool will fix it.
 
I never understood the need for this. Are these buldges from using unsupported chambers like Glocks? Also, wouldn't the full length sizing die or even a lee carbide factory crimp die do the same thing?
 
Are you talking about the "Glock Bulge" (from some Glocks that don't have a fully-supported chamber)? A picture would be helpful. If so, recycle that brass and buy some brass without the bulge.
As it happens, I have used a Lee Bulge Buster for .45 ACP, .40 S&W and 10mm Auto to bring cases back to SAAMI spec and it works just great but not necessary if you have a cartridge gauge...

From another site, this is what I'm visualizing:
glock-brass.jpg
 
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It doesn't chamber all the way. It hangs up as the case is to wide at the base. I resized the brass..adjusted my dies accordingly. Die only sized so far down the case.
 
K-C said:
Did the bulges look like the photo I linked to in Post#4? (https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1664757-Buldge-buster?p=14480741&viewfull=1#post14480741)

If so, scrap the brass as there is plenty of evidence that it's not worth the risk of reloading....

If the bulge is continuous for most of the circumference of the case then a Lee Bulge Buster would help resolve the issue.

You should also have an Ammunition Gauge such as this:
AG40SW_2.jpg
Click to expand...


no, nothing like the picture at all, it is continuous around the case. I think the buster will help
 
I have the Lee bulge buster for my Glock .40, "BUT" I only use it for range pickup brass or if I buy bulk once fired brass. And most of these cases might have a slight bulge that you might not even see. But you can feel them when you run then through the bulge buster. My Gen 3 does not bulge my cases and never gives any problems with any brand case. Meaning a good barrel should not bulge your brass and a bulge buster is not needed.

Below Glock barrels and the change in the feed ramp. Two things were done to fix the bulge problem, change the angle of the feed ramp and the ammunition manufactures made the case thicker. The only Glock bulge case you will find are fired by people who do not reload and never had their older Glock barrels replaced by the factory. And any case that looks like its 9 months pregnant and bulging badly should not be reloaded because resizing the bulge will greatly weaken the case at this point.

Hpv8FEL.jpg


NOTE, if your really worried about bulged cases then buy a Ruger Vaquero. It also has the benefit of making your ammo last longer because it takes so much time to load and unload. :evil:

VwaT1po.jpg
 
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like I said, nothing like that picture. it is continuous and slight. didn't even realize until I noticed the slide not closing properly, then realized oh crap, inspect and then noticed.
this was all range pick up. otherwise no gross obvious buldge or defects
 
i bought a lee buldge buster and do all my brass before i load them and chamber check them and have not had one issue pays to be safe
 
I have the Lee bulge buster as well. Have been using is for some time now. Works great for what you want to do.
My STI is a little more picky on my 40 brass. How ever my buddies Glock leaves a bulge and we get our brass mixed up all the time.
And yes you can run live rounds through it. I usually load all my 40 first then check every round. The ones that don't make the check goes through the bulge buster.
 
I use a bulge buster for all my 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP. After the brass comes out of the tumbler it goes straight through the bulge buster. It's an extra step, but it's quick since I'm only doing 100-200rnds at a time, and it gives me yet another chance to inspect the brass. Typically if a casing has a crack or some other kind of defect that would cause me to discard it, it will catch up or make a cracking sound as it goes through the gauge ring.
Just an extra measure to make sure every single piece of brass is as good as it can be, and that every finished round chambers properly. All of my brass is range pickup, so it defintiely helps.
 
MuthaFunk said:
I never understood the need for this. Are these buldges from using unsupported chambers like Glocks? Also, wouldn't the full length sizing die or even a lee carbide factory crimp die do the same thing?
Click to expand...

Full length sizing dies can't get to the very bottom of the casing, due to the shellholder. You have to grind down the bottom of your sizing die, then 'push' the cartridge into it without the use of a shellholder. Once your casing is stuck in the sizing die, you need to tap it out with a rod. It's a PITA, but it's all you can do with rimmed cartridges.

There are some people with 38/357 magnum guns that create a large bulge, making it impossible to chamber after a few reloadings. I'm not sure which guns are doing this. I own 3 guns in these calibers, and they never create this kind of bulge by the time the necks split on the casings.

The unsupported chambers, I think people are talking about glocks. You'll come across some rimless casings at the range that are very difficult to resize. I've seen sites that sell these bulge busters saying that these shouldn't be used for casings fired from a glock. I won't own a glock because of the unsupported chambers, polygonal rifling, price, and grips, so I don't have this problem.

My 10+ years of reloading have taught me that you really get to know your brass after a while. After loading thousands of rounds, you get a feel for the thickness of the brass when running it through your sizing die and factory crimp. I personally like the American Eagle 9mm/38spl/357 brass the most. The primer pockets stay firm and the necks don't split for 9+ reloads in my 38spl +p loads.

The biggest problem I have is with Dominion 38spl brass from the range, even after resizing it, the neck has barely any tension. The primer pocket is really loose. I fire these single shot from a rifle and discard them right away. The issue is that I found 1000+ of these lol
 
As stated above a normal sizing die will not size the base of the case, and this is why Lee and Redding make "bulge buster" dies.

"BUT" these dies are for minor case bulges associated with using range pickup brass fire in someone else's chamber.

I run all range pickup 9mm and .40 S&W cases through a Lee bulge buster just to make them as uniform as new brass.

"DO NOT" use a bulge buster die on badly bulged cases as pictured below.

glock-brass-unsupported2.jpg


When these type cases are sized with a bulge buster it will weaken the bulged area and the case can fail.

GlockFail2.jpg


LEE BULGE BUSTER KIT

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-bulge-buster-kit
 
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