Reloading Glossary of Terms

Lionhill

Lionhill

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New to reloading - been reading (maybe too much) and I would like some help with defining some terms I have found in various reloading articles (in bold):

When using a press, ensure that the ram has no lateral play or side-to-side slop--that will kill your bullet run-out.

...This die is adjusted to bump the shoulder exactly .001-.002". I have removed the expander ball on the decapping shaft.

...My bullets are usually within .001" on the O.A.L. (measured from ogive) and within .0005-.001" on concentricity. With these tolerances, they shoot really well.

...I full length resize all of my brass every time I reload.

How many people use a

precisionmic.jpg


Precision Mic?

Thanks if you can help.

LH
 
RAM - The big centre post that moves moves the die(s) up and down in a reloading press.

BULLET RUN-OUT - how far out of alignment (off center) the bullet is .... essentially the same as CONCENTRICITY.

SHOULDER - the angled part of a case where it tapers to a smaller diameter to hold the bullet. Most commonly seen on rifle cartridges, although some pistols cal.s have them also.

DECAPPING SHAFT (or PIN) - the post that runs down the inside centre of the die and pushes out the primer

EXPANDER BALL - May not be ball shaped, but is a thicker section of the decapping pin that expands the case mouth/neck... Usually only on rifle dies.

OGIVE - the curved front section of a bullet

FULL LENGTH RESIZING - as opposed to neck resizing. Most pistol cases are FL resized every time. Some rifles people choose to only resize the neck (the narrow part which holds the bullet) so once the rest of the case expands to fit the chamber of the rifle it stays that size. This means it can't be fired in other rifles. FL resizing resizes the whole case right down to the base almost, but not usually the web or rim. This allows brass fired in other rifles to be used in your rifle.
 
Ram -- The part of the press that moves upwards to drive the case into the die.

Bullet Run-out -- The bullet not being truely inline with the case. If you roll the assembled round on a table, the bullet nose should not wobble around.

Shoulder -- The part of the case that angles inwards from the wade body to the narrow neck. Obviously, on a straight wall cartidge there is no shoulder.

Expander ball on the de-capping shaft. -- If you take apart the sizing die, the long stem will have an oval part near the very end. This stretches the case open to the exact size to hold the bullet. As you first sqeeze the case down (Sizing) the neck is actually undersize. The expander ball opens it up a bit . Also the ball holds the de-capper pin in place

Ogive -- the curved shape on the front of the bullet

Concentricity -- similar to run-out

full length resize -- the big debate between F.L. or neck sizing.
F.L. sqeezes the case back to factory specs, but if you chamber is oversize, it works (fatigues) the brass too much. If you use the brass in only one rifle, consider neck sizing only.
 
Thanks guys - very impressive - almost a double post!

If you rolled a bullet on edge on a table, would "run out" be seen if the tip moved or wiggled while rolling? Like checking the straightness of an arrow by turning it while looking down the shaft?

LH
 
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