Why am I bulging the cases??

[drbs]

to the more experienced reloaders....pretty much everyone other that myself. What am I doing wrong? SOMETIMES...but not all the time I'm ending up with a bulge in the case as seen in the pics after I seat the bullets.

[cory]

My guess is your bolt is unlocking early. What gas length, carrier and buffer are you using?

[drbs]

this is happening when I reload the cartridge...
Rifle length gas, 22" barrel, rifle buffer tube/buffer, SRC carrier

[kmon]

Were the cases full length sized with the die touching the shell plate, then turned in another 1/4 or 1/2 turn depending on the instructions?

Was the seating die set to crimp or just seat the bullet?

Did you chamfer the case mouth?

A gas system opening too early can cause case to expand/lengthen in the body, which would need to be resolved but a FL sizing should set the shoulder back. If that is the case though the gas system does need to be corrected and case life will suffer until that happens.

[drbs]

Full length sized...just touch plate. Seating die set to not crimp.
see I know nothing...never thought of early bolt unlocking...
yes on chamfer of case mouth.
Early unlocking... is that too much gas?

[cory]

It can be caused by to much gas. However, that's really uncommon in a rifle length gas and rifle length buffer system.

Where did you get the buffer spring?

I'm not familiar with SRC Carriers. What's the weight of the carrier?

[drbs]

Cory...thanks for the reply...don't remember source for buffer spring. Milspec weight of carrier...http://store.srcarms.com/product-p/srcbbcg.htm

[lead chucker]

If I read your first post correctly the bulge appears after seating the bullet during the reloading process. So this doesnt have to do with firing of the rifle bulge. Im guessing your using Hornady dies? If so read the set up directions again for the seater die. I was getting this sometimes also with Hornady dies until I went back and read the directions again for the seater die. They set up differently than RCBS dies.

[drbs]

Thx Chucker...I will read the instructions again

[pds]

drbs,
It appears that your seating die is not setup correctly and you are applying to much of a crimp during the seating of the bullet. Try backing your seating die body out at least one turn and adjust your seating stem to get the correct seating depth of the bullet.
You should not need any bullet crimp on your loaded round.
pds

[lead chucker]

Thx Chucker...I will read the instructions again

Your welcome! I hope this is the problem because its an easy fix. I saw the same thing, a small bulge most of the time or on occasion I would crush a shoulder. I finally went back a read the set up directions for the seater. Yup they do not set up like the RCBS dies and that was my problem. Been working great since.

[drbs]

thanks pds...that right in line with what Chucker was telling me!!!

[mnhntr]

This can happen if your cases are not trimmed to length and trying to seat bullets in cases that are too long

[NugginFutz]

My hornady sizing die did this on the first case or two I ran. I suspect it had to do with my using an RCBS shell holder, rather than the Hornady one. I'd followed the setup instructions, and immediately crunched a case. I had to back off a turn or so, and use a comparator to establish proper case shoulder setback.

[cory]

Ohh I assumed this were fired cases you were seeing this from. If this is happening in the reloading process, I think these guys are right on track. Follow their suggestions and they'll get you going right.