Post by ken73 on Mar 15, 2019 14:39:14 GMT
Just a few reloading notes:
I ordered Lee dies which consist of a full-length-sizing/decapper die, a powder-through-expanding die and a bullet seating/taper crimping die.
I've fired two rounds (actually I fired one, and let a buddy fire one.) So I have a couple of fired rounds to play with and examine. I would have shot more but my grass is really tall and I had a hard enough time finding the two pieces of brass. Once I mow and clean up my range I'll probably put targets up and fire more.
Factory rounds appear to have been crimped with a *collet* crimper rather than a taper crimp (as evidenced by the four pinch marks around the neck.) Neither is necessarily better than the other in this case as the cartridge headspaces off of the shoulder rather than the mouth (like a straight walled cartridge.) However the taper crimps work better for bullets with cannelures on them - for me, I'll be powder coating cast bullets that have crimp rings so it might not be an issue. For the short term I have some cast/plated bullets (240 gn) to run in it as a comparison. In case it is an issue, I bought a 44 Magnum collet crimp die that I'm going to see about modifying - which brings me to my next point:
Case is 1.275" long - both fired and unfired. SAAMI specs for 50 AE and 44 Mag are 1.285" - no SAAMI specs are available that I've seen for the 429 DE. I spoke to some gents on another forum about forming 429 DE from 50 AE and the main concern was that a formed cartridge would be shorter. Considering the 429 DE is .010" shorter than 50 AE specs, it might be very possible to form it; I have some once-fired 50 AE to try this.
I called Lee Precision and talked to a super nice guy (Jim) who chatted with me for a good 1/2 hour about the cartridge and seeing about getting a collet crimp die; he said if the cartridge was under 1.285" then they couldn't make a die for it.
I think this is more of Lee's production standards than it is an actual limitation; i.e. they produce the collet die bodies en mass and would have to custom make me one since it falls outside of their tolerances. (Keep in mind the factory ammo is made with that type of crimp.) As mentioned above, I'm going to attempt to make (modify) my own since a 44 Mag die is only $13. It looks like I'll need to remove some diameter (obviously) as well as about .010" of length from both the body and collet to make one.
Primers were FLATTENED big time in the fired rounds. That tells me they're at the top end of things. I didn't chrono the two rounds I fired; I need to dig out my chrono still.
After taking a picture (below) I noticed the primer in the unfired round appears to be somewhat recessed. I'll have to check the other rounds I have to see if that one is just a fluke or if that's the norm. I have 100 rounds from two different retailers (Palmetto and Natchez) and I already combined them so I don't know which came from where (there's no lot numbers on the boxes.) That big of a recess makes me wonder if they were cut for Large Rifle primers rather than Large Pistol. When I decap the two fired rounds I should be able to tell which it is.
Not sure if you can tell in the photo, but the fired round has a fairly clear ejector mark on it, too. The gun didn't bang up the brass too bad where I wouldn't re-use it, but it is noticeable.
I have 440 Corbon loading data as a starting point, obviously you load 10% less to start with and work your way up but I see no reason not to use that data (it's almost an identical cartridge.)
USPS says my dies will be here Saturday (3/16) and my shop is up and running (minus compressed air lines and a sink) so I'll be able to reload the couple of rounds I have and compare once I get everything cleaned up around here. Same buddy that came over and fired a round also was kind enough to give me his gently-used Lee LoadMaster press (minus some of the parts, which should arrive today) so once I get it figured out, I can pump out quite a few rounds in one sitting. My other presses are single stage or turret so that'll make a nice addition.
I ordered Lee dies which consist of a full-length-sizing/decapper die, a powder-through-expanding die and a bullet seating/taper crimping die.
I've fired two rounds (actually I fired one, and let a buddy fire one.) So I have a couple of fired rounds to play with and examine. I would have shot more but my grass is really tall and I had a hard enough time finding the two pieces of brass. Once I mow and clean up my range I'll probably put targets up and fire more.
Factory rounds appear to have been crimped with a *collet* crimper rather than a taper crimp (as evidenced by the four pinch marks around the neck.) Neither is necessarily better than the other in this case as the cartridge headspaces off of the shoulder rather than the mouth (like a straight walled cartridge.) However the taper crimps work better for bullets with cannelures on them - for me, I'll be powder coating cast bullets that have crimp rings so it might not be an issue. For the short term I have some cast/plated bullets (240 gn) to run in it as a comparison. In case it is an issue, I bought a 44 Magnum collet crimp die that I'm going to see about modifying - which brings me to my next point:
Case is 1.275" long - both fired and unfired. SAAMI specs for 50 AE and 44 Mag are 1.285" - no SAAMI specs are available that I've seen for the 429 DE. I spoke to some gents on another forum about forming 429 DE from 50 AE and the main concern was that a formed cartridge would be shorter. Considering the 429 DE is .010" shorter than 50 AE specs, it might be very possible to form it; I have some once-fired 50 AE to try this.
I called Lee Precision and talked to a super nice guy (Jim) who chatted with me for a good 1/2 hour about the cartridge and seeing about getting a collet crimp die; he said if the cartridge was under 1.285" then they couldn't make a die for it.
I think this is more of Lee's production standards than it is an actual limitation; i.e. they produce the collet die bodies en mass and would have to custom make me one since it falls outside of their tolerances. (Keep in mind the factory ammo is made with that type of crimp.) As mentioned above, I'm going to attempt to make (modify) my own since a 44 Mag die is only $13. It looks like I'll need to remove some diameter (obviously) as well as about .010" of length from both the body and collet to make one.
Primers were FLATTENED big time in the fired rounds. That tells me they're at the top end of things. I didn't chrono the two rounds I fired; I need to dig out my chrono still.
After taking a picture (below) I noticed the primer in the unfired round appears to be somewhat recessed. I'll have to check the other rounds I have to see if that one is just a fluke or if that's the norm. I have 100 rounds from two different retailers (Palmetto and Natchez) and I already combined them so I don't know which came from where (there's no lot numbers on the boxes.) That big of a recess makes me wonder if they were cut for Large Rifle primers rather than Large Pistol. When I decap the two fired rounds I should be able to tell which it is.
Not sure if you can tell in the photo, but the fired round has a fairly clear ejector mark on it, too. The gun didn't bang up the brass too bad where I wouldn't re-use it, but it is noticeable.
I have 440 Corbon loading data as a starting point, obviously you load 10% less to start with and work your way up but I see no reason not to use that data (it's almost an identical cartridge.)
USPS says my dies will be here Saturday (3/16) and my shop is up and running (minus compressed air lines and a sink) so I'll be able to reload the couple of rounds I have and compare once I get everything cleaned up around here. Same buddy that came over and fired a round also was kind enough to give me his gently-used Lee LoadMaster press (minus some of the parts, which should arrive today) so once I get it figured out, I can pump out quite a few rounds in one sitting. My other presses are single stage or turret so that'll make a nice addition.
