Crumpled some shoulders seating bullets

[tactice]

Trying to work out how I did this.

.308 brass that's been reloaded 3 or 4 times, loaded 100 rounds all fine except two which have crumpled evenly down, not just a dent on the side. Like the shoulder was pushed down by a ring. 1 about a mm, the other is about 2mm.

I sized and primed them all first and didn't notice a problem and with the way they've gone down it's like the tension of the bullet in the next was too much and has squashed it down.

I didn't expect to be able to do that in seating a bullet though, I thought it would only be during sizing the brass.

Anyone?

[newsteadvic]

Yes, I have done it a few times.
Two possibilities that have happened with me"
1. seating die set up incorrect or has changed a bit since the last reloading session - the case mouth is pushed down by the seating die as the case is raised into it
2. Correct die set up however case length has increased over a few firings leading to the same problem of the die pushing the case mouth down. The case needs a trim.

You don't mention if you are Full length resizing or neck sizing only.

[tom604]

ill be watching this thread, interesting, never had it happen to me but would like to find out the reason

[brett1868]

I seem to do this same thing with the odd .375 Cheytac case, I can resize 100 with out an issue and every so often get one a bit crumpled. The Cheytac FL sizing die isn't like the RCBS dies where they touch the shell holder then cam over. Die has to be adjusted down till it bumps the shoulder down by .001" and works for %99 of shells but crumples the other %1. If not crumpled too much I just fire form them otherwise they get scrapped.
I have on occasion with the puny calibres had the seating die just a little too far down and was engaging the crimp before the projectile was fully seated. As others have suggested, check the die setup in the press, ensure there's no crud in the die and check your case length. Possibly the case can be fire formed back to shape though being .308 and reasonably cheap, I'd just scrap it. If you scrap the case maybe cut it length ways and see if there's a thin spot in the brass, might just be a few dud cases you have.

[deye243]

wouldn't be a lee seating die by any chance would it

[bigfellascott]

What projectile type - Flat based or Boat Tail? also do you chamfer the mouths or not? Any Pics of the cases too would also be of help.

[tactice]

Two possibilities that have happened with me"
1. seating die set up incorrect or has changed a bit since the last reloading session - the case mouth is pushed down by the seating die as the case is raised into it
2. Correct die set up however case length has increased over a few firings leading to the same problem of the die pushing the case mouth down. The case needs a trim.

You don't mention if you are Full length resizing or neck sizing only.

1. All were done during the same session, From where I put the loads in the ammo box they happened about a third of the way through and 15-20 rounds apart to. The rest were all find so not the die.

2. I trimmed them two firings ago. It's hard to tell comparing the necks of the squashed ones to straight ones but they look the same length. It's possible I could have missed 2 I guess though.

3. Neck sizing here.

[tactice]

If not crumpled too much I just fire form them otherwise they get scrapped.

These two had flattened so they expanded a little ring out where the body meets the shoulder.

Made them get stuck a mm out from being full inserted because it couldn't fill where the barrel narrows for the case shoulder (hope that made sense )

I have on occasion with the puny calibres had the seating die just a little too far down and was engaging the crimp before the projectile was fully seated. As others have suggested, check the die setup in the press, ensure there's no crud in the die and check your case length. Possibly the case can be fire formed back to shape though being .308 and reasonably cheap, I'd just scrap it. If you scrap the case maybe cut it length ways and see if there's a thin spot in the brass, might just be a few dud cases you have.

No crimp. Could be crud in the neck from tumbling.

Cases can't be saved, will see about cutting one.

I guess I just put this down to two duds like you said.

[tactice]

wouldn't be a lee seating die by any chance would it

RCBS

[tactice]

What projectile type - Flat based or Boat Tail? also do you chamfer the mouths or not? Any Pics of the cases too would also be of help.

Boat tail. Chamfered lightly with one of these ones

[Humir]

Probably just an unfortunate combination of factors for a problem case or two.

Neck a bit stretched, too long and thin/weak? Bit of gunk in the neck, bullet seated slightly off.

It's only 1% - 2% failure rate of the brass if you look at it that way.

[headspace]

What brand of brass mate?

[tactice]

Winchester mate.