I am reloading some 44-40 cartridges for a friend. The 240 grain bullets apear to be slightly bulging the cases down near the bullet base location. This makes the cases very hard to push into the cylinder. I've checked and it is not bullet length, it is definately the bulge causing the issue. I've done everything I know to make sure the bullets enter the case straight including using a lyman M die. Any other suggestions to prevent the bulge? The bullets have a crinp groove but I may seat the bullets short of the groove to see if it improves loading. I have plenty of margin in the cylinder to lenghten the cartridge OAL.

I am reloading some 44-40 cartridges for a friend. The 240 grain bullets apear to be slightly bulging the cases down near the bullet base location. This makes the cases very hard to push into the cylinder. I've checked and it is not bullet length, it is definately the bulge causing the issue. I've done everything I know to make sure the bullets enter the case straight including using a lyman M die. Any other suggestions to prevent the bulge? The bullets have a crinp groove but I may seat the bullets short of the groove to see if it improves loading. I have plenty of margin in the cylinder to lenghten the cartridge OAL.

Is it a radial bulge, petty even all the way around the case...or is it a one-sided bulge,as if the bullet was seated off center?

If it's radial, then it's a case thickness/bullet diameter issue. IF there is an exisiting cannelure in the case, as some factory loads have used, and are seating past this cannelure, will raise a radial bulge.

IF it's a one-sided dent, are a few things to check. Easiest is the shell holder...if the shell holder rim recess picked up a load of crud, it will hold the case off center. If the seating stem isn't a good match to the bullet nose, it can force it to the case crooked. That's the best bet.

Getting the right shaped seating stem in place may cure it. As a temp. solution can temp. fit the stem to the bulelts at hand. take seating stem out, put a bolb of epoxy-steel onto selaned stem, grease a bullet's nose as a release agent, set bullet onto stem straight, wait for it to cure. Break bullet loose (that's why it's greased), trim the ragged expody. Won't last all that long, but it may serve until you get teh right one.

A non-solution (it doesn't fix anything, but still may help) is to seat part of the way, withdraw, reset seating stem deeper, roatate case, seat fully.

Thanks, I will check these items. The bulge is usually one sided. First thing I may try is to insert case further into the M die which should aid in the bullet being more straight and better centered. The bullet has a flat nose and the stem in the seating die has a wide flat so i think that portion is ok. Thanks again.

Doesn't the 44-40 use a .427 bullet? This would only be, I'm guessing, an issue in older firearms.

It does use a .427 jacketed bullet. I am using .428 Magnus FPBB (lead). I loaded a dozen test loads last night and all but one went in straight without the bulge. I used the Lyman M die and inserted it deeper in the case which i guess forced the bullet to go in straighter. I also rotated the case a few times during the seating process to try to aid the press in centering the bullet. I beleive this will be the ticket. Thanks for all the inputs.

As I recall, the .44-40 normally shoots a lighter (shorter) bullet than that. So that probably isn't helping, either.

Good luck. Are you seating and crimping in separate operations?

No, I am seating and crinping in one step. I beleive I have a workable solution. Deeper use of the Lyman M die appears to fix 98% of the problem. It is a much slower process to get them right. I hope my "buddy" does not want too many. Thanks for all the inputs.