Am loading bullets for fire-lapping my Marlin .444 and am having just a little trouble. I feed them singly and when closing the lever it takes quite a bit of pressure the last half inch of travel. I note that there seems to be a bulge where the bullet is seating in the case. Is this typical fore these bullets? They were purchased from Beartooth. The cases have been resized, trimmed, crimped. What am I doing wrong? Thanks-Karl
loading fire-lapping bullets
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
Joined
·
3,367 Posts
Karl,
You are doing absolutely nothing wrong. This is rather the norm when lapping the .444 Marlin. Two things here enter into the picture to cause the stiff closing of the action. Number one, the bullets are oversize, to insure that you are getting the necessary lapping action at the bottoms of the grooves in your barrel. Secondly, the bullets are seated deeply to contain all of the bearing surface of the bullet in the case, thus making it appear almost as a wadcutter load when properly prepared with the bullet deeply seated. When the bullet is seated this deep, the bullet base protrudes into the case, to the point where the brass thickens very, very quickly in the case walls. Between these two factors, often times you'll have a case that is a bit on the fat side for a tight chamber. You're doing no harm to the gun or it's chamber by going ahead and stiffly closing the action on your lapping load. The loads are such low pressure rounds that any extra resistance to the bullet in the case is inconsequential in regard to it's being squeezed a bit!
Perhaps this will ease your mind!
God Bless,
Marshall
You are doing absolutely nothing wrong. This is rather the norm when lapping the .444 Marlin. Two things here enter into the picture to cause the stiff closing of the action. Number one, the bullets are oversize, to insure that you are getting the necessary lapping action at the bottoms of the grooves in your barrel. Secondly, the bullets are seated deeply to contain all of the bearing surface of the bullet in the case, thus making it appear almost as a wadcutter load when properly prepared with the bullet deeply seated. When the bullet is seated this deep, the bullet base protrudes into the case, to the point where the brass thickens very, very quickly in the case walls. Between these two factors, often times you'll have a case that is a bit on the fat side for a tight chamber. You're doing no harm to the gun or it's chamber by going ahead and stiffly closing the action on your lapping load. The loads are such low pressure rounds that any extra resistance to the bullet in the case is inconsequential in regard to it's being squeezed a bit!
Perhaps this will ease your mind!
God Bless,
Marshall
Marshall-Thanks for your quick response to my question. Please clarify for me one point: do I seat the lapping bullet all the way into the case? I have been seating them to the same COL as factory.
Thanks-Karl PS Can't wait to receive my order for hunting bullets from Beartooth. You have an excellent website, please keep up the good work.
Thanks-Karl PS Can't wait to receive my order for hunting bullets from Beartooth. You have an excellent website, please keep up the good work.
Joined
·
3,367 Posts
Karl,
No, the bullets should definitely NOT be seated as would factory specs! The loaded lapping rounds should appear much like a properly seated wadcutter bullet, nearly flush with the case mouth! You want ALL of the bearing surface of that bullet contained within the case. In this way, the chamber is totally protected from scratching due to abrasive, since it is all within the confines of the cartridge case.
This should help clear things up for you!
God Bless,
Marshall
No, the bullets should definitely NOT be seated as would factory specs! The loaded lapping rounds should appear much like a properly seated wadcutter bullet, nearly flush with the case mouth! You want ALL of the bearing surface of that bullet contained within the case. In this way, the chamber is totally protected from scratching due to abrasive, since it is all within the confines of the cartridge case.
This should help clear things up for you!
God Bless,
Marshall
Joined
·
39,105 Posts
Karl, to add to what Marshall wrote, if you seat the bullets BACKWARDS, and flush with the case mouth, then the bearing surface of the bullet won't go as far down into the case, and hopefully won't bulge it as much. In your example, you are already starting to bulge the case just a bit, so if you seated them in the normal fashion and flush with the case mouth, it could add to your problems.
So.... if that happens, try the backwards seating. Make sense?
So.... if that happens, try the backwards seating. Make sense?
Joined
·
3,367 Posts
Mike,
Many thanks! Great suggestion, especially in this application.
God Bless,
Marshall
Many thanks! Great suggestion, especially in this application.
God Bless,
Marshall
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
