I am at a loss.

[Robert Richardson]

Lee factory crimp die should fix the problem or the Redding Profile crimp die. I've used both for chambering problems like you are experiencing in a lot of cartridges. Check your bullet profile if that doesn't work.

This ^^^^^

 

[ScouT6a]

Ok. So I had two boxes of my cast bullets, from two different casting sessions. I pulled 25 bullets out of each box and miked them. 48 came in at .452" and 2 measured .4515" These things couldn't get much more consistent, I don't believe. They are cast with Lee molds and in my experience they are darn repeatable. But, I had to rule it out.
Now, I slugged the bore of the Ruger after I bought it and it's at .451", hence the reason for the .452" cast bullet mold purchase.
The bullet is a truncated cone bullet, seated well within OAL specs, so that isn't an issue.
I am going to gather up several flavors of factory ammo and check those, against my reloads.
I do like the thought of blackening the cases with a Sharpie to see if that will tell me anything.
Appreciate all the input, so far! I'll keep you posted.

 

[straight-shooter]

I had the exact same trouble your having and it was with a Lee Mold. I darn near went crazy trying everything I could think of and finally broke down and bought a Lyman 452-374 4 cavity mold. Problems went away instantly and everything is good in the world again. The Lee mold i was using was the 452-230 RN six cavity.

Lyman 452

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Hi

Ok. So I had two boxes of my cast bullets, from two different casting sessions. I pulled 25 bullets out of each box and miked them. 48 came in at .452" and 2 measured .4515" These things couldn't get much more consistent, I don't believe. They are cast with Lee molds and in my experience they are darn repeatable. But, I had to rule it out.
Now, I slugged the bore of the Ruger after I bought it and it's at .451", hence the reason for the .452" cast bullet mold purchase.
The bullet is a truncated cone bullet, seated well within OAL specs, so that isn't an issue.
I am going to gather up several flavors of factory ammo and check those, against my reloads.
I do like the thought of blackening the cases with a Sharpie to see if that will tell me anything.
Appreciate all the input, so far! I'll keep you posted.

I will suggest, measure different factory loaded rounds if possible.
Set up your taper crimp with those numbers if you can.
You most likely will not be able to crimp as small as a factory round.
I believe you will be surprised at the measurements of factory ammo. And with that you will screw down your taper crimp die.

 

[mac45]

Re read your original post......missed Vaquero the first time around.
See .45ACP and think 1911, which is where I had issues and started sizing to .451"

The Lee FCD will certainly squeeze everything down enough to fit, but that's not necessarily good for the bullet.
Try the sharpie test....that will tell you if you have a bullet slightly crooked.

Beyond that, the only thing that comes to mind is that Ruger has been known to have their own interpretations of bore tolerances.
Had to have the throats reamed on both of my Vaquero's.
This may be as simple as a tight cylinder.

 

[ScouT6a]

Ran the Sharpie test and the offending rounds do indeed have an ever so slight high spot on one side of the case, where the heel of the bullet sets.
I think it was a combination of this^^^ and the amount of crimp.
I have my crimp down to near factory numbers after the last adjustment.
As far as the crooked bullets. Slightly more case mouth bell, to ensure better seating or just more careful, manual bullet placement?
As far as tolerances, couldn't get much closer. Bullets are .452", cylinder throats are .4515" and bore is .451" In theory, it should be fine, with the gradual step down.....

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Do you have the correct seater stem that fits the bullets profile?
If so I would expand a little more. .

 

[Falconpuch]

ScouT6a,

I was in the same exact boat 2 weeks ago, I just aquired a Ruger Vaquero conversion 45acp/LC, On my 45 acp cylinder my lands were set at .450. I couldn't even fit a bullet through the bottom. There is a guy on Castboolits fourms named Dougguy or ON facebook Cylinderhone.net that will ream out your cylinder to .452 or .4525 your choice for $48 a cylinder. I sent him my 2 and got them back in the same week. I can now crimp my castboolits to .452 and plunk just fine and drop them out. PM me if you want more info on him.

There has been countless discussions that Ruger sends there New blackhawks and vaqueros with tight tolerances.

 

[ScouT6a]

As stated, I am running the Dillon carbide dies and I have the seating stem set to the flat nose profile.
I borrowed a set of small hole gages from my brother, today. I am going to double check the cylinder throats tonight.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Do you have this problem with factory ammunition?

 

[ScouT6a]

No problems with factory ammo.
I measured the cylinder throats with the small hole guage. They actually measured .452" With the hole guage.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

No problems with factory ammo.
I measured the cylinder throats with the small hole guage. They actually measured .452" With the hole guage.

If you are having no problems with factory ammo, what is that telling you?

 

[red_zr24x4]

( Queue up "Welcome Back Kotter Theme) OH OH OH (Hand above my head)

 

[Clay Pigeon]

If Factory ammo drops right in and functions normally it has to be a smaller diameter than your reloads right ?
If it was me I would crank down on your taper crimp until loaded rounds easily drop into the cylinder. And then measure a few of them.
I'll say again I bet they will still be larger than factory loaded ammo.

.Another option is sizing the bullets smaller, are you loading as cast along with tumble lubing with alox?

You also could add more antimony to your mix the next time you load, that will give you a smaller diameter bullet.

 

[oldpink]

It would be interesting to see if using the Lyman M die for the second stage might help this.

 

[mac45]

You can't use an "M" die on a Dillon without giving up the Dillon powder measure.

 

[oldpink]

You can't use an "M" die on a Dillon without giving up the Dillon powder measure.

I thought there were enough stations on the RL550B to allow an alternate expander die or seater, while still allowing a spot for the measure.
I've never paid the $$ for one, so I could just be talking out of my butt here.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

You certainly can move the measure but I believe you would loose the positive return rod.
It would work if you sized and primed in a separate step and put the M die on station one.

What in this case would be the reason for using a M die?

 

[oldpink]

You certainly can move the measure but I believe you would loose the positive return rod.
It would work if you sized and primed in a separate step and put the M die on station one.

What in this case would be the reason for using a M die?

I've never used one, but it apparently opens the case mouth in two stages, with a relatively small diameter expander, then a secondary belling component to make initially setting the bullet easier.
It's a slight difference from conventional expanders, but there are lots of people who swear by them.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Yes, I know what they are, they tend to be more popular when loading cast rifle bullets than pistol bullets.