#1 22 TCM site on the web

- Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:25 pm #15093 Thanks all - I am still a novice re-loader and most of my experience of 3000 of so rounds are all straight wall.
I DON'T have a problem with factory Armscor Ammo - 40 or 39g 9r's. I'm using Factory Armscor 40 gr bullets.

I fell into the Lyman "M" die concept and it really does a nice job expanding and my bullets sit without support during seating. I finish with the Lee FCD.

I'm mid project now but have gone up to 11g H110 and now heading back down to the 10.2-3g loads and will watch my distance from target as well.

But remember - shooting factory ammo appears to be fine - Not that huge of a deal - as I target shoot only, and if I did carry and I needed to use it - think about the expanded wound channel.

Thanks again for everyone's interest - this appears to be a great site to learn and share.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RGRacing - TCM Ultra MS HC Combo

- Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:16 pm #15095 So you are expanding then? If that's not it, then maybe try measuring the bullets you got, maybe it's a bad run and they undersized.

- Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:03 pm #15152

Here is the Turkey Day Black Friday Update -
I visited my local reloading shop here in Minnesota - I was presented with No Lee Universal Expanders and some advise to look at the Lyman Neck Expander M Die - (22 Hornet) - $20.95.

It was hammered into me that this is it and the 22 TCM is an aboration of a Cartridge. I was an Idiot for listing to anyone here and the internet is horrible for reloaders - Oh well I survived and took the "M" Die home - It is mint -
I was able to case mouth expand the last 1/16" and set the bullet into the brass after power drop waiting for seating and FCD.

Not a place to go for any advice on reloading. IMO

Not a sliver or brass or any cracked necks. It also sizes the inside neck one more time which allowed me to place the bullet into the brass and when seating I could literally press the bullet home no hands.

Bad news is my 10.6gr ladder to 11.0 , factory bullet and "M" die and FCD still show some erratic tumbling -
Today the range was a Zoo - shot 30 and took off. - Only lost 1 piece of brass - Paper plates did not lie - 7 tumbled to a degree.

If you can press the bullet in that easily the neck has been over-expanded. The bullet should just fit into the very end of the brass. The inside chamfer with a tiny expansion should be enough. I use the Hornady dies which have a tiny radius to accomplish this. And they also align the bullet. But you have the Lee dies.

Before you tried the Lyman die, did you perform the push test? With a soft point bullet you will need to protect the point from deformation. You can use a bullet comparator such as the PTG bullet comparator or go to the hardware store and get an unthreaded aluminum spacer for a #12 screw (ID of .218).

Measure the OAL of a loaded round that has not been crimped. With the bullet point in the spacer push against something solid, such as the edge of your bench. Try to force the bullet into the case. Measure to OAL again. If there is any difference you need to correct the neck tension. If not check a crimped round. A difference there indicates over-crimping.

To correct the neck tension the standard method is to reduce the size of the expander. Mount the stem in a drill motor or press and use 400 grit paper. It shouldn’t take much, so measure often.

Over-crimping also reduces neck tension. When you squeeze the case with the crimp die you are moving metal from the end into the case neck, which increases the diameter. Rounds loaded for semi-autos require little to no crimp. The taper crimp die in you set will do this. Crimp so that you remove only the bell.