Winchester AA hulls buckling

[Turbo.M777 11]

Has anyone had this issue? I'm using a lee load all press, and I've been loading AA hulls, and federal gold medal hulls. I don't have any problems with the federal hulls even with very similar loads. But its pretty common that when I put the final crimp on the AA hulls I get a fold or buckle like in the picture. Whats up with this?

[patriot 7,197]

Looks like the shell may be just a touch over filled. Remember, follow the reloading data exactly. Different hulls have different interior volumes.

[psl sniper 963]

ive had that same issue with those hulls. didnt matter what level i filled them. as soon as id go to crimp, theyd buckle every time. my solution? i dont use them anymore. i stick with remington gamehulls. no issues ever.

fyi. it wont effect performance. they will still load shoot and function just fine.. they just look funky.

i think what is causing the issue is the fact that the new AA hulls have a plastic cup in the bottom (and thats where it buckles, around the cup) and they are not like the old uniform hulls that where a solid piece (like the remington game hulls still are) the only AA hulls i will still use are the old unihulls, when i can find them.

[patriot 7,197]

I've loaded thousands of the Win AAs, both old and new, on both a Lee Load-all II and a MEC progressive. The first few loadings look like new until the shells start to crack, then I pitch them.

Edited July 5, 2013 by patriot

[psl sniper 963]

all my loading is done on a lee load all 2. and they only do it on the final crimp. the new red AA hulls are hit or miss, as far as buckiling. but the grey ones have all done it. luckily for me i dont run into them that often. and i have several boxes of rem hulls, for my loading pleasure.

Oh and once its done it once, forget it. they will do it avery time after.

[gunfun 3,931]

I had issues with the load all 1 doing that until I modified it so that the pre-crimp went a little deeper. That made a big difference. It also helped the final crimp to be better.

[csspecs 1,987]

I'd agree, looks to be an insufficient pre-crimp that is resulting in to much pressure on the hull walls.

[Turbo.M777 11]

If it is an insufficient pre crimp, then I cant really do anything about it on the load all press. It only goes so far.

Edit: I didn't know you can adjust it. I'll look into trying that.

 

I am following the loads exactly, and it does it for a few different loads I've tried with these hulls. I may just stop using them. I haven't used remington hulls yet, but I'll give them a shot soon. The federal gold medal hulls have all been loading and crimping very well, so I'll keep using them too.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Turbo.M777

[gunfun 3,931]

Yes you can modify the load all. Take a bastard file and remove the bottom 1/16" of the final crimp tube. That allows the whole getup to go lower. I also used a large drill bit to ream the bottom edge of that final crimp die tube and make it funnel rounds in a little better.

Another trick I found was to put some white paint on the drop tube for the powder and shot. Take a couple different colors of sharpie and make gradient tick marks on the tube. That way you know how far to seat the wad by more than just 'feel". For instance, I know that when I seat slugs I push the wad down until I see the green line level with the wad guide. This solved the problem of crushing stupid AA wads or insufficiently seating Federal Wads so that they would pop the crimps out a day later. The load to load consistency greatly improved, and I could load a little faster by loading to the line rather than feeling carefully for 'the right pressure.'

If it is an insufficient pre crimp, then I cant really do anything about it on the load all press. It only goes so far.

Edit: I didn't know you can adjust it. I'll look into trying that.

 

I am following the loads exactly, and it does it for a few different loads I've tried with these hulls. I may just stop using them. I haven't used remington hulls yet, but I'll give them a shot soon. The federal gold medal hulls have all been loading and crimping very well, so I'll keep using them too.

[psl sniper 963]

 

Yes you can modify the load all. Take a bastard file and remove the bottom 1/16" of the final crimp tube. That allows the whole getup to go lower. I also used a large drill bit to ream the bottom edge of that final crimp die tube and make it funnel rounds in a little better.

Another trick I found was to put some white paint on the drop tube for the powder and shot. Take a couple different colors of sharpie and make gradient tick marks on the tube. That way you know how far to seat the wad by more than just 'feel". For instance, I know that when I seat slugs I push the wad down until I see the green line level with the wad guide. This solved the problem of crushing stupid AA wads or insufficiently seating Federal Wads so that they would pop the crimps out a day later. The load to load consistency greatly improved, and I could load a little faster by loading to the line rather than feeling carefully for 'the right pressure.'

If it is an insufficient pre crimp, then I cant really do anything about it on the load all press. It only goes so far.

Edit: I didn't know you can adjust it. I'll look into trying that.

 

I am following the loads exactly, and it does it for a few different loads I've tried with these hulls. I may just stop using them. I haven't used remington hulls yet, but I'll give them a shot soon. The federal gold medal hulls have all been loading and crimping very well, so I'll keep using them too.

i may have to try that.