Lee seating die preventing chambering

[JKilbreth]

I've switched from reloading .40S&W on my Lee press to reloading it on my Dillon 550. I'm still using the Lee 3-die set, though.

My problem is that when my cartridges are processed in the seating die, they seem to be misaligned and have started "snapping" into place when additional pressure is applied to the ram rod, but when the case is withdrawn from the seating die, about 30% of the cartridges come back with damaged brass rims (where the case ends and the bullet starts). The damage is preventing the cartridges from chambering in my Glock 23. I've attached a couple pictures to see if that helps.

At first, I thought there was too much bell set on my Dillon charging die preventing the case from fitting into the seating die, so I backed off the belling amount gradually. After eventually removing ALL the belling from the cases, I realized that it seems to be an alignment issue with the case and the seating die, not a belling issue.

Anyone ever had this issue? I use Lee dies on my Dillon press for .45ACP and haven't had the issue yet, so I'm not keen to think it's a die-press mismatch problem, but I'm not closed to any help.

Thanks in advance!

 

[FrankenMauser]

I can't see clearly enough in that image, but it looks like....

The bullets are snagging the case mouth, and folding it in.
You aren't expanding far enough, or the bullets are going in the die crooked (could be the die - could be operator error - could be the bullets).


If the brass is getting folded outward, the cases are snagging on the die mouth. The cause is likely to be one of the following:
A) too sharp of an edge on the die mouth
B) using the wrong pins for .40 S&W on the press ram
C) using the wrong shell plate
D) expanding too far (is has to be pretty bad, unless one of the other factors is also at play)
E) crappy brass with small bases
F) the shell plate is not indexing properly (could be a mechanical issue, or operator error)

 

[CrustyFN]

No, I use all Lee dies on my 550 and have had no problems. Hope you get it figured out soon.