364-200 frustrations

AARGH. I thought I had the 380/200 cracked.

I’d previously worked up a load with some old Dominion cases I’d been given – NOE 364-200, 10-11 BHN, sized .363, lubed with Carnauba Red (awesome stuff), 2.1gn Fiocchi FBlu 32G (Unique burning rate), COL 31.1mm. In doing so, I learned I have to gauge each cartridge in BOTH my Webley Mk.IV (tight chamber, loose throat) and S&W M&P (loose chamber, tight throat).

So, this evening – loaded up a bunch of poor casts in the CBC 38 Spl Short cases for 10m blatting fodder. No probs.
Loaded up the remaining 40 Dominion cases. No real problems. (just 2 that will go in the S&W but not the Webley).
Loaded up 10 once-fired Prvi cases – BIG problems. There’s enough friction in the case to cause the nose of the bullet to set up on seating, to the point where it gets marked by the crimping die. Got 1 that will have to be pulled cos it doesn’t fit either revo, and I’ve got a bunch that will only fit the Webley but not the Smith. (are these even safe to fire in the Webley? Not 100% sure) Case walls are 1 thou LESS in the prvi, by the way, so it’s not that…..

All cases were sized with a 9mm Makarov carbide die.

The last Prvi case I seated REALLY slowly, and that was fine.

The sequence I do is:

1. Size with 9Mak
2. Neck expand 9Mak
3. Seat 9Mak with the die out as far as possible and nose punch in all the way
4. Crimp 38 S&W with nose punch removed.

All dies are Lee, and as I say I have few problems with the Dominion cases. However, once-fired Prvi will be my main source of cases from now on, so I HAVE to work with these (might be able to get some Starline from Italy, but that will involve a LOT of hassle and cost…) I played with the amount of case flare, and more flare did help a bit, but worked the brass pretty bad.

I suspect that once they’ve fired a full-house 380/200 load the cases will (a) be dirtier with carbon and thus be better lubricated for seating; (b) have been fully expanded which they don’t appear to be by the weak sauce Prvi factory load. It may just be a question of fighting my way through a first reload before the cases settle down.

Thoughts?