I made a plunk tester for my Model 610

[tlawler]

I was having some issues with one or two cases in my 610 moon clips not allowing all the rounds to seat. Now I run all of my cases through the bulge buster to get the uniformity I need so the clips drop in easily and I made a way to test all six at once. I bought all of the the parts off ebay and put together a plunk tester complete with extractor to quickly pop the moon clips back out. At some point, I'll ream the cylinder out to 10mm Magnum so I can test those rounds for my SRH. If I ever get my hands on a 610-1 or -2, I'll be able to swap this cylinder in for 10 Mag and still leave the original 10mm cylinder unchanged.

My Model 610 plunk tester - YouTube

 

[rosewood]

I was having some issues with one or two cases in my 610 moon clips not allowing all the rounds to seat. Now I run all of my cases through the bulge buster to get the uniformity I need so the clips drop in easily and I made a way to test all six at once. I bought all of the the parts off ebay and put together a plunk tester complete with extractor to quickly pop the moon clips back out. At some point, I'll ream the cylinder out to 10mm Magnum so I can test those rounds for my SRH. If I ever get my hands on a 610-1 or -2, I'll be able to swap this cylinder in for 10 Mag and still leave the original 10mm cylinder unchanged.

My Model 610 plunk tester - YouTube

I bulge bust all my 10mm and 40 brass. Since I bought the Lee APP press, it makes quick work of it. Also run 357 sig and 9x25 dillon thru it before sizing. Makes sizing so much easier too.

Rosewood

 

[tlawler]

I bulge bust all my 10mm and 40 brass. Since I bought the Lee APP press, it makes quick work of it. Also run 357 sig and 9x25 dillon thru it before sizing. Makes sizing so much easier too.

Rosewood

I've got an APP also, but so far I've only used it for decapping. I was worried that it was a little too delicate for bulge busting and bullet sizing. I know that in my single stage Lee that I have set up dedicated to sizing and bulge busting chores, it sometimes takes a lot of force to run cases and bullets through the sizer. I'll have to give it a try.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Sounds more like a moon clip problem to me...

But, what do I know? I personally have not had any problems with 40 S&W brass, or any 10mm I've loaded either. Can't recall the last case I saw with the dreaded GLOCK bulge.

Just lucky, I guess?

Cheers!

P.S. Glad to see your solution works!

 

[tlawler]

Sounds more like a moon clip problem to me...

But, what do I know? I personally have not had any problems with 40 S&W brass, or any 10mm I've loaded either. Can't recall the last case I saw with the dreaded GLOCK bulge.

Just lucky, I guess?

Cheers!

P.S. Glad to see your solution works!

I was getting it with brand new TK moon clips. The bulge in even one round that was barely visible would keep them from seating. I could force them with my thumb, but then I'd have a very hard extraction.

 

[madmikeb]

I use a Lee factory crimp die for all my reloads, the clips just drop right in. This especially necessary for .357 and .44 mag in moonclips.

 

[rosewood]

I use a Lee factory crimp die for all my reloads, the clips just drop right in. This especially necessary for .357 and .44 mag in moonclips.

I use it for jacketed bullets, but it will swage down cast boolits and may cause leading for plain base cast boolits. So I bought a Lee taper crimp die for cartridges where I use cast boolits.

The factory crimp die is actually what you use for the bulge buster kit. You take out the guts and push the case completely thru the die. Only works on straight walled rimless though for obvious reasons. 45acp, 10mm/40, .380.

Rosewood

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have a 625 and plunk test all my loaded moon clips at "Mooning" time and store 50 cal ammo cans of loaded moon-clips.

Ivan

 

[mikld]

Innovative tool!

But in the 40+ years I've been reloading I have never needed an FCD, bulge buster or cartridge gauge. I cannot remember a revolver round so big nor a cylinder so tight I needed to plunk test any, even with my oversize diameter cast bullets. I plunk test all my semi-auto loads using the gun's barrel and if a particular load has chambering problems I find out why/what's happening and fix it. Most of the time proper die adjustments eliminate chambering problems. 80% of my dies are Lee and more often than not, use mixed and range brass.

I tried a Lee FCD approx. 15 years ago, out of curiosity, and it ruined my cast bullet handloads so it now resides in a land fill somewhere in Southern Oregon. I use the gun's barrel for checking semi-auto handloads fit ( from 32 ACP up to 45 ACP), and haven't needed to plunk any rounds in my revolver cylinders, 9 revolvers including a 9mm using moon clips.

Some use an FCD for "insurance" to elevate any possible chambering failure for competition or "SD" but with my methods I more often than not get 100% chambering with my handloads.

Not condemning any that choose to use FCD, bulge busters or cartridge gauges, just showing the other side for any newer reloader viewing. (sometimes a new reloader sees something on a forum and believes it's gospel and that he has to use a particular tool or "suffer the consequences").

 

[tlawler]

Funny thing is, a lot of them that would chamber (plunk) individually still had enough of a bulge that would throw it out of whack when 6 were mooned together. When I ran those through the bulge buster, there was little resistance, but it trued them up enough that they would then easily chamber. I'm slowly going to all starline brass for my revolvers and using the range pickup stuff for milder semi auto rounds, so hopefully it won't be a long term problem. I built the plunker from one of those cut up N-frame parts kits I bought a few years ago and a 610-1 or -2 cylinder I picked up recently. I thought it was a pretty good use for the cut up frame, because I couldn't figure what else to use it for other than a paperweight. The cylinder will be used in an upcoming project as yet TBD.

 

[tlawler]

This is really weird!

I posted the video of my plunker less than 48 hours ago off of my youtoob account and I've watched the views steadily climb to over 4500! I only have the channel so I can host videos that I mostly put in the forum and most have views in the high double and low triple digits, except one of me shooting .45 Super in a 4516 that's at 1800 after several months. So what gives? How the heck could that video get that many views that quick? Have I officially gone viral? Also I'm picking up subscribers. What's that all about? I'm kind of naive about the whole yootube thing, just using it as a free video hosting service.

 

[rosewood]

Innovative tool!

But in the 40+ years I've been reloading I have never needed an FCD, bulge buster or cartridge gauge. I cannot remember a revolver round so big nor a cylinder so tight I needed to plunk test any, even with my oversize diameter cast bullets. I plunk test all my semi-auto loads using the gun's barrel and if a particular load has chambering problems I find out why/what's happening and fix it. Most of the time proper die adjustments eliminate chambering problems. 80% of my dies are Lee and more often than not, use mixed and range brass.

I tried a Lee FCD approx. 15 years ago, out of curiosity, and it ruined my cast bullet handloads so it now resides in a land fill somewhere in Southern Oregon. I use the gun's barrel for checking semi-auto handloads fit ( from 32 ACP up to 45 ACP), and haven't needed to plunk any rounds in my revolver cylinders, 9 revolvers including a 9mm using moon clips.

Some use an FCD for "insurance" to elevate any possible chambering failure for competition or "SD" but with my methods I more often than not get 100% chambering with my handloads.

Not condemning any that choose to use FCD, bulge busters or cartridge gauges, just showing the other side for any newer reloader viewing. (sometimes a new reloader sees something on a forum and believes it's gospel and that he has to use a particular tool or "suffer the consequences").

Using the bulge buster during brass prep irons out any irregularities of brass (doesn't work with rimmed). This is done before loading. Basically gives you a factory spec case. If you then use a taper crimp die instead of FCD, you don't have any issues with the cast.

I have seen bulges on 10mm and 40 brass that a full length sizing die just won't iron out. The bulge buster puts them back in spec.

Rosewood

 

[mikld]

Using the bulge buster during brass prep irons out any irregularities of brass (doesn't work with rimmed). This is done before loading. Basically gives you a factory spec case. If you then use a taper crimp die instead of FCD, you don't have any issues with the cast.

I have seen bulges on 10mm and 40 brass that a full length sizing die just won't iron out. The bulge buster puts them back in spec.

Rosewood

I always thought my full length sizing dies returned brass to correct dimensions, factory specs. I cannot remember any offensive bulges after sizing/depriming any 32 ACP, 380 ACP, 9mm or 45 ACP for my semi-auto handloads nor any 32 H&R or 32 Long, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 44 Special, 44 Magnum, 45 Colt revolver cartridges. If my sizing dies won't return my brass to spec. I would find out why and correct the situation. I cannot remember any die manufacturer stating brass must be "bulge busted" prior to processing brass for reloading. 10mm and 40 are pointed out as needing bulge busting, but there are many calibers and 10mm/40 cases that are not fired in poorly designeed chambers.

 

[jcelect]

Same problem

I had the same problem with my 10mm for pin shooting. It was caused by a slight bulge on some cases and slightly over sized lead bullets on others. Using RCBS dies in my Dillion leaves a station open at the end. I bought another full length resizer carbide die, removed the depriming pin, installed it as low as it could go in station #4 which resized all my loaded rounds.
Problem solved and no surprises at the firing line and no extra time spent testing each moon clip full before going to the line! Did the same thing for my 45ACP rounds but did not need the resizing with my 629/38 super using Dillon dies!
jcelect

 

[puebloshooter]

I am lucky that I have a Roll Sizer so I dont have to gauge my ammo. But.... wouldnt this be an easier option

Moon Clip Checkers | The Revolver Supply Company, LLC

 

[tlawler]

I am lucky that I have a Roll Sizer so I dont have to gauge my ammo. But.... wouldnt this be an easier option

Moon Clip Checkers | The Revolver Supply Company, LLC

Yeah, that's pretty cool. I didn't know it existed. The only advantage mine has is that the ejector is still functional so you don't have to lift the clipped rounds out with your fingernails.

 

[rosewood]

I had the same problem with my 10mm for pin shooting. It was caused by a slight bulge on some cases and slightly over sized lead bullets on others. Using RCBS dies in my Dillion leaves a station open at the end. I bought another full length resizer carbide die, removed the depriming pin, installed it as low as it could go in station #4 which resized all my loaded rounds.
Problem solved and no surprises at the firing line and no extra time spent testing each moon clip full before going to the line! Did the same thing for my 45ACP rounds but did not need the resizing with my 629/38 super using Dillon dies!
jcelect

That is basically what the Lee FCD does. Has a carbide ring that full length sizes the loaded round.