I have been pulling my hair out lately trying to get some .40 target ammo loaded. The trouble I'm having is bullet setback. The brass just plain won't hold a bullet tight and bullets seem to me to be seating way too easily. I can easily seat the bullet, even without using the expander die, and no matter how much crimp I use the bullets still can be pushed back into the case when pushed against a table. I've tried different brass, different bullets, and a different sizing die with varying results, but found nothing that consistently works. I have one type of brass (S&B) that will hold most of the time, but I've tried once fired Winchester, Federal, Speer, R-P brass and nothing seems to work. I called RCBS thinking it was a sizing die problem, and they said to send it in, but the other die that I tried doesn't help, so I don't think that's the problem. I'm at a complete loss. I'm relatively new to reloading, so I was hoping that someone on here could maybe point something out that I might be missing.

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Preston

You know what wouldn't hurt is get yourself a Lee Factory Crimp Die. They are on sale at midwayusa for $10.99. I like to use the factory crimp on all of my calibers especially in semi-autos.

Crimping won't help. Are you using jacketed or cast bullet? Can you seat a bullet in a sized case w/o expanding the neck? If yes, then your sizing die may be oversize. If you can't then run your expander in just far enough so you can seat the bullet. Give that a try. Your expander could be oversized. You could send it back or polish it down 0.001 yourself.
Cast bullets should be sized 0.401 for bexst results. I use Dillon dies & have not ahad any rpoblems w/ setback. Before I got the Dillon dies I used a set of RCBS dies for the 10mm also w/o a setback problem.

Are you using a taper crimp die? If not, you should. these can be adjusted to vary the amount of crimp. I reload for the 40 and have had no problems with my Lee dies.
peter.

I agree with Fred in that it appears that the sizing die may be oversize. My suggestion is to put the die into the press and re-adjust the settings according to the owner manual. I have found myself sometimes assuming the dies were "right" and they were not. It happens. I use the Lee die set for .40 and the Lee crimp die and it works for me.

Just wish I could work-up a accurate, target quality load for my 96G.

Lee, try 5.0gr WST behind a 170-180gr hard cast bullet. It's very accurate in my s&w & USP.

I have been reloading for my 40 S&W since the mid 90's. I have never had this problem. I aggree with the others it sounds like something is out of spec. Does a bullet appear to seat just as easily in and empty spent case as compared to a sized case? Perhaps the sizing die is not really sizng the case down at all.

I use Star Line Brass and Dillon dies.