Last year, Lee offered a special run of the #5 shell plates for the Load Master, so I bought on in anticipation of last nights setup. Over the last few years, Lee has offered runs of Case Length Gauges, and Carbide Factory Crimp Dies for the 25 Auto, so I have been able to secure all the same tools that I use for loading my other pistol cartridges. The only difference with the 25 Auto is that I will not be able to use a bullet feeder. 25 caliber is too small the bullet feeder fingers to grasp.
I pulled the 32 Auto turret; the setup was no different than any other pistol cartridge.
From my notes:
- Case Feeder
In that, the feeder was set up for the 32 Auto; no change was needed as the 25 Auto uses the same case length of .680". Same with the 380 Auto. - Station #1 ~ Universal Decapping Die
Die adjusted to shell plate contact. - Station #2 ~ 25 Auto Sizer with the decapper rod removed.
Die Adjusted to shell plate contact. Like every case I reload, I have beveled the primer pocket as part of the case prep. During the test runs, I did not experience ANY priming issues. - Station #3 ~ Powder Through Expander Die
The die set up instructions state to adjust the die to shell plate contact and then turn the die one complete turn off contact. I started there but knew my .255" bullet would require the limit of the expander plug. That limit is achieved at shell plate contact which I quickly returned to. - Auto Drum
No issue for the 25 Auto. I used the Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure to adjust the drum that will be dedicated to this cartridge, and it delivered the 1.7-grains of Hodgdon International. From lessons I've learned from working with the Auto Drum, always use a freshly sized case as you verify both expansion and the charge delivered. Even a single repeat of the same case will give you false results. - Station #4 ~ Bullet Seating Die
The instructions say to set this die up three turns off shell plate contact. That setting is to provide clearance for the bullet feeder fingers which is not a concern here. The cartridge overall length of the 25 Auto is so short that with the die two turns off the shell plate the bullet seating stem must be fully seated to meet my needs. I will probably readjust this die to shell plate contact so that the stem can be relieved. That also provides another pressure point to stabilize the turret. - Station #5 ~ Carbide Factory Crimp Die
In another topic/post, I mentioned how I set up this die up with my over-sized pistol bullets and semi-auto cartridges that are headspaced on the case mouth. I start by knowing the thickness of the brass at the case mouth by measuring it with a ball micrometer and set the die up to provide a specific micrometer measurement at the case mouth of brass thickness times two plus bullet diameter. My lot of 25 Auto brass is at the spec of .013" so that would be doubled, .026" plus .255" for the bullet or .281".
The die instructions say to adjust the die to shell plate contact with the adjusting screw extended and then bring the adjusting screw in until it stops on the case mouth of a cartridge with the bullet seated. From there you bring the adjusting screw in half a turn. I don't do the latter. Instead, after adjusting the screw down to mouth contact, I start with checking the diameter of the case mouth with the bullet seated after the initial pass into the die. With over-diameter bullets, especially those at the limit of the expansion die (about .004" over spec bullet diameter), you will probably see no need to turn the die in after case mouth contact. I didn't need to adjust the die further. In effect, I'm using the Carbide FCD to remove the case mouth flare the Power Through Expander Die's expansion plug produced.
