bullet seating problem

[rebs]

I am using a Hornady micrometer seating die in 223 with 80.5 Berger full bore bullets on a single stage press. I am using a Redding bushing die to size my brass. I have annealed the brass and the bullets seat very easy with not much pressure, the neck tension is 0.003. I cannot get consistent seating depth.
What is your process for getting consistent seating depth ?

 

[Bc'z]

Make sure seater stem isn't bottoming out on bullet tip/meplat

 

[Krogen]

How are you measuring seating depth? Length overall or to the ogive? How inconsistent is your seating depth and what are you expecting?

 

[William Vogel]

I am using a Hornady micrometer seating die in 223 with 80.5 Berger full bore bullets on a single stage press. I am using a Redding bushing die to size my brass. I have annealed the brass and the bullets seat very easy with not much pressure, the neck tension is 0.003. I cannot get consistent seating depth.
What is your process for getting consistent seating depth ?

What COL are you shooting for with those bullets? I’m asking because they are long and without an extended freebore are you compressing the powder? Other than that, I seat 75 and 80 grain ELD (Hornady) consistently every time but my COL is 2.565 so only a portion of the boat tail is below the neck.

 

[Rsadams]

Use a comparator instead of calipers probably what your seeing is the difference in bullets tips themselves and case head thickness...

 

[Straightshooter1]

I am using a Hornady micrometer seating die in 223 with 80.5 Berger full bore bullets on a single stage press. I am using a Redding bushing die to size my brass. I have annealed the brass and the bullets seat very easy with not much pressure, the neck tension is 0.003. I cannot get consistent seating depth.
What is your process for getting consistent seating depth ?

In addition to the things already mentioned than can result in your inconsistent seating depths, there are variations on a bullet's BTO's than can account for such inconsistencies. There's actually two places on the ogive where the variance is at play for you: the contact point where your comparator insert touches the ogive, and the contact point where your seating stem touches the ogive. Measure a sample of our bullet's BTOs to see what kind of variance you might have. If the bullets have really consistent BTOs, then those other things mentioned should be looked at closely.

PS: My process for getting consistent seating depth is first to sort my bullets by BTO using a comparator insert that has a contact point the same as my seating stem, then like you've done, anneal and get consistent neck tension. I get very consistent seating depths with variances < .0015. I use Wilson micrometer seater with arbor press.

 

[rebs]

The tip is not hitting the seater, I have the VLD stem. I am trying to load them at 1.920 base to ogive Which is about 2.398 OAL. I am loading 24.5 of Varget in Lapua match cases and is below the neck. They average 1.922 to 1.915 base to ogive.

 

[William Vogel]

The tip is not hitting the seater, I have the VLD stem. I am trying to load them at 1.920 base to ogive Which is about 2.398 OAL. I am loading 24.5 of Varget in Lapua match cases and is below the neck. They average 1.922 to 1.915 base to ogive.

Try the shake test. If the powder doesn’t shake, you’re out of room but that’s not always compressed. I really think you’re compressing the powder. I’m going to check my records, I worked with Varget in the past on my 223 and I think that’s the same charge I used. I’ll report back.

 

[William Vogel]

I loaded 25.2 grains of Varget under hornady 75 bthp bullets 0.020 off the lands which should be close to your COL. Mine was probably 2.45 if I remember. It only yielded me 2820 fps and I abandoned it. My load now is 24.3 grains of TAC with 450 magnum primers and hornady 75ELDM. 2980fps 26 inch barrel. No pressure signs and sub 3 inch 10 shot groups at 700 yards.

 

[rebs]

Try the shake test. If the powder doesn’t shake, you’re out of room but that’s not always compressed. I really think you’re compressing the powder. I’m going to check my records, I worked with Varget in the past on my 223 and I think that’s the same charge I used. I’ll report back.

I tried the shake test and cannot hear the powder move.
could there be another seating node closer to the lands? I am at .070 off the lands now.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

2 questions - are you using the Hornady VLD stem in the die.
Is it possible that with your seating depth, the powder is pushing back?
Ask me how I know this one. I changed my 223 load from Varget to IMR8208 and cured the issue for me.

I can't help with the jump on those bullets, as I haven't used them, but I run 75g Hornady's 12 thou off the lands

 

[William Vogel]

I tried the shake test and cannot hear the powder move.
could there be another seating node closer to the lands? I am at .070 off the lands now.

I run tangent ogive bullets approximately .050 off the lands.

 

[M-61]

full bore bullets

I’m unfamiliar with the term

 

[William Vogel]

I tried the shake test and cannot hear the powder move.
could there be another seating node closer to the lands? I am at .070 off the lands now.

Is there any reason you want to use Varget in the 223? Varget doesn’t have time to burn out before the bullet exit with 80 grain bullets. It also doesn’t produce enough velocity for me because the case is too small. I use it in my 6Dasher and it’s awesome but it doesn’t even work in my 308. Too Slow.

 

[6Creed73]

I tried the shake test and cannot hear the powder move.
could there be another seating node closer to the lands? I am at .070 off the lands now.

Are you using a drop tube? If not, you should for those small cases. A drop tube will pack the powder in tighter giving more room for the bullet...if that's even the issue. But either way, a drop tube is a good thing to have. I use one for 223 and 300 Blackout.

 

[rebs]

I am using Varget because I have 8 lbs of it. Would reloader 15 be a better choice ? I have about 6 lbs of it
Yes I am using the Hornady VLD seating stem.
I figured the bullet is just touching the powder but not actually compressing it.
I loaded a few more today and one seated at 1.910 instead of 1.920. The rest of them seated at between 1.922 and 1.917

 

[JMayo]

Make sure the seating stem isn't loose !
You may be fully compressed .
Pour slower, tap tap tap..........,........................

 

[rebs]

Make sure the seating stem isn't loose !
You may be fully compressed .
Pour slower, tap tap tap..........,........................

putting in the new seating stem I just removed the micromeer top and tipped it and the old step dropped out and I dropped the VLD in and replaced the micrometer top.
Am I missing something ?

 

[JEFFPPC]

Dangerous, but I am going to assume 2 things. One, the bullet is not compressing the powder. Two, your cases do not have a donut. Now, if you do not sort your bullets base to ogive you will never have consistent seating depth. It gets even worse with VLD bullets. I am not getting into any arguments. This is a fact. No matter what other problems you might have and solve.....This is a constant. Hope this helps.

 

[47WillysGuy]

I’m unfamiliar with the term

Berger 80.5 Grain Fullbore Target Rifle Bullets are often used by competitive shooters who seek the highest accuracy possible. FullBore Rifle Bullets are often used beyond mid-range distances out to 600 yards or more. The 80.5 Grain FullBore Rifle Bullet was specifically designed for accross-the-course competitive shooting with today’s AR platform target rifles where reliable magazine feeding is a must.