Micrometer seating die problem

[NZ_Fclass]

Is the brass any thicker in the neck than you would expect?

 

[coldboreshot]

Anything going on in the press head mechanism that might be causing a stoppage at the same point in the press sequence??

 

[6BRA]

How much space is left between Wislon seater cap and body when it comes to dead stop?

 

[Bill K]

If I understand you correctly this is occurring with some of the new brass you are using. If so, take a couple of those cases and anneal them.
It could be the neck/shoulder area is just too hard, compared to the neck forward, even with new cases, of any brand.
It may or may not cure your issue, but a simple thing like this can cause trouble. And you eliminate a possible cause.

 

[itchyTF]

Put some cerrosafe in the Wilson and RCBS dies and compare measurements?

 

[dellet]

Are you certain the mandrel is going deep enough to push the doughnut to the outside?

The Wilson arbor press die body will float, it’s not attached to the press. So when you meet resistance to seating the bullet, the die body should move freely. If it does, then the problem is solely in the case neck not allowing the bullet to move. If it’s the case neck expanding against the die body, it will not move or will have noticeable resistance relative the the pressure you apply to the press handle.

When you used other seating dies, are you sure the problem went away, or did you Just not feel it on a conventional press and added leverage?

 

[LCazador]

I had this issue recently with Lapua brass. After I neck turned it worked out perfectly. There seems to be a lack of consistency in thickness of brass lately. I finding rims that won't go into the shell holder as well. Yes I use Wilson seating die. When the pressure ring on the bullet contacts that shoulder/neck area it expands the neck/shoulder exponentially.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

This will sound stupid. Is there a chance in heck that when pushing a bullet that far down in the neck in a tight case full of powder that the internal air has no place to go and it hits a vacuum wall for a second before it can escape?

 

[CJ6]

Sacrifice a case or two and section them. Take the measurements. That should tell you what you need to know.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've tried to push donuts to the outside on my 30-28 brass with a mandrel and there was still part of the donut there.
Still reamed some brass out at the junction, not that I seat a bullet down that far it was more out of curiosity.
Run a guage pin down the neck if it stops its a donut

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

this is way above my pay grade,,, but do you have access to other brass to try/attempt? Change one variable at a time.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Is the brass any thicker in the neck than you would expect?

Yeah but nothing out of the ordinary and the same for Nosler and Lapua.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Anything going on in the press head mechanism that might be causing a stoppage at the same point in the press sequence??

No, I don't see anything.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Are you certain the mandrel is going deep enough to push the doughnut to the outside?

The Wilson arbor press die body will float, it’s not attached to the press. So when you meet resistance to seating the bullet, the die body should move freely. If it does, then the problem is solely in the case neck not allowing the bullet to move. If it’s the case neck expanding against the die body, it will not move or will have noticeable resistance relative the the pressure you apply to the press handle.

When you used other seating dies, are you sure the problem went away, or did you Just not feel it on a conventional press and added leverage?

Yeah, it is deep enough. Those Wilson dies are quite a bit different design where the case goes into what is in effect a chamber. A chamber that is loose enough to allow neck expansion. Once that junction is hit, that case will not move in that die. The brass is being forced against the die.

I think the issue may be that the shoulder neck junction of the die is too sharp. I'm going to try and mark a case later today and see if it rubs off via the bore scope.

 

[ronsatspokane]

How much space is left between Wislon seater cap and body when it comes to dead stop?

That is one thing Tod mentioned. I thought there was a lot of space but I have never actually looked at it. I'll check later.

 

[ronsatspokane]

If I understand you correctly this is occurring with some of the new brass you are using. If so, take a couple of those cases and anneal them.
It could be the neck/shoulder area is just too hard, compared to the neck forward, even with new cases, of any brand.
It may or may not cure your issue, but a simple thing like this can cause trouble. And you eliminate a possible cause.

That Lapua brass is so pretty. I hate to create my own anneal line on it.

 

[ronsatspokane]

This will sound stupid. Is there a chance in heck that when pushing a bullet that far down in the neck in a tight case full of powder that the internal air has no place to go and it hits a vacuum wall for a second before it can escape?

I think that is always a possibility but air is so compressible that you would need to be compressing a lot before you encountered the kind of resistance I'm seeing with this die.

 

[ronsatspokane]

this is way above my pay grade,,, but do you have access to other brass to try/attempt? Change one variable at a time.

I do but it is all once fired. And it was fired in a different gun with a different chamber.

 

[LCazador]

I do but it is all once fired. And it was fired in a different gun with a different chamber.

Was chamber that it was fired in a SAMMI or custom?

 

[6BRA]

That is one thing Tod mentioned. I thought there was a lot of space but I have never actually looked at it. I'll check later.

Take a picture of your seater stem in the cap where you currently have it set. What bullet are you seating? Vld stem?