20 Practical bullet seating

[GrocMax]

Using the std 223 Rem seating die/stem seems to cause problems for me on occasion, depending on brass and bullet, sometimes the 22 stems will slightly 'crush' the longer thin jacket varmint bullets, leading to inconsistent depths and damaged bullets. And no I'm not going to turn 4000 necks to get consistent seating force for bushing neck sized only varmint rounds
Its flattenening a small section to a conical shape rather than ogive, very hard to see, probably the area just above the lead core.

Happens on .002" 'tension" worse than .001" but still happens on .001" especially with clean brass.

Anybody used a shortened chamber 204 Ruger seating die with success? Looks like about .130" shorter should work OK on paper.

.2025"-2030" expander ball?

Might be the reason all 4 of our 20 barrels blew up 39BK's with high frequency but not 40 vmaxs same velocity.

 

[rcw3]

If you're in a jam and need an inexpensive 20 cal seater that will work with a 20 Practical, try this:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/212053/hornady-custom-grade-new-dimension-bullet-seater-die-204-ruger?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[GrocMax]

I actually ordered one of them to try it a couple of days ago, 19 bucks was worth a shot, but the last Hornady die I had years ago was so screwed up I don't ever look at what they have to offer, price be damned. I mean it was REALLY screwy and shouldn't have ever left the building.

 

[Biggdawg]

I use an unmodified 204 seater die for my practical and it works just fine.

 

[GrocMax]

biggdawg-

Thanks.
Does the bottom of the seating stem stick below the bullet chamber into the neck area of the body chamber? I want to avoid that for a couple silly reasons if possible. Its no biggie to chuck up the body chamber and trim some off the bottom if I need to.

 

[Biggdawg]

biggdawg-

Thanks.
Does the bottom of the seating stem stick below the bullet chamber into the neck area of the body chamber? I want to avoid that for a couple silly reasons if possible. Its no biggie to chuck up the body chamber and trim some off the bottom if I need to.

to be honest i never checked, will look at it tonight and see. I just set the die to just touch the shell plate then backed off an 1/8. then set the depth to where i wanted.

will see if i can get a decent pic to post up.

 

[searcher]

For a great .20 Practical seater, get the RCBS Competition seater and order the .20 caliber seater and slide. Just drop the bullet into the open window and the die holds the bullet into proper position as being seated. In addition to being nice on the bullets - you get very concentric ammo. I used the 39 BK's on a 4-day, 800-round ground squirrel hunt in April and none blew up (prior to squirrel mist or due to impact elsewhere). I was running mine warm - but not hot - at 3,700 out of a 26" Hart-barreled A/R.

 

[searcher]

I should have mentioned the seater die is the .223 version before replacing slide and seater stem.

 

[GrocMax]

Well I took the 140 deformed 40 vmax this weekend to the PD ranch, none of them blew up, shot OK but not great like normal, with seating depths all over the map. Got die parts coming from Forster for the 223 Ultra mic seater, and a Hornady backup die.