Any important tips or tricks to loading flat base bullets.

[AJC]

So as i read on here, that i may be missing out on some accuracy by not trying flat base bullets for close in targets. I have never loaded flat base before and i watched a video where a guy was begging for help, because he was wrecking cases. Will i need to expand the mouth of the cse like loading cast and then crimp. I can imagine that br shooters are crimping but who knows.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

A good chamfer on the case mouth, and a competition/sleeved type seater make working with flat base bullets much easier.

 

[Rsadams]

Should be able to load flat base no problem , and yes they shoot great... No most bench rest guys don't crimp... I crimp for auto loaders , not for bolt action guns though.... You must chamfer and deburr the case mouths as stated above....

 

[Dusty Stevens]

No problem. Youtubers can wreck anything

 

[boltfluter]

No problem. Youtubers can wreck anything

Boy, that is the truth! Or show you the very best way "not" to do something.

Paul

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I wish i had a nickel for every flat base 6mm and 22 bullet ive put thru another bullet hole. Theyre still competitive at 100/200 in a ppc on any day

 

[Outrider27]

No problem. Youtubers can wreck anything

Amen. We've loaded thousands of flat based bullets; as mentioned by several above, just deburr and chamfer the case mouths.

 

[JohnKielly]

A competition/sleeved type seater make working with flat base bullets much easier.

+1

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ive loaded a metric ton of them with a custom inline seater die- no need for a special die at all

 

[Webster]

So as i read on here, that i may be missing out on some accuracy by not trying flat base bullets for close in targets. I have never loaded flat base before and i watched a video where a guy was begging for help, because he was wrecking cases. Will i need to expand the mouth of the cse like loading cast and then crimp. I can imagine that br shooters are crimping but who knows.

45 years of reloading never had a problem with flat base bullets. Measure the sized neck I.D and compare to bullet diameter. I have a Redding 6mm Rem BR FL die and a bushing die. Don't have the numbers at hand but the FL die without the expander ball closes the neck about 5 thou more than the bushing die. The sized neck i.d. should be in the range of 2-4 thou under bullet diameter. No-one crimps comp bullets that I ever heard of at least for shorter range comp. Most rules require single loading. I read FB bullets are more accurate than BT for short range comp because it's easier to constantly get the dimensions correct. The only bullets I ever had with a crimping groove was a154 gr. Hornady RN for a 7mm. Rem mag. The only reason for crimping is to lock the bullet in place to resist moving from recoil or being stacked in a tube like a 30-30. Accomplishes nothing in most rifles. If you look in the Sierra reloading manual very few if any bullets have a crimping groove.

 

[AJC]

Thanks guys. Ment to say can't immagine and Autocorrect got me. So if I have the wilson chamber loading bullet seaters I'm good to go.

 

[MGYSGT]

Bullets loaded in an AR don't need to be crimped. Just in case that is what you are doing.

 

[K22]

As others have said, no problem loading flat base bullets, just make sure you chamfer the necks on all new cases and after trimming. I too have shot them for many years and found them to be perfectly adequate especially out to 200 yards. One of my favorite's is the 150 Sierra Pro Hunter 30 caliber bullet. Very accurate and excellent terminal performance on game.

 

[mikecr]

If you size necks to leave ~1thou interference fit (all that's needed), there is no difference in seating between various base types.
Video guy likely did it to himself with excess neck sizing.

 

[jepp2]

where a guy was begging for help, because he was wrecking cases.

I've never "wrecked" a case, but I do go gently until the bullet starts in the case mouth. Like the others said, put a light chamfer on the inside of your case mouth, which you should be doing on BT bullets to avoid scratching the jacket.

 

[Uncle Ed]

So as i read on here, that i may be missing out on some accuracy by not trying flat base bullets for close in targets. I have never loaded flat base before and i watched a video where a guy was begging for help, because he was wrecking cases. Will i need to expand the mouth of the cse like loading cast and then crimp. I can imagine that br shooters are crimping but who knows.

One trick I read about and use is using a Lyman type "M" expander. You bump the case mouth on to the .226 section of the expander to aid straight inline seating. Depending on brass spring back you may need a taper crimp die to slightly close up the case mouth for reliable chambering in semi-autos. The Lyman expander gives you .003 bullet grip and bumping the case onto the .226 section helps keep the bullet from tilting during seating.

 

[AJC]

One trick I read about and use is using a Lyman type "M" expander. You bump the case mouth on to the .226 section of the expander to aid straight inline seating. Depending on brass spring back you may need a taper crimp die to slightly close up the case mouth for reliable chambering in semi-autos. The Lyman expander gives you .003 bullet grip and bumping the case onto the .226 section helps keep the bullet from tilting during seating.

This is how I load led and what I was expecting. I will work with some range pickup brass to learn with and if i trash a few pieces who cares.

 

[dcali]

In my experience, they seat just as easily as boattails. The seater straightens then out. I’m not even sure how you would wreck cases with them.

Also, the reason flat base bullets *can* be more accurate has to to with weight distribution, not the manufacturing process. That’s a common misconception.