Compressed load seating

[digrazir]

I developed an accurate load for my 260 tactical magazine fed bolt gun using Sierra 142s with a compressed load. I am using a Redding bushing die with a bushing .003 smaller than a loaded round. As a result using a Wilson seating die I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool. The ring mark doesn't happen until I start to hear a little powder crunch. My idea was to pre crunch the powder using a 6mm expander mandrel. Has anyone out there tried this? And yes I am super fussy about my reloading. I want my ammo to look as good as it shoots. Thanks, Ray

 

[amlevin]

Are you using a drop tube??

I've found that extra attention to the filling process, going slow with a longer drop tube turns some compressed loads into just regular loads by making sure the powder is as 'settled' as you can get it.

Some have even reported success using their vibratory tumblers to help settle powder. Pour the charge into the case, put a finger on the case mouth, then hold the case head against the top of the running vibratory tumbler for 5-10 seconds.

Also, that ring may also be an indication that you have a mis-match with bullet and seating stem. When I have this problem I change from the regular stem on my Redding die to a VLD stem the ring on my bullets goes away.

If your seating stem contacts the bullet farther away from the point you generally have a stronger point to push on.

Lastly, I wouldn't use an expander to "pre-crunch" myself. As I see it there's too much risk of "over-crunching" and possibly setting off the round.

 

[Rtheurer]

I was messing around with a slow powder per case one time and put my trigger finger over the top of the case mouth while holding the case against my case tumbler to vibrate the case. Powder settled down a lot more than I expected.

I bet there is a good You tube video about how to use a longer drop tube or how to swirl in powder to get it settled into the case more than you are as well. If your just dumping it in then there are ways to fix that.

Lots of good advice here. ( minus my tumbler one above) Some one will describe a good way to do it.

RussT

 

[Brians356]

I was messing around with a slow powder per case one time and put my trigger finger over the top of the case mouth while holding the case against my case tumbler to vibrate the case. Powder settled down a lot more than I expected.

I would think tapping (I use a small "dessert" spoon) the side of the case a few times while holding a finger over the case mouth would suffice in most instances. You don't want the powder to settle too much, 100% load density to the bottom of the bullet would be ideal.

 

[Brians356]

I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool.

Can you actually feel that ring? If you drag the edge of a credit card over it, for example? Or is it just a burnished (polished) area? I'm wondering if it's really worth dealing with.

 

[digrazir]

I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool.

Can you actually feel that ring? If you drag the edge of a credit card over it, for example? Or is it just a burnished (polished) area? I'm wondering if it's really worth dealing with.
You can't feel the ring. It comes off with oooo steel wool. Probably not worth dealing with. I think I will try the case tumbler method. I don't need it to settle very much. Thanks, Ray

 

[Brians356]

I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool.

Can you actually feel that ring? If you drag the edge of a credit card over it, for example? Or is it just a burnished (polished) area? I'm wondering if it's really worth dealing with.
You can't feel the ring. It comes off with oooo steel wool. Probably not worth dealing with. I think I will try the case tumbler method. I don't need it to settle very much. Thanks, Ray

That makes sense. With .003" of neck expansion, and I assume non-moly bullets, I don't think you need to worry about bullets getting pushed back out by the compressed powder, either.

 

[savagedasher]

I can gain 1 1/2 Gr of powder in a Dasher. In a 458 lot over 4 GR.
My dasher With .003 neck tension 35.2 Gr of H4350 in a normal pour the bullet will move out. I load 36.6 GR of H4350 with.002 neck tension with long drop tube and slow pour with no movement. 8) Larry

Imagine what you can do with one of these in your drop tube!

http://www.globalautoshop.com/performance/intake/vortex.htm

Exactly nothing. ;D Larry

 

[Brians356]

I can gain 1 1/2 Gr of powder in a Dasher. In a 458 lot over 4 GR.
My dasher With .003 neck tension 35.2 Gr of H4350 in a normal pour the bullet will move out. I load 36.6 GR of H4350 with.002 neck tension with long drop tube and slow pour with no movement. 8) Larry

Imagine what you can do with one of these in your drop tube!

http://www.globalautoshop.com/performance/intake/vortex.htm

Exactly nothing. ;D Larry

Makes a fun party favor, though.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Try seating in two steps.

First, seat the bullet long enough that it doesn't touch the powder.

Second, invert the die and seat fully. It works for me with 308 compressed loads.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I developed an accurate load for my 260 tactical magazine fed bolt gun using Sierra 142s with a compressed load. I am using a Redding bushing die with a bushing .003 smaller than a loaded round. As a result using a Wilson seating die I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool. The ring mark doesn't happen until I start to hear a little powder crunch. My idea was to pre crunch the powder using a 6mm expander mandrel. Has anyone out there tried this? And yes I am super fussy about my reloading. I want my ammo to look as good as it shoots. Thanks, Ray

Worrying about a non existent problem.
All bullets get a slight mark fron the seating stem, some more pronounced than others.
I used to worry about the marks left by the collet on my bullets after pulling them, I would tumble them to remove it. Then common sense said, why not shoot some rounds side by side with and without the marks, no difference, at all, was found between the 2.
I don't worry about marks on the ogive, the base of the bullet, YES, definitely.

Cheers.

 

[digrazir]

I loaded 50 rounds this morning, same load, same seating depth using a 6 inch drop tube. No rings on the bullets due to significantly less seating resistance. Thanks to all, Ray

I developed an accurate load for my 260 tactical magazine fed bolt gun using Sierra 142s with a compressed load. I am using a Redding bushing die with a bushing .003 smaller than a loaded round. As a result using a Wilson seating die I am getting a ring mark on the bullet while seating. The ring mark on the bullet has not affected accuracy and it actually comes off with a little steel wool. The ring mark doesn't happen until I start to hear a little powder crunch. My idea was to pre crunch the powder using a 6mm expander mandrel. Has anyone out there tried this? And yes I am super fussy about my reloading. I want my ammo to look as good as it shoots. Thanks, Ray

 

[Rtheurer]

Easy peasy....