Forster Bench Rest Seating die

[JackWagon]

Evening Folks

My benchrest seating die is about to make me crazy. My seat depths are so crazy inconsistent and it happens with VLD's, Noslers, SMK's. For instance my seating length should be 1.795 on my Sinclair comparator with the bergers. I get it adjusted to 1.795, next bullet comes out 1.790 and the next 1.797. I followed the directions step by step and even tried turning it out a half turn a couple of times. I pulled the stem to make sure I was not getting contact at the bullet tip, hit the stem with some polishing compound (I was not getting any ring on the bullet) Measured every bullet to get a pile that measured out exactly the same (The bergers are incredibly consistent) I don't have this issue with any of my other seating dies.

Neck tension is .002 on all of them, shoulder bump is right on the money from the FL sizing die. I am at a loss and about ready to fire up the forge and make a new knife blade....lol

Two calls into Forster over the last two weeks and all I get is "we will have to call you back" but sadly no return call as of yet.

 

[Mark W]

I have a few Forster BR Seating Dies in different calibers and anytime I get that much seating depth variance, I can feel extra resistance and will have one that seats long or it will seat really easy and end up too being short.

 

[Martin52]

One of my dies is a Forster BR seater, it works well.

Has your seater stem loose ? Check the round locking nut is tight.

Otherwise the variances could result from variable work hardening if you're not annealing.

 

[nmkid]

Are your bullets all the same length?

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

My bullets wouldn't slip through. Had to send in to forester and they honed it out and fixed it.

This fixed the differing COAL measurements.

Check to make sure everything goes together like on this video.

 

[bozo699]

Jack wagon,
How are you measuring your loaded rounds, base to ojive or base to tip?…. How did you measure your bullets, base to ojive or base to tip? Is it taking the same force to seat each bullet? Does the brass being used have the same number of firings on each case?…. Do you clean your brass?… more directly do you clean with ultrasonic or steal pins or do you leave the carbon in the necks?…. Do you brush your necks? And one more thing I seen you said your f/l sizing and that’s a real good thing but are you sure it’s consistent shoulder bump?… it directly effects seating depth. What is your method of lubing your cases? I much prefer in-line dies with a arbor press but I have had excellent results with the same die your using.
Wayne

 

[wagonman]

start by measuring your bullets base to ojive with your comparator to find out if they are your problem, you are measuring your loaded rounds base to ojive ?

 

[Richard Coody]

That is why I went to in-line seaters and an arbor press.

With careful brass prep, annealing, using a mandrel for final sizing and a 21st century hydro press to find out what it takes to get consistent neck tension my coal is very consistent. You can see the difference on your target.

 

[JackWagon]

All the measurements are with my Sinclair comparator, ojive to base for the bullets. I measured bullets until had a few exactly the same all the way down to .0002 and still the same issue . I'm going to try pulling the spring and testing a few and see if that clears it up as it just feels like way to much resistance even without a piece of brass in it although it is smooth resistance so it's not binding. Brass has only been fired once, new Lapua 6mmBR. I am thinking I was unlucky enough to get a lemon as even my cheap hornady new dimension I use for .243 my runout is .001 at worst.

Yes, I anneal every 3rd firing on light loads and every 2nd if I'm running it hotter.

 

[Lonestar41]

One of my dies is a Forster BR seater, it works well.

Has your seater stem loose ? Check the round locking nut is tight.

Otherwise the variances could result from variable work hardening if you're not annealing.

I put a small O-ring under the locking nut, and everything stays locked up tight. Just a thought. Life is good.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Are your bullets all the same length?

This

 

[coldboreshot]

Evening Folks

My benchrest seating die is about to make me crazy. My seat depths are so crazy inconsistent and it happens with VLD's, Noslers, SMK's. For instance my seating length should be 1.795 on my Sinclair comparator with the bergers. I get it adjusted to 1.795, next bullet comes out 1.790 and the next 1.797. I followed the directions step by step and even tried turning it out a half turn a couple of times. I pulled the stem to make sure I was not getting contact at the bullet tip, hit the stem with some polishing compound (I was not getting any ring on the bullet) Measured every bullet to get a pile that measured out exactly the same (The bergers are incredibly consistent) I don't have this issue with any of my other seating dies.

Neck tension is .002 on all of them, shoulder bump is right on the money from the FL sizing die. I am at a loss and about ready to fire up the forge and make a new knife blade....lol

Two calls into Forster over the last two weeks and all I get is "we will have to call you back" but sadly no return call as of yet.

Check and make sure your brass is fitting completely into the seater sleeve without the base getting stuck. If this is happening, it will change seating lengths depending on where the cases may get stuck in their travel into the sleeve. Discovered this on a bullet seating die where the sleeve was not honed all the way. Gave "stupid" variation in bullet seating depths.

 

[JimSC]

think about the mechanics of the seating process. You have a case sitting in a shellholder being pushed upwards by the press ram towards the seating stem. The seating stem should not move between strokes, the ram should stop at the same point in it's upward travel at the top of each stroke. The only place any variance can take place is the point on the ogive where the seating stem contacts the bullet

variance in the ogive or stem is hitting on the meplat instead of the ogive

 

[Murray Brook]

Have you checked your press to make sure all is good. Reason I ask is I had a similar problem a few years back. I checked everything I could except the press. Turned out I had a cracked linkage arm on my press. Replaced it and all was good.

 

[jelenko]

This

In the OP, it says he started with a bunch of premeasured bullets.

 

[bozo699]

In the OP, it says he started with a bunch of premeasured bullets.

Correct but he did not state how he measured them.
Wayne

 

[jelenko]

Correct but he did not state how he measured them.
Wayne

Good point. At some point, we have to check everything.

 

[marchboom]

think about the mechanics of the seating process. You have a case sitting in a shellholder being pushed upwards by the press ram towards the seating stem. The seating stem should not move between strokes, the ram should stop at the same point in it's upward travel at the top of each stroke. The only place any variance can take place is the point on the ogive where the seating stem contacts the bullet

variance in the ogive or stem is hitting on the meplat instead of the ogive

I agree. This is where the problem lies.

Some handloaders have suggested measuring the bullet, base to ogive. What difference does this make? Waste of time, IMO. It proves nothing. The distance that is in question is the case base to ogive OAL.

Maybe get another seating stem from Forster and see if that solves the problem. You didn't mention what press you were using. Check all the pivot points for looseness. Check over the press thoroughly. Check the device you are using to measure the OAL. Have someone else take some measurements and see what they get. Don't rule out ANYTHING.

 

[kcjim]

I had a custom seating stem made by Forster for my specific bullets. Helped with seating consistency,

 

[Rick300]

Maybe get another seating stem from Forster and see if that solves the problem.

I had that problem and found I had a cracked stem. Called Forster and they replaced it. It was much better after that, but I still went to an arbor press and problem went away.