Forster ultra seating die question

[DLT]

I got a new 223 seater today. Getting it setup per instructions and I can’t get the bullet seated to the correct length without first making contact and pushing the bullet into the case before the shell holder contacts the alignment sleeve. If I back the mic or the stem off enough to get the case in the sleeve then it will not seat my bullet deep enough. Shooting 80.5 bergers at 2.468 coal. Anybody had an issue like this ?

 

[Allen Corneau]

Loosen the little nut at the top and back out the stem until it starts touching the bullet in the range you want.

If you have a loaded/dummy round then you can back out the stem a bunch, put the round in the press with the ram fully engaged, then screw the stem down until it touches your bullet. Lock the lock-nut and you're good to go.

 

[DLT]

Loosen the little nut at the top and back out the stem until it starts touching the bullet in the range you want.

If you have a loaded/dummy round then you can back out the stem a bunch, put the round in the press with the ram fully engaged, then screw the stem down until it touches your bullet. Lock the lock-nut and you're good to go.

I will try that approach next trip to the bench. Where should I have the micrometer top sitting before messing with the small threaded stem. Halfway ?

 

[Allen Corneau]

My 6BR die has 0.3" on either side of the zero in the middle, I'm guessing your die is the same.

It really depends on how your brain works. Do you want your longest seating depth to be around the zero mark and you go down from there? Do you want your shortest depth to be zero and you go up/out from there? My brain works best with my shortest at zero and the numbers get bigger for longer rather than the other way around. (I shoot three different bullets from a short 70gr to a really long 115gr VLD.)

Whatever you choose, just make sure when you find your settings you note if it's up from zero or down from zero when writing it down.

 

[chromatica]

First screw the die down until the shell-holder touches the die body (not the moving sleeve). This insures that your lengths will be consistent. Then unscrew the threaded spindle on the top of the die and screw it up until it stops at it's highest point. Then screw the micrometer barrel to the point where the numbers describe your intended COL. Then put a correctly seated cartridge into the shell holder and run it up into the die. You should fee no resistance. Finally, screw the spindle down until it barely meets resistance and secure it with the knurled lock nut. You are done!

 

[NDSU]

Tag for future reference

 

[chromatica]

First screw the die down until the shell-holder touches the die body (not the moving sleeve). This insures that your lengths will be consistent. Then unscrew the threaded spindle on the top of the die and screw it up until it stops at it's highest point. Then screw the micrometer barrel to the point where the numbers describe your intended COL. Then put a correctly seated cartridge into the shell holder and run it up into the die. You should fee no resistance. Finally, screw the spindle down until it barely meets resistance and secure it with the knurled lock nut. You are done!

You have to choose the convention for your zero. For my .308 family of cartridges, I have chosen 2.600 as my zero. When the micrometer barrel reads 0.000 then I know my COAL is 2.600. I make adjustments up or down from there.

 

[DHD]

I always set my top to zero, and then adjust the stem to get me in the ballpark. Final adjustments are then made with the micrometer top, after locking the stem of course.

I probably have a dozen of them and prefer the Ultra to everything else. I do polish the stem ID though out of habit (it makes me feel better).

 

[64Rambler]

Directly from Forster...

 

[DLT]

Just to make sure I’m not crazy…… the case should be all the way inserted into the spring loaded sleeve and starting to compress before the seater touches the bullet correct ?

 

[DLT]

Here is where it’s contacting my bullet

 

[BoydAllen]

Loosen the little nut at the top and back out the stem until it starts touching the bullet in the range you want.

If you have a loaded/dummy round then you can back out the stem a bunch, put the round in the press with the ram fully engaged, then screw the stem down until it touches your bullet. Lock the lock-nut and you're good to go.

....unless the ram backs up a bit at the top of its stroke. In that case you will be off by that amount.