Well here I am needing your assistance again. I did some searching and found differing information, most of it 10+ years old, so I am approaching you knowledgeable folks.
I recently upgraded from Lee equipment to Forster micrometer seating and full length sizing dies as well as a co-ax press. Tonight I was reloading some 223. Hornady brass, Hornady 52gr ELD-M bullets, and 24 to 27 grains of Varget (I'm working up a new load).
As I was loading I began to notice that the seating die was leaving an indented ring around the ogive of the bullet.
Sorry for the poor photo. The grove is deep enough that if you drag your finger nail along the ogive you can feel it. I checked the mouth of the brass and it is right around .002" less than the diameter of the bullet so I don't think it's excessive neck tension causing it. I tried seating some 55gr V-max bullets and there was a ring on those as well, though not as deep as on the ELD-M's. I then looked at some 6.5 147gr ELD-M's that I loaded earlier and there is a slight ring on them from the seater as well. I then seated some of the 52gr ELD-M's with my old Lee seater and not a mark! AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!
I did some research on this and it appears to be more common with the Forster seating dies. Some say that this will not effect accuracy and not to worry about it. Others say to modify the seating stem of the die. Messing with the die itself makes me nervous.
So I have a few questions. Have any of you run into this? Will this adversely effect accuracy? Am I doing something wrong? Any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated
I recently upgraded from Lee equipment to Forster micrometer seating and full length sizing dies as well as a co-ax press. Tonight I was reloading some 223. Hornady brass, Hornady 52gr ELD-M bullets, and 24 to 27 grains of Varget (I'm working up a new load).
As I was loading I began to notice that the seating die was leaving an indented ring around the ogive of the bullet.
Sorry for the poor photo. The grove is deep enough that if you drag your finger nail along the ogive you can feel it. I checked the mouth of the brass and it is right around .002" less than the diameter of the bullet so I don't think it's excessive neck tension causing it. I tried seating some 55gr V-max bullets and there was a ring on those as well, though not as deep as on the ELD-M's. I then looked at some 6.5 147gr ELD-M's that I loaded earlier and there is a slight ring on them from the seater as well. I then seated some of the 52gr ELD-M's with my old Lee seater and not a mark! AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!
I did some research on this and it appears to be more common with the Forster seating dies. Some say that this will not effect accuracy and not to worry about it. Others say to modify the seating stem of the die. Messing with the die itself makes me nervous.
So I have a few questions. Have any of you run into this? Will this adversely effect accuracy? Am I doing something wrong? Any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated
