Hornady 338 Lapua A-Tip 300 gr. Seating

[D2x shooter]

I have the 338 A-Tip bullets but I do not have the proper seating stem (Part #397144) or the Hornady die that the A-Tip seat stem fits. Everyone seems to be out of them. I have tried to load a few with my Redding dies and polishing the inside of the Redding seating stem but am still leaving a slight mark on the bullet.

What is the reloading community doing to properly seat the 338 A-Tip bullets?

Thank you for your time, Dale

Ps Hornady is no help

 

[ronemus]

I use a Forster seater, but I haven't tried A-tips. The only bullet that wouldn't contact the stem properly was the Badlands Precision 285 gr ICBM-2 monolithic copper bullet - the tip contacted the stem; however, because those bullets are machined to close tolerances I got very consistent CBTO measurements. I think the A-Tips are shorter than the ICBM-2, but because the tip is aluminum contact between the tip and the stem is probably not a problem.

Your neck ID may be smaller than is necessary, leading to excessive seating force - bullets make lousy expanders. I use an expander of full bullet diameter; that produces maximum grip and keeps seating force reasonable. I used to get "ring-around-the-nose" with A-Max bullets, but cured it with the larger expander. Hornady apparently uses softer materials than some others, making it easier for the seating stem to mark them.

There are some advocates of epoxy bedding seating stems, and it works well for them; however, then you need a stem for each bullet you use. I haven't found it to be necessary.

 

[Howland]

If I were still in NH I'd let you borrow mine. You're on the right track polishing a different seating stem. I had my A-Tips for months before the correct seating stem was available.

PM inbound.

 

[Geno C]

I use a Forster seater, but I haven't tried A-tips. The only bullet that wouldn't contact the stem properly was the Badlands Precision 285 gr ICBM-2 monolithic copper bullet - the tip contacted the stem; however, because those bullets are machined to close tolerances I got very consistent CBTO measurements. I think the A-Tips are shorter than the ICBM-2, but because the tip is aluminum contact between the tip and the stem is probably not a problem.

Your neck ID may be smaller than is necessary, leading to excessive seating force - bullets make lousy expanders. I use an expander of full bullet diameter; that produces maximum grip and keeps seating force reasonable. I used to get "ring-around-the-nose" with A-Max bullets, but cured it with the larger expander. Hornady apparently uses softer materials than some others, making it easier for the seating stem to mark them.

There are some advocates of epoxy bedding seating stems, and it works well for them; however, then you need a stem for each bullet you use. I haven't found it to be necessary.

The atips are definitely shorter than the 285s

 

[Texas10]

Even the special Hornaday stem will leave marks, and the first one I had stuck so bad to the bullet I was afraid it was pulling the bullet back out as the ram was withdrawn. The second one had a better finish inside and didn't stick quite as bad.

If you can bed an action to a stock, you can bed a stem to a bullet. Some wax, a good metal filled epoxy and a drilled-out stem will have you going in no time.

 

[D2x shooter]

Thank you for all your help, Dale