inconsistant seating depths

[KT]

I have a question for the forum.

I'm having issues getting consistant seating depths with Berger 180 and 230 hybrids. Around 4-6 thou difference. I'm measuring with a good caliper and hornady comparator. I haven't had this issue in the past. That I"m aware of. I really started noticing it with the Berger 230's.

I use a redding press and redding comp seating dies.

Do the hybrids not seat well in the redding dies? Does my press have to much play?

I'm spending a ton of time trying to get the rounds to the same length.

Any help would be appreciated.

KT

 

[bsekf]

Did you measure the bullets?

 

[brian427cobra]

What method of brass cleaning are you doing

 

[lpreddick]

this might help...i almost went crazy seating bullets using the redding competition bullet seaters....004-.009 difference with bullets i measured...all the same and all the brass was the same length!!! this would happen especially with new and frequently with fireformed brass. i would adjust the die .003 and seat again and NOTHING...bullet didn't move. adjust another .003 and WTH bullet seats .004 or .005. i saw on this forum what is probably happening and the "cure". the bullet is actually going INTO the seating stem due to increased resistence in the neck...new brass esp but ff brass some harder than others. along the same line, occ a bullet will seat really easy and, sure enough, the bullets seats deeper than ones that had more resistence. somebody suggested filling the hollow stem with an epoxy material and seat the bullet to form a mold so that at seating the entire bullet surface at the tip, not the ring you can see, is pushed. you would only be able to seat this bullet's profile with this stem. i'm calling sinclair to see if i can buy seperate seating stem and will consider trying this.

 

[KT]

I measured all the bullets and sorted by base to ogive. The only difference I have found in the bullets is from base to tip. But that measurement really doesn't matter that I'm aware off. I do meplat trim and point, but the meplat trimmer references off the ogive not the base.

I deprime, clean brass in the ultra sonic cleaner using hornady solution, I run a nylon brush through the neck of each piece of brass while rinsing cleaning residue off, dry brass, anneal, full length size/bump shoulders, then wipe lube off with denatured alcohol and put in a dry tumbler for about 4 hours.

Are the redding seating stems just not set up for the hybrids?

KT

 

[jlow]

Good suggestions so far but one thing you should definately check is the lock ring on the seater. If that is loose and trust me it can be, that could be the source of your problem.

 

[KT]

Good suggestions so far but one thing you should definately check is the lock ring on the seater. If that is loose and trust me it can be, that could be the source of your problem.

That was the first thing I checked it was tight.

 

[KT]

Things that can cause seating variation:
Compressed loads
Un-even poured charges
Stiff neck-tension
Not enough chamfer and/or rough chamfer
Seating-die stems <> (they make replacement VLD and long bullet types) <> betting this is why

In a closing note: besides replacing my Redding seater stems to the VLD types for long bullets, I also always polish the seater stems to all my dies, which greatly helps - IME. I do it with Steel-wool wrapped around a plastic cleaning brush in a drill.

Donovan

Compressed loads (pretty sure this is not the problem)
Un-even poured charges (I use a chargemaster and then hand trickle on a more precise scale
Stiff neck-tension (is about .001 to .002
Not enough chamfer and/or rough chamfer (Use the Sinclair VLD tool. Leaves a nice clean chamfer
Seating-die stems <> (they make replacement VLD and long bullet types) <> betting this is why

 

[NorCalMikie]

One thing to check for sure. Are the bullet "tips" bottoming out in the seater stem? That will cause a problem. Had the same problem with RCBS Compitition seaters. Drill the hole in the seater stem deeper. That takes care of the VLD type bullet.

 

[KT]

Un-even poured charges (I use a chargemaster and then hand trickle on a more precise scale

I did not mean un-even charges.... I wrote and meant un-even POURED charges.
As to say the manor that you pour them into the funnel can cause different height powder columns, which can greatly effect seating.

Example:
Below is a charge poured fast over the funnel.
Below it is the same charge poured slow and onto the side of the funnel.

Donovan

Never thought about this. I do tend to just dump the powder fast. I will try. Thanks!

Seems like I need to order the VLD Seating steam as well to see if that will make a difference.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Redding dies have a VLD stem? Annealing may help..

 

[Ga. Dawg]

The pressure ring on the bullet may be binding against the donut in the neck.

 

[37Lincoln1]

KT -

I also advise to not only take great care to the manure we poor our charges, but also advise against short funnels.
Myself, I like at least a 5" tube, as I wrote/edited above.

Edited my above post....

Donovan

Damn, Donovan, "manure"? I know you meant "manner" but the typo is funny. . .

 

[gtl1946]

Long range shooters will measure all the bullets in a box ,I've been told, and separated by their length from the base to the olgive . When loaded would the "excess" length ALWAYS end up IN the case or could it end up , sometimes , outside the case thefore influencing the varying OAL ?

 

[dkhunt14]

I measure from pressure ring to ogive. I never have bullets vary in seating depth, but I use a Wilson Seater die and arbor press. It could be caused by the tip of the bullet hitting the stem, therefore it doesn't seat them the same. According to what you said in your post the bearing is all the same. Maybe you are not measuring them right. Even the best boxes of bullets usually have a few thousandths difference. Matt

 

[KT]

I measure from pressure ring to ogive. I never have bullets vary in seating depth, but I use a Wilson Seater die and arbor press. It could be caused by the tip of the bullet hitting the stem, therefore it doesn't seat them the same. According to what you said in your post the bearing is all the same. Maybe you are not measuring them right. Even the best boxes of bullets usually have a few thousandths difference. Matt

Matt,
You are correct. I usually see around .004 to .005 difference with Berger bullets. (Base to Ogive) I have seen a lot more than that with Sierra bullets.

I sort them and seat them according to length.
KT

 

[lpreddick]

found a site...www.redding reloading.com and under "tech line and tips" is a discussion of "seating depth variations". i learned a few i didn't know.

 

[KT]

I think I have it figured out.

Last night I pulled the seating steam out of my Redding Comp die. I put Sierra 190, 168, 180 and Nosler 180 balistic tip in it. The all fit nice and flush in the seating stem.

The 230 Hybrid however did not. It does not sit flush by probably .050. The tip of the bullet keeps it from going all the way in to the seating stem.

I will order some VLD stems and see if that does the trick. Anyone have the part number for them.

KT

 

[lpreddick]

brownells has an assortment of vld seating stems at $18 each. the # for .30 cal is 749-002-245WB. my non vld bullets will go into the stem if neck tension is too much, even when there is only a slight difference, so i'm ordering some .22 cal stems and experiment with plugging the stem so that the bullet tip and surface forward of the ring made by the stem makes firm contact with the pluggins material.

 

[Steve Ladino]

Quite possibly you can drill the seating stem about .050 deep and create a snug fit on the bullet, start with a small drill bit and work up to the right size that allows a snug fit on the 230's.