Several days ago I complained that my Lee 6.5 CM die crimped my bullets. I got advice and help on adjusting the die/ press depth and I corrected that problem. However, my bullet seating Oal numbers change after one or two bullets . My caliper reads 2243 and then the numbers drop to 2030. I have to restart the die to get back to a reading of 2243. My die has a lock nut on it and doesn’t move. What else can I check.
Lee seating die problem
- Thread starter Allen Roberts
- Start date
The bullets you are using Tommy Mc.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
So, I have experienced this as well. I've discovered 2 causes.
1 - you have to remove the seating stem from the die and see if it's seating on the nose. This is obvious if you take the seating stem and your chosen bullet and see if if wobbles around when the bullet is seated in the stem by hand. I've made some stems to replace the factory models to correct this issue. Easy with a lathe, not so much without one.
2 - when adjusting the initial seating depth, I start long and work towards my end goal in a few steps. Never the same number of steps, depends on the accuracy of my 'guesstimations'. The next loaded round will invariably be longer, requiring more adjustments.
Hope this helps. If you need further details, I'll try to elaborate. But hopefully you 'get my drift'.
Edit to add - I wish die manufacturers would make seating stems that made contact closer to the ogive area, but I've yet to find any that do. The consequences of making things that will work within the possible variable tolerances, I suppose.
1 - you have to remove the seating stem from the die and see if it's seating on the nose. This is obvious if you take the seating stem and your chosen bullet and see if if wobbles around when the bullet is seated in the stem by hand. I've made some stems to replace the factory models to correct this issue. Easy with a lathe, not so much without one.
2 - when adjusting the initial seating depth, I start long and work towards my end goal in a few steps. Never the same number of steps, depends on the accuracy of my 'guesstimations'. The next loaded round will invariably be longer, requiring more adjustments.
Hope this helps. If you need further details, I'll try to elaborate. But hopefully you 'get my drift'.
Edit to add - I wish die manufacturers would make seating stems that made contact closer to the ogive area, but I've yet to find any that do. The consequences of making things that will work within the possible variable tolerances, I suppose.
Steve Donlon
Gold $$ Contributor
They will probably be the same length from the ogive. Like Dufas said, "GET A HORNADY COMPARATOR" so you can measure to the ogive with your calipers. If you have to load for a magazine just set up from the longest OAL bullet length from the tip
https://support.leeprecision.net/en/knowledgebase
*Turn the seating stem all the way dowm. Lock stem. Turn whole die down to correct OAL needed.*
The standard seat die taper crimps first, then turns into a roll crimp.
Its a die desigh problem.
*Turn the seating stem all the way dowm. Lock stem. Turn whole die down to correct OAL needed.*
The standard seat die taper crimps first, then turns into a roll crimp.
Its a die desigh problem.
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seater plug
The bullet seater plug that comes with the die set is as close to generic as we can make it. If you find that the bullet seater plug deforms the nose of the bullet you are trying to seat, we can make a custom bullet seater plug to fit your bullet. For this we would need a sample bullet, a fired and sized piece of brass payment of $8 plus any applicable sales tax and shipping/handling. Please note, 50 BMG bullet seating plug is $30.00. Current lead time is 4 to 6 weeks.
A custom bullet seating plug can be ordered online.
Measure OAL off bullet ogive, NOT nose.
bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
Everyone has given you good advice and there correct! Your bullets vary in length. There are other things that can effect such as case fill neck tension shoulder bump etc but DShortt hit the mark imho except you don’t have to have a lathe ….. it helps but can easily be done with a drill, possibly a drill bit and the bullets your using some valve lapping compound and jb paste.
If the bullet tip is hitting using the method DShortt mentioned take a drill and bit and drill it deeper as not to hit anymore, then impregnate a bullet with valve lapping compound and chuck it in the drill or chuck the seating stem either way will work and start lapping the stem. This may take a bit or not much at all then polish it out with some jb bore paste or any polishing compound. Now start using a comparator and measure off the ojive. However if oal is how you want to measure then your going to have to uniform your bullets as well. Good luck.
Wayne
1. I open up the Lee seaters to bore diameter in lathe then fill cavity with JB.
2. Hold bullet coated with release agent in tailstock collet, and press into JB.
3. After JB sets drill out nose to allow for varying meplat lengths.
I also make my Stoney Point comparator bushings bore diameter.
Makes for very consistent COAL seating.
2. Hold bullet coated with release agent in tailstock collet, and press into JB.
3. After JB sets drill out nose to allow for varying meplat lengths.
I also make my Stoney Point comparator bushings bore diameter.
Makes for very consistent COAL seating.
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DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
This is what I've been doing.
Only difference is, I make a new stem for the different bullets/profiles and mark them accordingly on the base of the new stem.
I tried making a 'universal stem', but. It still wasn't close enough to suit me.
I agree, stem is only for one bullet profile.
old_heli_logger
Gold $$ Contributor
You nailed with neck tension! Neck tension will absolutely affect bullet seating depth due to spring back or lack of spring back
Good luck
It's no longer generic after the customizing...
It'd work with similar profiles but probably not as consistently.
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DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
Lee makes dies that will work with any available bullet and any available brass because that's what the vast majority of customers want.
As mentioned in post #17, once you want precision and are working with one specific bullet, the 'one size fits all' approach is no longer sufficient.
I have heard that Lee will make custom pieces if asked, but I've not asked. So I can neither confirm nor deny that claim.
In my first version of the custom stem I only bored the stem to slightly under bore diameter....trying to minimize the variation between stem touch point and land touch point.
However some bullets would then get stuck in the stem, since I prefer seating into the lands ....hence the need for the JB and custom profile.
However some bullets would then get stuck in the stem, since I prefer seating into the lands ....hence the need for the JB and custom profile.
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DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
My experience also.
I would add that if the bullet was not placed on the neck of the case nearly perfectly straight and concentric, the bullet could get 'stuck' in the seating stem. Resulting in seating problems.
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