Redding seater die is killing me

[JigStick]

im loading some 140 AMAX for my 6.5x47, and this seater die is giving me fits.

It's giving me inconsistent depths from bullet to bullet. I'm measuring with Starrett calipers and a hornady comparator body and insert off the Ogive.

The seating depth will jump deeper and shallower without me even adjusting the micrometer on the top of he die. My primers are all seated down, and I'm not compressing powder.

Any ideas?

 

[snert]

Yes,
call 607-753-3331, talk to Chris at Redding tech services.

Depending on what particular seat die you have, there are seat stems specific to VLD type bullets. the Amax may respond very well to teh replacement part.

You might also try putting a small dab (scientific term) of hot glue into the seat stem (standard die) and seating an amax. Let it cool and you have a custom seat stem. Heat it up and it will melt out, no harm nor foul. Cheap way of testing it...

 

[snert]

Just re-read the post...if you have a comp seat die with sliding sleeve, they make a VLD sleeve. DO NOT use the hot glue method with this die!

 

[DHuffman]

Did you do any type of bullet sorting? I used to measure & sort them into lengths by .001 then load them accordingly by group re adjusting my die when I change bullet length.

Stroking the ram on the press as consistently as possible will make a difference as well in my experience.

 

[JigStick]

Yes my die does have a sleeve where it meets the shell plate.

The seater is also leaving a concentric ring on the bullet, a little bit below the plastic tip. I'm guess that's where the die is making contact with the bullet. Wtf. I have the same exact die that I use with Berger VLDs in my 300winmag and it doesn't do this

I'm about to just buy an arbor press and some Wilson seaters.

 

[eric n]

Unscrew the micrometer top and check to make sure the "E" clip is still in its groove on the seater.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Theres only 2 things thatll cause this- compressed charges and the wrong stem. The wrong stem problem is multiplied with the plastic tipped bullets- youre measuring off a completely different spot than your die uses

 

[snert]

Theres only 2 things thatll cause this- compressed charges and the wrong stem. The wrong stem problem is multiplied with the plastic tipped bullets- youre measuring off a completely different spot than your die uses

Yup, kinda what I said, only you said it better.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Yup, kinda what I said, only you said it better.

Not better- different

 

[JigStick]

So I need to order a VLD stem for this die?

 

[snert]

Yes my die does have a sleeve where it meets the shell plate.

The seater is also leaving a concentric ring on the bullet, a little bit below the plastic tip. I'm guess that's where the die is making contact with the bullet. Wtf. I have the same exact die that I use with Berger VLDs in my 300winmag and it doesn't do this

I'm about to just buy an arbor press and some Wilson seaters.

You can buy a Wilson, or you can buy the VLD sleeve that Redding designed for bullets such as the Amax..

It must be a nightmare to build a single seat stem that fits every bullet profile out there, especially since a new profile seems to show up weekly...

The ring you are getting is evidence that a slightly different profile on the seat stem will work.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Redding customer service will fix you up nicely and reassure your confidence in american made products

 

[msinc]

Theres only 2 things thatll cause this- compressed charges and the wrong stem. The wrong stem problem is multiplied with the plastic tipped bullets- youre measuring off a completely different spot than your die uses

It sounds like he is checking the length of one loaded round to another...not comparing what the die says vs. what the caliper says.

How much neck tension are you running??? Usually a tight neck {or one that severely needs annealed} will give you those rings on the bullet and if that's the case then I wouldn't count on L.E. Wilson seaters to solve that one.

As suggested above, I would start having a look at those bullets before you load them. Maybe the bullets are what varies, but I doubt it. Could the comparator body be trying to sit on those rings that are gunched into the bullet by the seater??? That would certainly do it. A bullet that gets damaged in seating might be off or out of spec further down the side than just where those little rings are showing.

I have had a bad caliper that would read plus or minus .004" depending on how you operated the slide. Make certain that the caliper will repeat on a standard if you have one, on a good solid square metal block of some sort {like the comparator tool} if you don't have standards. Make sure the die is screwed down and fairly tight to the press, had that one happen before. Are you going thru the full cycle of travel of the press handle???

You can best believe it is something simple and stupid when you find it...good luck!!!

 

[/VH]

My guess is that you have inconsistent and somewhat excessive seating force as msinc mentioned above, although it's worth checking to make sure sure the plastic tips are not bottoming in the stem.

 

[snert]

My guess is that you have inconsistent and somewhat excessive seating force as msinc mentioned above, although it's worth checking to make sure sure the plastic tips are not bottoming in the stem.

They likely are not bottoming on the standard sleeve. However, the standard sleeve profile (taper) differs from the VLD and that is why OP is getting issues. Answer is the VLD sleeve

 

[Iowa Fox]

Did you by any chance take the die apart and clean it well where the sleeve slides. I had one once that the factory rust preservative started to get a little sticky giving me fits. Took it apart, cleaned everything well and lubed it. Problem solved for me. Let us know what you find causing your problems.

 

[Patch700]

Take 3 bullets from the box and using your comparator , measure them to be sure they all come up with the same number from base to ogive... Then seat those three , if you still see a variance then you can possibly see where the problem lies.

Another test you can perform if you are concerned about stem problems is try measuring with a .25 cal insert.. If the numbers start to stabilize you probably have a seater stem issue.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Theres only 2 things thatll cause this- compressed charges and the wrong stem. The wrong stem problem is multiplied with the plastic tipped bullets- youre measuring off a completely different spot than your die uses

Dusty is correct. I had the same thing happening with the 162 Amax in my 7rsaum die. It is grabbing the bullet, that is where the ring under the plastic tip is coming from. It pulls on the bullet a little when raising your press handle varying the length a little. I went to the 180 JLK and issue solved. Now they make different seater stems to solve this issue.

 

[hogpatrol]

I had a Redding VLD seater stem that would stick Berger VLDs. Using a Dremel, I put some lapping compound on an angled cotton buffing tip and worked the leading edge of the stem. Sticking went away and consistent seating depths with measured bullets now.

 

['Freak]

Likely the VLD stem and better fit down over the ogive will fix the inconsistency but do check that the sliding sleeve that fits around the case is also sliding freely within the die body, and make sure that the sliding sleeve doesn’t top out within the die body when the press ram is up at the top of its stroke.