Redding seating die problem

[bcott]

I am having a problem with the Redding Competition Seating Die. The bullet seating stem leaves a cannulure about 1/4" from the front tip of the bullet. I called Redding and they sent me another bullet seating stem. Same problem. The bullets involved are the 40Vmax, 40Berger, and the 39Sierra BK. All are marked by the seating stem.

I switched to my 204 Ruger dies by RCBS and the problem went away. This is not the best way to insure minimum runout, but it does seat the bullet without marking it.

Comments.... bcott

 

[bcott]

I agree, neck tension has to be the culprit. The taper of the RCBS seating stem just allows more pressure, on the bullet, before deformation sets in. I have measured the IDs of several of my Redding neck bushings. They all seem to be about .00l less than the dimension stamped on them. This allows for "springback", I guess. Neck wall thickness measures .0122 to .0128. The cases were formed from Lapua 223 brass. Loaded round measures .2285,nominal.

I broke out some of my 500 new Lapua Tac 20 cases and tried them. They measure .2302 loaded with a neck wall thickness of .0135 +/- .0003. The same cannulure problem.

I do not have any fired cases to work with, that have not been worked up. I will load and shoot some and neck size them to .229 and .230. and see what results I get. I avoided sizing to .229, up until now, because the loaded round measures .2285 +/- a scosh. All of the cases have been neck chamfered with the old RCBS hand held tool. Hmmm.... bcott

 

[mikeinct]

between us we are going to find every possible problem loading for the 20 tac...you bought 500 cases of lapua 20 tac...WOW! I could not find any a while back so I'm screwing around with range pick ups & some once fired Fed 223...I have not fired a shot & the new barrel/action has been here ten days...GRRR..mike

 

[bcott]

Mike: Problems we do NOT need. Two years ago I was a happy predator caller. Doing close to 100 yotes a year plus a few bobcats,I usually let the greys get a free learning experience, even though they did not seem to benefit from it). This last year I have only gotten 28. Spent the whole year fooling around with 20s. Going to the rifle range instead of calling. Bad year, all things considered. I guess some folks have been having wonderful luck with the 20s. This has not been my experience. I keep/kept throwing money at the problems to solve them. I am a lot poorer now also... ha, ha.

My life was a lot simpler when I went out with my Browning Gold 10ga and my Rem 700LH 22/250AI. I think I am going back to the simpler life. At least I still have the 10GA and about 200 rounds of 2 1/4oz nickel plated BB ready to go. This seating stem issue is the straw that did the camel in. Never had a problem like that in my entire shooting life. Having vented I feel better.. Now to order out a couple of PacNor SSSM 224 barrels # 3 contour. 1/14" twist of course. AND get my life back. bcott

 

[mikeinct]

i don't know about that...I'm waiting on bcott to give me a deal on his problem...[grin] ...u sending me a half box of Lapua 223 ??? I need neck thickness of .012 or thicker...to make this die I have work...mike

 

[bcott]

I went away to couch for awhile and all sorts of good stuff happened.

Mike, You have mail.... bcott

 

[RDesJardin]

I have had the same problem with my .260 using MK's and Redding seaters, but my RCBS seater didn't do it. It was all related to too much neck tension as heavier jacketed bullets don't do it, and neither do the VLD's. I change neck bushing to correct problem.