Seating bullets prior to shooting

[pdq5oh]

I've read about putting reloads together but not seating the bullets to finished length. Then seating to proper length just prior to shooting. I did this with a batch and noticed some bullets were stuck (for lack of a better term) in the necks when I seated them to finished spec. Not that they were immovable but felt like they broke loose from the neck rather than just moved smoothly to finish seating. My question is this: say you had 100 rounds done this way and only shot 60. Would you pull the bullets on the remaining 40 out a bit then reseat prior to shooting them? Would this cause problems with neck tension? What are your opinions on even doing this as opposed to seating your bullets to finished length initially? My shooting is primarily long range steel to about 1400 yds. Thanks for your insights.

 

[SheepDog]

Is there a reason you want to wait to seat your bullets to the final length? I can't see any reason for me to do it so I just seat them to the proper length.
What causes the "sticking" is a galvanic response between the two different allows. (they are sharing electrons) Basically they are bonding through a process of corrosion. It is rarely destructive and can be slowed by using a non-ionic dry lubricant inside the neck.

 

[Northridge]

I've done both procedures with good results but if at all possible I like to seat my bullets in one motion to desired seating depth the day before match at latest on my agg relay guns , I feel this approach holds together slightly better for me. If I shoot multiple days I verify throat zero at the end of the day then adjust ammo seating for following day.

Shawn Williams

 

[Lapua40X]

... My question is this: say you had 100 rounds done this way and only shot 60. Would you pull the bullets on the remaining 40 out a bit then reseat prior to shooting them?
No

Would this cause problems with neck tension?
No - not as long as the diameter of the bullet and the case neck opening don't change

What are your opinions on even doing this as opposed to seating your bullets to finished length initially?
Seat 'em and shoot 'em. I've talked with a few long range shooters (mostly bench rest - cuz they have the time to play with toys just before firing off a series of shots) who say it helps them maintain a "consistent" resistance between the bullet and the neck. But I doubt there's much value in fussing with a seated bullet that much.

See what SheepDog posted ...... ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Just my 2 cents ....................

 

[pdq5oh]

Sheepdog, I'm looking to get the best accuracy and consistent velocity from my reloads. I'd read about seating just prioir to shooting and the thinkng behind it. What I question is what to do with loaded rounds that are unfired. Specifically is it worthwile to pull the bullets slightly then reseat again or would that cause problems with neck tension of runout.

Northridge, given you seat just prior to shooting what do you do with finished unfired rounds if they wont be fired within a week or more?

Thank you both for your replies.

 

[LRPV]

I will seat mine .010-.020" long and then final seat before I shoot. It gives me more flexibility if I've messed something up and rifle isn't shooting like it should. I've not encountered any negatives by doing so. I would not partially pull bullets and re-seat. I think this will mess with neck tension and not work out but I have not tried it. The handful of rounds that I have left after a match that are seated shorter than where I want to be are used for foulers/sighters and record rounds are freshly loaded where they need to be.

 

[pdq5oh]

Lapua-40X, l was replying as you were. Thanks for your insights and reply. I appreciate all info given by the members here.

 

[pdq5oh]

Thanks LRPV. I'm begining to think as you do.

 

[JohnKielly]

The galvanic issue is one reason to shoot molied loads. I've never had issues with "welding" with molied bullets, even when I had to prepare them a couple of months in advance & ship them overseas.

On the other hand, I just dug up a box of .222 magnum loads I put together maybe 40 years ago & they are solid in the necks. I tried to recover the cases for a friend, but I stopped well short of breaking them free using my percussion tool, respecting my wellbeing.

 

[Down South]

I will seat mine .010-.020" long and then final seat before I shoot. It gives me more flexibility if I've messed something up and rifle isn't shooting like it should. I've not encountered any negatives by doing so. I would not partially pull bullets and re-seat. I think this will mess with neck tension and not work out but I have not tried it. The handful of rounds that I have left after a match that are seated shorter than where I want to be are used for foulers/sighters and record rounds are freshly loaded where they need to be.

I do the same routine you do........

 

[Big Mc]

I've read about putting reloads together but not seating the bullets to finished length. Then seating to proper length just prior to shooting. I did this with a batch and noticed some bullets were stuck (for lack of a better term) in the necks when I seated them to finished spec. Not that they were immovable but felt like they broke loose from the neck rather than just moved smoothly to finish seating. My question is this: say you had 100 rounds done this way and only shot 60. Would you pull the bullets on the remaining 40 out a bit then reseat prior to shooting them? Would this cause problems with neck tension? What are your opinions on even doing this as opposed to seating your bullets to finished length initially? My shooting is primarily long range steel to about 1400 yds. Thanks for your insights.

What you call stuck is really COLD-Weld.

 

[Liven The Dream]

I do the same routine you do........

I find this to work will also.
When I used Moly I did not think it would cold weld.
I do not even long seat them in one long stroke .A long gone old friend told me this idea.
start to seat a bullet stop rotate the case then a little more then rotate again. " He said keeps them true"

If you leave them long and the throat wears you can change you OAL ?

 

[ShootDots]

If I know I am going to be waiting for quite some time prior to firing, I will swab the necks out with Imperial Dry Case Neck Lube. The graphite gets between the bullet and the case wall negating any "cold weld" from the dissimilar metals. I have done this MONTHS in advance of a shoot and found no ill effects from any cold weld.

 

[savagedasher]

I seated the bullet long and pushed them back just before shootings each bullet . The problem was the time between shots I found it didn't give better results when testing . Conditions Changed that much . Larry

 

[LRPV]

Larry, you should seat however many you need for your next series of record rounds. I will have at least 20 ready to go for a 600yd BR course of fire. 2 targets per sitting, 10 for sighters and 10 for record. Not shoot one and seat, shoot one and seat. Not sure why someone would even consider doing it the way you suggested above?

 

[pdq5oh]

Thanks everyone for your replies and info. I've decided l'll take your advice and seat long then finish seating prior to shooting. Any leftover rounds will be set aside as open range and fouler rounds. I have noticed less deveation in velocity when doing as you've all suggested. Thanks again. I need all the help l can get ha.

 

[boltman13]

Back when I shot a lot of Hunter Bench Rest I would load at the match and with my tight neck 308 I had a very light but consistent neck tension. I would seat the bullet long and slowly chamber a round into the rifling and the minimal neck tension did not allow the bullet to jam but just touch the rifling with high consistency round to round. This worked very well for me in that type of competition.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I do this prior to every match at the range before we commence shooting.
I seat long the night or two before, and simply seat to the required COL just before we start. With this barrel, the cases get brushed in the necks with powdered graphite, this barrel likes little tension.
I find this helps to reduce my vertical over 1000yrds. It doesn't work in every rifle or system, I have another barrel that likes LOTS of neck tension, if that means cold welding, then that's what it gets.

This same barrel will become spotty if the tension is too light, no amount of tuning will change this.

Cheers.

 

[Richard Coody]

Back when I shot a lot of Hunter Bench Rest I would load at the match and with my tight neck 308 I had a very light but consistent neck tension. I would seat the bullet long and slowly chamber a round into the rifling and the minimal neck tension did not allow the bullet to jam but just touch the rifling with high consistency round to round. This worked very well for me in that type of competition.

I am in the process of that with my 6.5 creedmoor now. Light neck tension, bullets seated after dipping in imperial dry lube media, loaded .020 longer than a hard jam, soft seat loading the round.

We will see how it works. If it.does that solves the when to seat dilemma.

 

[COLT45SA]

Is there a reason you want to wait to seat your bullets to the final length? I can't see any reason for me to do it so I just seat them to the proper length.
What causes the "sticking" is a galvanic response between the two different allows. (they are sharing electrons) Basically they are bonding through a process of corrosion. It is rarely destructive and can be slowed by using a non-ionic dry lubricant inside the neck.

Does this mean that rounds loaded some 30 years ago might be dangerous because of thet "sticking"~?