Seating stem modification

[its only light]

Hey guys. I've been reloading for my 338 lapua for a few years now. I've always been able to get good accuracy from it despite my dies being so-so. I've got a set of Lee and a set of rcbs. Money has been tight so I haven't been able to upgrade yet. The seating stems on both don't do a great job of holding the bullet true upon seating (hitting close to the tip).

I'm wondering if anyone has ever glass bedded a bullet into the seating stem then just relieved the tip? It seems like a good idea in my mind but wondering if anyone has ever done it successfully?

 

[Shaggy357]

I have done a couple seating stems using JB Weld. Lots of release agent and careful alignment. Stem ogive and bullet ogive didn't match. (I didn't like the rings being put on the bullets.) If you can (I did with mine) take the seating stem out of the die and screw the die upside down into the press. With the top of the die facing down, I screwed the stem in and was able to adjust a dummy round with my bullet to just match the seating stem. Release agent on the outside exposed areas of the stem and on the bullet/dummy case. Add a touch of JB weld to the opening in the stem and raise the ram to seat the bullet into the JB weld. Let it cure, then touch up with dremel.

The guy who showed me how to do this often used a straw or tube the size of the seating stem to help the JB Weld when extending the seater or using a VLD type bullet.

Lots of options out there, main tip is do NOT be stingy with the release agent. JB Weld is hard to remove.

Hope this helps some.

Steve

 

[its only light]

Awesome! That's very similar to the way I had pictures in my head. Think I'm going to try this tonight!

 

[WillyTP]

Hot glue gun works well also, if you don't have tremendous seating force. I've never loaded for the 338LM, so stronger epoxy may be required.