Secant Ogive Bullet Seating Plugs

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JDinFbg

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Fredericksburg, TX
I have a very old set of RCBS dies for 30-30, and the 1/4"-28 bullet seating plug was designed for seating the classic tangent ogive, flat and round nose bullet historically used in the 30-30 with a tubular magazine. I've been working to develop a load using the Hornady FTX bullet which has a secant ogive, and the old bullet seating plug does not work well. I have scoured the Internet and have yet to find any leads on secant ogive bullet seating plugs for my old RCBS dies.

Does anyone out there know of a source for secant ogive bullet seating plugs for old RCBS Group A dies? Does anyone know of ways to make one? I have a lathe and can do machining, but would just need a reamer to match the secant ogive.
 
I've modified seating plugs by drilling them out to give tip clearance. RCBS used to offer a service for custom seating plugs. Give them a call they may have one in stock that will work.

Some use Epoxy to mold to the bullet ogive. Can get an exact fit this way.
 
Easiest cure would be to just buy a Hornady seating die. It comes with the stem you need and their sliding, aligning bullet sleeve is a really nice feature.
 
I've modified seating plugs by drilling them out to give tip clearance. RCBS used to offer a service for custom seating plugs. Give them a call they may have one in stock that will work.

Some use Epoxy to mold to the bullet ogive. Can get an exact fit this way.

I had adequate length on my seating plug that the tip was not hitting, but the plug was leaving an impressed ring around the bullet. I found a video online where a guy used some 600 grit sandpaper wrapped around the nose of the bullet and honed out the seating plug to fit the bullet profile. I did a similar thing using 120, 280, then 800 grip lapping compound, holding a bullet into the plug that was chucked in my lathe. I haven't tried the modified seating plug yet, but there is now a honed area in the end of the plug that will contact the bullet over a larger area instead of just at the end of the plug. If that doesn't produce satisfactory results, I'll check with RCBS or look at other seating dies.

Has anyone used or know anyone who has used the new Frankford Arsenal Universal Bullet Seater? It looks pretty slick, has plugs for VLD bullets, a micrometer adjuster, and covers multiple calibers.
 
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