Custom Made Redding Seating Stem?

[CQB45ACP]

So as to not waste your time, I’ve sent a message to Redding customer service asking if they make custom stems. I’ve also done a search here and on Google looking for the answer which seems to be maybe.

But, in case they never respond I thought I’d give y’all a chance to engage.

I have a Redding competition seating die for 45ACP. The stem seats using the bullet ogive. Due probably to inconsistent bullet ogives, I get inconsistent seating depths. I hate that especially with a $100 die.

I also use a Lee seating die which uses the bullet nose. I get exceptionally consistent depths.

I simply want a stem for the Redding that seats as well as the Lee. I’m not a machinist, don’t know a machinist, nor do I want to monkey around with JBWeld or hot glue.

So, if Redding says no or doesn’t respond, any ideas?

 

[rfwobbly]

What type/weight bullet ?

I make my own, but I can't cut curves to fit the ogive of RN or FMJ.

 

[CQB45ACP]

230gr RN—the Lee stem works perfectly on the nose. Don’t know why Redding does it on the ogive.

 

[Walkalong]

230gr RN—the Lee stem works perfectly on the nose. Don’t know why Redding does it on the ogive.

I modified one of those Redding seater stems to flat, welded it up and machined it flat.

 

[AJC1]

The ojive is what contacts the lands. How consistant are the bullets? I cheat a little by loading flat tip bullets like cone or round nose flat point. Like your experience I get great consistancy in oal. In rifle bullets I use Smk's and I never use the tip for measuring.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Redding replied and do not make a custom stem. No surprise. They mentioned the hot glue method as a consideration.

I’m getting maybe +/-.005 variance with same brand bullet with the $100 Redding and about nil with the $35 Lee. But the Redding looks cooler.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I modified one of those Redding seater stems to flat, welded it up and machined it flat.

I’m not able to do any of that but I guess I might try the epoxy or glue method.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I tried the jbweld approach with both the stem from my Redding competition seater and one from a standard Redding seater die. I waited several hours (but before the epoxy was fully set) installed the stems in their respective die and raised a completed round to make an impression of a bullet nose.

I’ve included a photo from my phone and it’s as good as I can get. You may note the indentation of one stem is shallow the other somewhat deeper but both contact the bullet nose not the ogive.

I have ordered two spare stems for insurance but the backlog is many months.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Why are you worried about.005" variance in noses when the die is doing the right thing and seating your bullets straight and consistently relative to the ojive?
You could push on the nose to make your calipers happy, but what makes better ammo?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Why are you worried about.005" variance in noses when the die is doing the right thing and seating your bullets straight and consistently relative to the ojive?
You could push on the nose to make your calipers happy, but what makes better ammo?

Because I want my $100 die to produce a consistent product as does my $35 die. Relativity isn’t the goal.