Do I need a Gold Dot Seater Plug?

[JJE]

I was about to order some 124 gr Gold Dot HPs for 9mm pistol and some 125s for .38 spl and .357 magnum. I planned to just seat them with the flat-faced seater plug that came with my RCBS die sets, but I noticed that RCBS makes custom seater plugs for both these bullets.

Any reason why I should spend $5 each on these custom plugs? Actually, how different can the 124 and 125 gr plugs be? Wouldn't either one work for both bullets?

 

[flutedchamber]

I am not sure if one seating plug will work for both calibers. I do know you can "modify" your existing seater plug by cleaning it with alcohol and filling it with beeswax. Put the plug back in your die, but leave it adjusted up about 2 or 3 turns. Lube the tip of the bullet with a small amount of case lube and ease it into the die and seater plug. This will form a poor man's custom seater plug.

You can then adjust the plug to the correct seating depth. If you lube about every 5th bullet lightly on the tip, the wax will stay in place and last for quite a long time. I have a friend that has had luck doing the same thing with duxseal instead of beeswax.

 

[HiWayMan]

Save your money. The standard RCBS plugs will work fine, especially if seating and crimping in seperate operations.