Flair for the bullet

[crooked stripe]

I just started to reload .223. I bought a Lee die set with a sizer die, seating die and factory crimp die. When it comes to seating the bullet what flairs the case so I can get the bullet started. I have read these instructions 10 times looking for an answer and I find nothing. John

 

[holdencm9]

There really isn't a flare for rifle rounds, per se...at least that I have observed. (reloading .223 and .308)

I think the flare is most important for lead or plated handgun bullets.

Almost all rifle rounds are full metal jacket, so they will seat even without a flare, and if they are boat-tail you are even better off.

 

[matworz]

I use a Lee universal flaring die to flare my rifle casings for lead bullets.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i use the lee universal flaring die to or a lyman M die
or just switch to BT bullet

 

[Mike 27]

I stick to Boat tail bullets but have seated flat based ones I bought because they were cheap. Just takes a little finesse. You shouldn't need to flare unless you are working lead.

 

[crooked stripe]

I built 5 bullets with success but I ruined 2 shells trying to slowly start the bullet and I must not have had the bullet lined up perfectly and the shells buckled. My FMJ 55 gr bullets are .002 larger than the hole in the end of the case. Guess I will have to purchase a flairing die. Thanks for the replies, John

 

[rcmodel]

That is what the chamfering tool is for.

Chamfer the sharp inside edge of the case mouth, and you can seat any jacketed bullet ever made without ruining the case, or the bullet.

That right there is how you are supposed to do it.

rc

 

[noylj]

I have never needed to flare a case to seat a jacketed bullet. Traditionally, there was never a flare die for bottleneck cases. Simply be sure that all cases have been lightly chamfered inside and out.

>I built 5 bullets with success but I ruined 2 shells

No, you "built" 5 rounds with success but ruined 2 cases.
Bullets are the projectile and shells are used for shotguns.

 

[beatledog7]

What rc said. I've never flared a rifle case other than for lead and I think some 45-70 jacketed and gas checked bullets. But 45-70 is like a revolver round.

 

[GLOOB]

Lyman M die and Lee universal flare die have been mentioned. Those are the best solutions for cast bullets.

If you are having problems with flat base, blunt-nosed jacketed bullets, there may be another option. The short, blunt bullets can sometimes tilt enough to hit the edge of the seating stem. This collapses the cases, deforms the case mouth, and/or results in very crooked seated bullets. This can be solved by using a "competition" style seating die that has a drop-down bullet guide/sleeve. The advantage to this is you don't need to add a separate step to the reloading process. (But I think the M die is the bomb. I remove the expander from all my rifle sizing dies and use an M die. It's an improvement in a number of ways.)

 

[788Ham]

My cases are just neck sized, chamfered before inserting bullet, slides right in there. Just sizing will help that procedure, chamfer first though!

 

[James2]

I have read these instructions 10 times looking for an answer and I find nothing.

The reason there is no mention of flaring in the instructions is that rifle sets do not flare. The sizing die will size and the primer knockout pin is mounted in the inside neck sizer. The inside of the neck is sized on the up-stroke.


If you do not have a chamfer tool get one. Lightly chamfer the inside of the casing and the bullets will seat just fine. If this does not work, or if you shoot lead, you can get a flaring tool for the 223 from Lyman.

 

[kingmt]

To add to what RC said.

For jacketed bullets when I first raise the ram as soon as I feel contact I lower the ram just slightly to help center the bullet in the seating stream them finish seating the bullet.