Honady seating die denting bullets?

[Karl Hungus]

I've got a Honady New Dimension two die set I'm using for 22-250. The seating die crushes the hell out of whatever bullet I'm loading - very noticeable circular dent all the way around the bullet. This happens with Sierra Matchkings, Honady A-Max, Hornady Match and Nosler Ballistic Tips (it's most noticeable on the Noslers). I'm not forcing or putting too much pressure on the press lever and the neck ID for both the new Winchester and once-fired Federal cases I've tried is the standard .2245", so the neck isn't too tight. Can't figure it out.

Any suggestions?

 

[ReloaderFred]

The seating stem doesn't match the ogive of the bullet. Your best bet is to remove the seating stem and reform it so you don't get the deformation. This can be done in a lathe, on a drill press, or with a Dremel Tool, but should be done with caution so as to not ruin the stem.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Karl Hungus]

Won't that mess with concentricity?^^^^^^^^^I don't know if I'd be able to reform it uniformly all the way around.

I figured that that may be the problem - too much pressure in one place. I'm really wondering if I should try a different die.

 

[Shoney]

Are you champhering each case?

How are you doing the setup for the seating die?

 

[Karl Hungus]

Yep - each case champhered.

Adjusting the main die body to fit the case, locking it, then dialing in the micro seating stem adjustment little by little. It starts the denting as soon as the bullet is just barely seated.

 

[Shoney]

It sounds like you have adjusted the seater die too low. Try backing off 1/2 a turn, seat and report what happened.

Remember that when you use a sized case, before the bullet is seated, the neck diameter is less than what it will be when the bullet is seated.

 

[ranger335v]

When the neck is sized way down and the expander is a bit undersized it will lead to significant resistance to seating a bullet. Add a bullet seater stem that doesn't quite match the contours of the bullets and the results are as you are getting.

Easiest thing to do is make the seater stem match the bullet by molding a new point cavity, or at least building up the current cavity. Hot glue works pretty well. Clamp your seating stem in a vise, open end up. Coat the bullet with a good layer of wax for a release agent. Put a good dollop of hot glue in the cavity and mash the point of the bullet into it, holding it straight down until the glue is hardend. Lift the bullet and remove any excess glue. You should be able to seat that type bullet with no damage after that.

 

[Cypress]

Several of my dies sets have come with some burrs in the seater plug. I usually roll up some fine sandpaper in a cone shape and twist it inside the plug. Always fixes the problem. My .223 dies were destryoing V-max bullets before I did this.

 

[DEDON45]

I also think I read in the Hornady catalog (I use mostly their products, with some RCBS and Lyman thrown in for good measure) where they would make you a custom bullet seating stem for whatever bullet you were using; given you're talking about an a-max, they may have some on the shelf they can send you.

 

[mkl]

Could it be that the die is set too low and the crimp sholder in the die is crushing your case?

Try this:

1. Run the seating stem all the way out (back it off as far as it will go).
2. Back off your seating die five or six turns.
3. Place a case without bullet in your shell holder and run the ram all the way up into the backed off die (nothing should touch).
4. Slowly screw the seating die down until you feel contact. This will be the die crimp shoulder touching the case mouth.
5. Back the seating die off 1/2 turn.
6. Try seating your bullet now(adjust the seat stem down until you get the seating depth your want).
7. If #6 works okay, seat all your bullets and then crimp (by running your seating stem back all the way out, and lowering your die one full turn).

 

[Karl Hungus]

Well - I ordered the special A-max seating stem from Hornady (along with a micro adjust) and guess what? It still dents the bullets. Get this - A-max worst of all!

I'm doing everything else right - I've octuple checked everything.

So I spent $50 for nothing. Well - at least I can seat my dented bullets to the exact depth I want.

I suppose the next step is to call Hornady and probably send in the stem and a bullet so they can custom grind it. Then (in two weeks or so) I'll have a stem that works for only one bullet. I suppose all the others I'm testing will have to go dented. Plus, I doubt they can do anything since the stem was already custom ground for an A-max bullet.

This is unreal. I'm really thinking of junking everything and just buying a different die set.

 

[cpttango30]

This is not the only time I have seen this problem. My 223 Hornady dies do it as well. I found that I have to start very slow. Now it does not do it. I think it is a little sharp after the machining. I would not try to fix it with a dremal or anything like that as you could damage the die in more than one way. I would just go slow on the seating and see if it clears up.

You could try and take a bullet case and a rod soldier the bullet into the case and attach the rod get some valve grinding paste and slowly smooth it out.

 

[loplop]

If you're sure it's not the crimper... Then why not ask Hornady to fix it?

 

[Ol` Joe]

Put the seater stem in a drill or dremal and touch some OOOO steel wool to the inter edge of the seating cup. You only want to break the sharp edge not remove metel. I`ve had this problem with both Redding and RCBS dies and the wool cure it for me.