Problem seating bullets

[J_McLeod]

I'm using Hornady dies on a LNL AP, and every once in a while it'll take some extra effort to seat the bullet and I'll get something looking like the two cases below. I haven't loaded much .243 yet, but with the .308 it seems that sometimes I'll get some rounds finished right, and then put the ram all the way up and get these. I'm guessing these are because I have the die screwed in too much? There seems to be a small area between this and not seating the bullet at all. That, or I'm doing it wrong.

 

[Blue68f100]

You should be adj the stem not the body. The body adj is for a roll crimp. The stem is used to adj the seating depth.

 

[BYJO4]

It looks like your seating/crimp die is not adjusted properly. Back the die out some and adjust the seating stem to seat bullet to proper length.

 

[dbarnhart]

The cases are over-crimped. If it is only happening occasionally it means that you have cases that need trimmed. You should own a case gauge. I prefer the Dillon case gauges. It will quickly reveal cases that are too long and need trimmed.

If it is happening to almost every case then the crimping portion of your seating die is adjusted too far down.

 

[rcmodel]

Back out the seating / crimp die body and re-adjust the seating stem.

And use a chamfering tool to break the sharp edge inside the case mouth.

You might last check your sizing die and expander button for correct size for .308" bullets.
The expander button should measure about .306"..

The photo shows quite a diameter difference at the base of the bullets.

rc

 

[Taterhead]

You do have the die screwed in too far.


Turn the die body out a few turns.

Next, you want to see where to set your die body. You want it turned down as far as you can without engaging the brass.

Put a re-sized empty case and raise the ram. Screw the die body down until you feel resistance (contact with the case) and then turn it out about 1/2 turn. Lock it down.

Then adjust your seating stem to the adjustment you need. Your die body will be turn out more, so your seating stem will be turned down farther than it was before.

 

[hartcreek]

As the others have stated that is sure some over crimp. If it is not happening all the time then you have cases that are to long. Instead of using some fancy gage I just use a digital caliper to check my lengths.

 

[243winxb]

Hornady bullet seating dies feature a floating in-line sleeve

Dont Hornady seating dies have that fancy sliding sleeve in them. Maybe that hanging up part of the time??

These universal seating dies are manufactured
by caliber (.224, .243, .308, .358,
etc...) and not by specific cartridge
(222 Remington, 240 Weatherby Magnum,
30-30 Winchester, 35 Whelen, etc...)

Lots of slop in seating i would guess. When will people learn, just buy RCBS.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't think it is over-crimp.

Too much crimp simply cannot double the shoulder over inside itself like those in the photo's.

Over-crimp at it's worst would wrinkle the shoulder just behind the shoulder.
Not double it inside out and reduce the OAL of the case by 1/4".

As I alluded too in post #5, this is a case of the bullet base not entering the case mouth in the first place.

Either due to an under-size expander, or flat base bullets being stuffed in unchamfered, sharp edge case mouths kicking & screaming.

rc

 

[243winxb]

When in doubt, read the instructions. http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/manuals-current/metalic-reloading/new_dimension_custom_grade.pdf

 

[45lcshooter]

definitely need to back out your seating stem on the die. RC post #5 is on the money.

 

[gamestalker]

Your adjusting your seating die incorrectly.

Put an empty, resized, trimmed case in the shell holder. Then thread the seating die in until it makes hard contact with the mouth of the brass. Now back the entire die out one full turn, and back the seating stem out completely, located on top of the die. Now with a primed and powdered case in the shell holder, place a bullet on top and run the ram to full extension, while at full extension begin threading the seating stem down until you feel it make hard contact with the bullet, make sure you don't thread the die body down. Back the ram down, adjust the stem until you are seating the bullets to the desired OAL.

GS