RCBS .38/.357 seated cutting LRN

[Pripyat]

I am seating the bullet and crimping in different steps. I have two crimping dies (roll and taper crimp) and I have the bullet seated in the taper crimp die as low as it will go. I can see that the bullet seater is lower than the crimp ring so crimping is not an issue. I only see the ring appear on the projectile maybe the last 1/3 of travel. Any ideas?

 

[MtnCreek]

Take the die that you're using to seat and back it out some.

 

[Reefinmike]

It looks like your seating plug is leaving a ring near the top of the lead bullet? Could be that your lead bullets are really soft or just that the seating plug is meant for swc bullet profiles and it mars your bullets. If thats the issue you should be able to get a new seating plug... im not familiar with rcbs stuff.

 

[Pripyat]

So increase the OAL?

 

[MtnCreek]

So increase the OAL?

Sorry to be unclear. I was thinking your seating die (the one w/ a taper crimp function) was attempting to crimp as it completed the seating.

Take a belled case, set in the shellholder and lower the seating die till it touches the case, then back it off a hair. This will insure no crimp is being applied in the seating step.

 

[Pripyat]

So I backed the die out maybe 3/16 of an inch and ran the seater down that difference. I am 2 threads deeper with the seater than it should go (2 threads not engaged). Still cutting the projectiles..

 

[Reefinmike]

It isnt your die body that is doing that, it is the seater plug. I wouldnt worry about it as general range fodder.

 

[Pripyat]

What I don't get is that I made some rounds previously with this setup and had no issues. But, the OAL was different. It only cuts into the projectile right at the end of travel. The seater plug says RN..

[Edit] I just pulled the seater plug and apparently it is not shaped well for my projectile. I guess either I loaded with softer brass last time or the OAL difference is just too much..

 

[918v]

Your bullet diameter plus case wall thickness is too much for your seated die's internal diameter. You need to have the die opened up. Send it back or do it yourself.

 

[GP100man]

Remove seater plug ,clean thruoghly, fill with HOT hot glue , insert bullet nose into HOT glue , lube bullet with a release agent, light oil sparingly works.

Let HOT glue KOOL trim excess off, You now have a custom fit seater plug !

You`re Welcomed .

GP

 

[Pripyat]

I may try the custom seater plug with some epoxy.. Idk how I don't have a hot glue gun.

 

[rcmodel]

I use JB-Weld when I don't just make a new seater plug on the hobby lathe.

It tends to stay where you put it instead of running out like thinner epoxy and gluing the seater stem in the die.

Be sure and coat the bullet with wax or release agent before you do it though.

rc

 

[918v]

Since the problem appears in the last 1/3 of bullet travel, the issue is not the plug but the die body internal diameter which is too tight.

 

[Pripyat]

Is the inside of the die tapered?

 

[Pripyat]

So the hot glue gun did wonders. Does this crimp look OK?

 

[GP100man]

Looks like a good "medium" crimp to me .

Consistent brass length wil make consistent crimps when useing a roll crimp.

Taper crimping on revolver fodder with lead usually makes a swaged down boolit.

 

[918v]

Is the inside of the die tapered?

Yes, in some cases it is. Dies are reamed and polished. When tools wear, the bores become tapered.

 

[Pripyat]

So not tapered intentionally.. Thanks.

The amount of crimp shown is as much as I can get without beginning to deform the projectile. Is there any benefit to seating the projectile a little deeper so I can get a little more crimp?

 

[918v]

U could crimp over the front driving band.

 

[howlnmad]

So not tapered intentionally.. Thanks.

The amount of crimp shown is as much as I can get without beginning to deform the projectile. Is there any benefit to seating the projectile a little deeper so I can get a little more crimp?

Why would you want more crimp? That looks good.

 

[Pripyat]

That was my question.. If I would benefit from more crimp. I guess not.

 

[IWAC]

Crimp looks O.K. My RCBS dies came with 3 nose punches, WC, SWC, and RN.
don't they do that any more?
My SWC seater also left a ring on cast bullet noses, so I got a file and sandpaper, and opened it up a bit, radiusing it at the same time. Works fine!
At the same time, it would also as leave a ring on SJHP exposed lead, so I use the RN seater for them.

 

[howlnmad]

My RCBS set only came with 2, round nose and flat.

 

[Pripyat]

Mine came with two. The RN was for a pointier RN than my cast bullets.