Redding seating die

[fireshots4]

Hello everyone

I ordered a set of Redding 9MM reloading dies part number 88172. Since I received them I tried to reload some Hornady 115 Gr XTP and some Berry's 124Gr HBRNTP bullets. I keep having the bullet tip being compressed from the die. I pulled the plug on the die to compare it with RCBS and Hornady and the Redding in hollow much father up the plug than the RCBS or Hornady. It seems that the RCBS and Hornady has a stop for the bullet tip where the Redding does not. Can someone please tell me do I have to order a different seating plug or am I doing something wrong.
Thanks for any help you can give me on this.

 

[AJC1]

The seating stem is trying to seat on the ojive. Manufacturers try to make good compromises to fit most bullets. You may want to reach out and see if other options are available. I gave up the fight and use flat nose bullets most times. I have every 38 and 9mm stem they make.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I haven’t a clue how those bullets are shaped but I fixed a problem I was having with two Redding stems for 45ACP 230gr RN. Instead of using the ogive as @AJC1 says, mine now uses the nose.

I used JBWeld in the stem, let it set up over night, reinstalled the stem in the die and the die in the press and applied light pressure so the bullet would make an impression of the nose in the almost set JBWeld. Obviously this is now an RN only stem. Picture is worth a 1000 of my confusing words.

I have a separate die and stem for 45ACP 200gr SWC but that’s a different story.

Edit: BTW, This is Redding’s Competition seating die so it has NO integrated crimping function which potentially caused OP’s issue. I bought it in part because of this.

 

[Condor]

You can contact their tech support at 607-753-3331 or at [email protected]. I think they will be able to send you a seating stem for that bullet. I needed a different stem to load FTX (vs flat) bullets for my .30-30 and they sent me one free of charge right away. I thought their after-purchase support was fantastic.

 

[fireshots4]

Thanks for the info from everyone. I called Redding and they said they think that I am trying to crimp while it is seating the bullet. I have the die turned out one and a half turns. I will try to back it out father and see what happens.

 

[ParallelCode]

Thanks for the info from everyone. I called Redding and they said they think that I am trying to crimp while it is seating the bullet. I have the die turned out one and a half turns. I will try to back it out father and see what happens.

That will definitely cause issues. Let us know what happens.

 

[lordpaxman]

@fireshots4, welcome to THR!
The XTP 115 gr is quite pointed and prone to crushing especially if you crimp at all when you seat. But if the Redding seating stem is hollow I would have expected a ring on the bullet, not a deformed nose. You can pull the stem and see how a bullet fits, it should tell a lot. A piece of tinfoil wadded up and crushed in the stem with the bullet will make a semi-temporary bullet profile that can be removed later if you don’t want to do it permanently with JB weld. Hot glue works as well. Let us know what you find out? Good luck.

 

[EricBu]

Hello everyone

I ordered a set of Redding 9MM reloading dies part number 88172. Since I received them I tried to reload some Hornady 115 Gr XTP and some Berry's 124Gr HBRNTP bullets. I keep having the bullet tip being compressed from the die. I pulled the plug on the die to compare it with RCBS and Hornady and the Redding in hollow much father up the plug than the RCBS or Hornady. It seems that the RCBS and Hornady has a stop for the bullet tip where the Redding does not. Can someone please tell me do I have to order a different seating plug or am I doing something wrong.
Thanks for any help you can give me on this.

Most of my Redding seating dies have been filled in with epoxy to match the bullets I load with them. Take a bullet, coat with grease, fill plug with epoxy, use vice to press bullet in, let it cure overnight, knock the bullet out, clean the inside, sand smooth with fine sandpaper or use a dremel to polish it, enjoy your own custom seat plug. Alternatively, if you have any RCBS seating dies laying around, you can send them a sample of your bullets, and they will make you a custom plug, 15.00 plus the ride.

 

[AJC1]

If you intend to modify a stem I recommend you use a perfectly seated round to make the stem modification with epoxy. It sounds intuitive but I watched JRB learn this lesson buy making a stem that always seats crooked bullets. In this process having and using a run-out Guage adds value. I normally say they are a waste of time.

 

[EricBu]

If you intend to modify a stem I recommend you use a perfectly seated round to make the stem modification with epoxy. It sounds intuitive but I watched JRB learn this lesson buy making a stem that always seats crooked bullets. In this process having and using a run-out Guage adds value. I normally say they are a waste of time.

Yes, I too have learned that lesson the hard way! Luckily epoxy is easy to work, and you nock it down a bit inside, then repeat until you get it right. Once you get it dialed though, it will last forever. Nice to have a seating stem that's exactly shaped for your particular bullets, makes life a lot easier. I especially find this handy when working with coated RNFP cast bullets, but some of the oddly shaped JHP bullets also benefit greatly.