ROZE 230g FMJ - 45ACP

[mohunter55]

I'm loading up 230gr FMJ bullets from Roze Distributing. I'm using RCBS dies and it appears that the seater stem does not properly match the bullet profile. What happens is the bullet is being pushed in by the top tip, rather than the o-give. This causes the bullet to be seated slightly crooked. Does anyone have a suggestion on which dies work better for this bullet type? I called RCBS and they will custom fit a seater plug for me for ~22 bucks, but that takes 3 weeks and I'd almost rather just pick up a whole die set, for example Hornady's dies with the seating sleeve.

 

[MtnCreek]

RCBS dies usually have a reversable plunger. Have you tryed turning it over?

 

[rcmodel]

Sounds very odd that an RCBS .45 ACP seater stem doesn't fit a 230 .45 ACP bullet.
Perhaps someone put the SWC / wadcutter seater stem in it somewhere along the line?
I think they still come with both in the box?

Anyway, I would not think you would need to pay $22 bucks for a custom made stem.
Or buy another brand of die.

Call RCBS back and tell them you need a standard .45 ACP RN seating stem.
Unless ROZE 230 FMJ-RN bullets are mighty strange shape, it should work just fine.

Or, is the ROZE bullet a FMJ-TC or FP shape?
In that case, tell RCBS you need a standard SWC seater stem.

rc

 

[mohunter55]

The die set is about 2 years old. It came with 2 seating stems. one for round bullets, one for flat. It appears the profile of the bullets are too skinny/narrow. I notice with other dies that are round that the seating stem touches the sides or o-give of the bullet, rather than the tip. I'm almost tempted to stick it in my vise, get out the dremel and dig the seater cavity deeper.

 

[rcmodel]

Gofer it.

I'd suggest though that instead of a vice, you spin it in a drill while grinding it out so it will stay more centered and round.

I just modded a seating stem with a grinder a few weeks ago to fit the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain .38 Spl bullet.

I have also on occasion "glass-bedded" a seating stem with JB Weld to perfectly match an odd bullet shape.

Just coat a loaded round and the die threads with paste wax or silicone spray, or something so the JB Weld won't glue it to the stem & die, mix up the goop, and run a straight seated round up in the die and leave it there until the goop cures.

Then take the seating stem out of the die and clean up the excess that squeezed out.

rc

 

[steve4102]

Or, is the ROZE bullet a FMJ-TC or FP shape?

No it's a standard 230gr ball manufactured by Zero.
http://www.rozedist.com/

 

[918v]

Seat the bullet down half-way. Rotate the round in the shell holder 180 degrees. Finish seating. It should be straight at that point.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've never hear of anyone having a problem with a Zero 230gr FMJ bullet. There might be something wrong with your seating plug, maybe it's a defect.

 

[918v]

I've never heard of anyone having a problem either, but the RCBS seater stem is designed for a 1R ogjive. Most FMJ's are more slender than that.

 

[mohunter55]

Here is what I have found:

I do not think the problem was actually the RCBS dies. I've changed too many variables all at the same time and should of known better. First I started using the zero bullets, 2nd i started loading them on a Lock n Load, 3rd, i finally hit the bottom of my brass barrel which is full of "AP 09" stamped brass. The RCBS round seater plug definately does not fit the profile of the Zero bullet. I picked up a hornady 45acp die set to night and it fits the profile of the bullet perfectly and you can see a slight ring around the o-give of the pullet where the stem pushes on the bullet. My issue is that I still have the problem, even with a proper seater and all of this revolves around the "AP 09" stamped brass. I can not get a good round that will pass the case gauge out of this brass for the life of me. I can have the press set up, and run a winchester or remington piece of brass through it and it looks perfect. When i go to run an AP 09 piece of brass, sometimes it looks good with no buldge, but it still will not pass the case gauge. I can't figure it out b/c the rounds pass the case gauge after resizing. I'm guessing the properties of the brass are slightly different than that of R-P and Winchester. Too Bad i have something like 500 pieces of this brass that I bought off either here or glocktalk a while back. Last time i buy mixed brass.

 

[kimbernut]

My guess is your crimping

My guess is your crimping during your seating and your set to begin your crimp too early. Please keep us informed when you figure it out.

 

[LiveLife]

My issue is that I still have the problem, even with a proper seater and all of this revolves around the "AP 09" stamped brass. I can not get a good round that will pass the case gauge out of this brass for the life of me. I can have the press set up, and run a winchester or remington piece of brass through it and it looks perfect. When i go to run an AP 09 piece of brass, sometimes it looks good with no buldge, but it still will not pass the case gauge.

Yes, it's easier to change one reloading variable at a time to isolate the cause of your problem.

I can't figure it out b/c the rounds pass the case gauge after resizing. I'm guessing the properties of the brass are slightly different than that of R-P and Winchester.

I had the same problem with a batch of verified once-fired PMC brass. It resized fine but after the bullet was seated, it would not chamber fully. What I found out was that the brass was a bit softer and the case was bulging during the bullet seating process. So the resized case would chamber fine, but the seated round wouldn't, even in looser Glock chamber! I tossed the rest of these once-fired PMC brass as none of my older PMC or any other headstamp cases would duplicate the problem. I ruled out my reloading equipment or my reloading practice as the cause of the problem. It was the brass.

Too Bad i have something like 500 pieces of this brass that I bought off either here or glocktalk a while back. Last time i buy mixed brass.

I would double check that it is indeed the brass and not your reloading practice before you toss the brass. If you consistently do not have problem with other headstamp cases, but consistently reproduce the problem with the AP 09 brass, it may be the brass.

 

[mohunter55]

BDS - thanks for the advice on double checking. Just out of curiousity i took a few of the AP 09 loads that do not pass the case gauge and stuck them in my 1911 Springfield armory mil spec barrel. All loads go in and drop free from the barrel. Interesting huh....it appears the dillon case gauge I have may be a bit tight, or my chamber is just loose enough that I can still use this AP 09 brass.

 

[LiveLife]

Great! Glad you checked.

Most factory semi-auto chambers will be looser than the case gauge and YOUR pistol chamber will be the final judge as to whether your finished rounds will fit in your barrel or not. If a round won't pass the case gauge test but will function check fine in your pistol, you should be fine.

I load for several different pistols with differing chamber sizes. I use the tightest of them (Lone Wolf) as my Quality Control double-check. If the finished rounds fit the LW chambers, I know it will fit all the others.