Seating die plug for flat nose bullet 45LC

[wiiawiwb]

I've been reading about some people having a problem when they seat a lead flat-nose bullet in their seating die as many have a rounded profile to it. In some cases, people report that it is rounding out the flat nose.

Have you had any problems with your seating do this?

I think RCBS use to include two seating plugs with their 3-die set. One a round nose, the other a flat nose. Do they still include both?

Lee will make a custom plug if you send them a bullet.

Curious what work around people are having any problems to begin with and if so what you're doing about it.

 

[Reloadron]

Yes, RCBS includes both, it is RCBS Part #702837 44-45 RN / 444 SWC, the same set (part number) applies to 45 ACP dies as well as 44 Magnum and other 44 / 45 dies. I have never experienced any problems or issues. Some hand loaders will machine and customize their seater plugs, I have never had a need to but it is an option.

Ron

 

[Mauser69]

My Lyman dies in .44 Mag came with both SWC and RN seating plugs. I have been loading MBC RNFP bullets with the RN seating plug with absolutely no problems.

 

[25-5]

I load a lot, a lot, of .45 Colt using the RN die. The same as said before, no problem. The same with .44 special.

 

[Mauser69]

I've been reading about some people having a problem when they seat a lead flat-nose bullet in their seating die as many have a rounded profile to it. In some cases, people report that it is rounding out the flat nose.

Have you had any problems with your seating do this?

I think RCBS use to include two seating plugs with their 3-die set. One a round nose, the other a flat nose. Do they still include both?

Lee will make a custom plug if you send them a bullet.

Curious what work around people are having any problems to begin with and if so what you're doing about it.

Just re-reading your initial post and thought I'd clarify one thing. The two different bullet plug profiles with my Lyman dies (and probably other brands too) are not simply "round nose" and "flat nose" - the flat nose one is specifically for SWC profile bullets, and it does NOT work well with round nose flat point bullets. The difference is the straight walls designed to match SWC bullets vs the rounded walls of the other plug.

Before I loaded the first RNFP bullet, I simply pulled out both plugs and held a bullet in them - no stability at all in the SWC plug, but felt rock solid in the RN plug even though the bullet did not reach all the way to the rounded tip. That is the key - stability and ability to hold the bullet straight. That stability is provided by the way the plug fits the sides of the bullet, not the top.

 

[baseball2013]

My Hornady seating die came with an additional plug. So far I have only used the plug for RN bullets.

 

[highlander 5]

You could try filling one of the plugs with candle,sealing wax or a dab of silicone to make a temporary flat nose seater.

 

[Blue68f100]

The flat seating die is for the WC's only, since it does not have any profile to match. RN works for most but not all. I have taken RN seating stems and modify them to seat SWC. I just open the inside up enough to allow the setting die to clear the nose. This gives me contact on the shoulder only with enough guidance from the side to center. Contacting this way will also give you the most consistent OAL.