I'm loading up some Hornady V-MAX .243 87 grain bullets. Using a Lee 243 WSSM seating die. The plastic tip is pulling off and remaining in the die. I've used this die with other ballistic tips but not these 87 grain V-MAX's. Any idea on how to resolve this? Loading on a Lee classic turret.
SST tip pulling off in seating die
- Thread starter Boss-302
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First thing if you have not already inspect and clean the die and seating stem. If that does not work the area the tip is sticking will need to be modified polished, drilled, or changed in some way. You could also order a new seating stem and use epoxy to make an exact match for the bullet by bedding a bullet to stem so to speak.
Mark a bullet (sharpie marker) without a tip and see where the seating stem is making contact if it's no where near the tip then just drill out the area the tip is sticking in slightly open it up.
Mark a bullet (sharpie marker) without a tip and see where the seating stem is making contact if it's no where near the tip then just drill out the area the tip is sticking in slightly open it up.
Thanks Clint.
I had looked and the die was clean. Nothing stuck up in there. Noticed how the 87 grain SST was thinner at the tip then the 95 grain SST I have loaded previously. Which was allowing the tip to push higher into the stem. Also if the bullet was slightly leaning when going into the die the tip would pull out. Did not have any issues when I slowed down and made sure the bullet was straight up. I did take a small drill bit and opened up the stem just a bit. All bullets seated ok with the tip intact after drilling out the stem.
One more set of reloads to try out at the range now.
I had looked and the die was clean. Nothing stuck up in there. Noticed how the 87 grain SST was thinner at the tip then the 95 grain SST I have loaded previously. Which was allowing the tip to push higher into the stem. Also if the bullet was slightly leaning when going into the die the tip would pull out. Did not have any issues when I slowed down and made sure the bullet was straight up. I did take a small drill bit and opened up the stem just a bit. All bullets seated ok with the tip intact after drilling out the stem.
One more set of reloads to try out at the range now.
Boss-302
Just make sure it did not leave a raised burr where you drilled if so just polish it.... Good job, I don't have anything in 6mm at the moment, but I need to find something as I have loads of 6mm bullets...and with the Barnes premium bullets I think it adds more insurance for use on deer sized game.
Just make sure it did not leave a raised burr where you drilled if so just polish it.... Good job, I don't have anything in 6mm at the moment, but I need to find something as I have loads of 6mm bullets...and with the Barnes premium bullets I think it adds more insurance for use on deer sized game.
Potatohead
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If the bullet is leaning when I use 55 gr 224" bullets with a ballistic tip, the stem shaves a piece of the tip off, makes me real mad!
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