Bullet Seating

Qball-16

Qball-16

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Sunshine Coast, BC
I'm fairly new to reloading, and have seen/heard/read some conflicting info on bullet seating procedures. Some say to seat the bullet with one slow, smooth pull on the press until the bullet is seated to its final depth. Others say to use repeated incremental pulls on the press, gradually working the bullet to its final depth. Occasionally, subscribers of the incremental approach recommend rotating the case between pulls, presumably in an attempt to minimize bullet run-out.

I'm using a Forster Ultra Micrometer seater die, and the incremental approach seems a bit unnecessary to me. The bullet seating stem on the Forster die fits the ogive of the Sierra Tipped Match King bullets I'm loading very well, the tip doesn't bottom out and the sliding die chamber seems to hold the bullet and case in very good alignment.

Looking for opinions from the reloading 'veterans' here...
 
With my Lee Classic Turret, what I did was raised the ram all the way up, screwed in the bullet seating die until it touches the shell holder. I lower the ram, turn the die 1/8 turn to loosen, and tighten the lock nut. I then unscrew the bullet adjustment seat all the way out.

I proceed to place the loaded cartridge, place the bullet on to the cartridge and raise the ram in one continuous motion. I screw in the bullet seat adjustment until it stops turning.

I measure the specific OAL, adjust the bullet seating die more, raise the ram, measure. I keep doing this until I get the desired OAL.

Turning the cartridge is also a good tip from ReloaderRick - I'll try that as well.
 
I've never seen any magic as how you pull the handle down. Usually my 3 or 5 year old daughters pull the handle down.
 
If your loading for F-class precision then use the best dies possible to their designed intent. Beyond that its all voodoo magic imo.

One quick pull.
I'm no 1/3 moa shooter but i can keep it to 3/4-1moa consistantly with very cheap lee dies.
 
Update:

Having just received an RCBS CaseMaster gauge I picked up off the EE (thanks Bab!!!) I measured the run-out on some rounds I'd produced a while back. I checked bullets I seated with a single stroke, as well as bullets I seated using the incremental approach (but no turning).

The results were inconclusive in terms of seating style, but pretty definitive in terms of the Forster Ultra Micrometer Seating Die. Of the rounds I checked - regardless of the seating method used - ALL had less than 0.002" of run-out and most were less than 0.001". There was no definitive pattern discernible between seating methods.

It's certainly possible that the seating method utilized is more important with a lower quality seating die, but it sure didn't seem to matter with the Forster!
 
I like to seat slow and constant - after a while you get a 'feel' for the seating process, and it is easy to tell if something is amuck with anything. Just like shooting, be consistent in the process.
I have found doing it this way i can filter out cases that "feel" like they have excessive neck tension, or too little, or anything that feels out of the ordinary - filter them out for further inspection.
 
I have no way to measure except rolling it on my bench after wards to see if theres any wobble. heh

I try to pull it down kind of the same way all the time but after I spin it 180 and give er another pull just incase.

I find my redding for 243 doesnt really need the second pull but my rcbs for 223 does sometimes. Dont know if its the dies or not.
 
If you resize your brass with a good die your runout will be minimal assuming your turning the brass to negate runout.I dont see how turning brass in the press does anything. Get some Lee Collet dies for minimal runout and extended brass life.
 
I use a Lee collet neck sizer and seater. I've always used a thick rubber o ring to keep my shell holder in place, I find this method self centers the brass in the seating die. I also turn my brass twice when I seat 180 in two ow movements and I get 1/2 moa out of my 30-06.

Just my two sense, seems like its more mental then anything.
 
Same here with Forster Ultra Micrometer seater die for 308 and Lee collet die. Seat with one slow, smooth pull on Co-ax not for runout control but feeling for seating depth. 1 in 10 feel tighter which result in OAL being 0.003"+ longer. No sure why some necks are tighter.
 
clegger said:
I use a Lee collet neck sizer and seater. I've always used a thick rubber o ring to keep my shell holder in place, I find this method self centers the brass in the seating die.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the die? If not can you explain this for me. Is your shell holder loose in the press? Thanks
 
scott_r said:
If you resize your brass with a good die your runout will be minimal assuming your turning the brass to negate runout.I dont see how turning brass in the press does anything. Get some Lee Collet dies for minimal runout and extended brass life.
Click to expand...


That just makes sense to me..the Lee die seems to work very well, I also use the Forster seating die the combo works extremely well I find
 
Yes my shell holder will move/jiggle if you try to move it. I find that with just a rubber o-ring to hold the shell holder in place I get much less run out.
 
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