Major bullet seating problems

I'm just curious, what caliber and load are you using and is your rifle a single shot ? Wondering why you don't crimp. Target shooting ??? I had some odd things happen with Barnes LRX 175gr .308 bullets and loads that were not supposed to be compressed but were.
 
could it be possible that there's a air pressure build up, pushing the bullet up? I've seen wax bullets right up and leave the case due to pressure!!!lol I would try crimping, and see if the problem still exists.
 
@R.O.A. and got to go: It's not a compressed load by the books, and it doesn't seat with that characteristic crunchy sound. It's a grain below max: 44.5 Varget with a 165 TSX in 308.

I've never bothered to crimp for bolt action guns, and when I do crimp I use a Lee F.C.D. rather than during the seating process.

The reason I'm confused is that I've loaded hundreds upon hundreds of rounds over the last 8 years with this equipment, including using TSX's before.

That's why I've got to figure it's bad brass; I have no idea where I got it, but based on it's condition it looks like it was fresh once-fired range pickups.

I will sacrifice some of my Lapua target brass on the altar of my own sanity this afternoon.
 
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I'd bet my dogs left nut it's neck tension. It's chattering. Try annealing a case and load it with the exact same settings that are giving you trouble. Dogs nut says it turns out fine. I have felt chatter on work hardened brass. I anneal every second load, bullets go in smooooooth
 
fuzzynuts54 said:
I'd bet my dogs left nut it's neck tension. It's chattering. Try annealing a case and load it with the exact same settings that are giving you trouble. Dogs nut says it turns out fine. I have felt chatter on work hardened brass. I anneal every second load, bullets go in smooooooth
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Not very confident to bet with someone else's nuts.
 
Confirm that the seater will seat 5 rds to the same OAL you want and within the error of the bullets.

IF the die does seat on a consistent basis, adjust the die to your new OAL and seat a new bullet into a case. DO NOT keep trying to make a seated rd shorter.

Assuming that these 5 seat properly, you have no problem... just need to tweak how you adjust your ammo.

If you get random seating depths above what your bullets indicate, consider neck tension and a better seater.

Jerry
 
Any chance this could be backlash? Typically I find when I use anything with thread adjustments that I'll go past where I want to be, then reverse a touch. Takes off any residual stress or slack.
 
Mystic Precision said:
Confirm that the seater will seat 5 rds to the same OAL you want and within the error of the bullets.

IF the die does seat on a consistent basis, adjust the die to your new OAL and seat a new bullet into a case. DO NOT keep trying to make a seated rd shorter.

Assuming that these 5 seat properly, you have no problem... just need to tweak how you adjust your ammo.

If you get random seating depths above what your bullets indicate, consider neck tension and a better seater.

Jerry
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How do you go about not sinking a seated bullet progressively deeper when trying to approach your desired OAL?

All this occurred while trying to get 20 test loads built for a new hunting rifle; I didn't get ANY of them to seat consistently before I quit!
 
Silverado said:
How do you go about not sinking a seated bullet progressively deeper when trying to approach your desired OAL?

All this occurred while trying to get 20 test loads built for a new hunting rifle; I didn't get ANY of them to seat consistently before I quit!
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Small increments. Time. Patience.
 
Silverado said:
Here are the particulars: FL sized/trimmed/prepped once fired Federal brass. Barnes TSX bullets. Not a compressed powder charge.

I tried both my RCBS micrometer seating die, and TWO Lee seating dies. Checked all dies for cleanliness and proper movement. Dies are properly locked down in the head of the press. Correct shellholder in both cases.

Measuring both OAL and length-to-ogive with a bullet comparator and digital caliper.

Here's the symptom (or symptoms.) First with the RCBS mic die, I would dial the die down (deeper seating) by 5 thousandths of an inch, and the bullet would seat another 5 thou. Give it another 5 thou, the bullet would seat FIFTEEN thou deeper. Too deep... put that one in the "pull these bullets" pile.

New case, new bullet. Try again... 5 thou gives me 5 thou. Another 5 thou... NO DEEPER AT ALL. Another 5... TWENTY-FIVE DEEPER. (At this point I feel this die is ####ed.)

Switch to Lee seater. Start by setting the die with one good, known round of proper length, then back off a half-turn to confirm with next round.

New case, new bullet. Seat bullet... a little too long. GOOD. Turn seater 1/4 turn... bullet seats a little deeper. GOOD. Give it another quarter turn (should be close to right...). Bullet comes out 5-6 thou LONGER than before. It's as if the seater is pulling the bullet out! Check for burrs in seater stem, clean/polish with steel wool... same result.

New case, new bullet. Try different seater die... same results.

What the ever loving #### is going on here?
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Well, if it were not for the two questions, "Trouble crimping," and "trouble getting the COAL," there would be few questions asked on the reloading sections.
And these are the most trivial, most non existent "problems," in all of reloading!
The vast majority of rifles do not require that the bullets be crimped.
Seat the damn bullets so the bolt will close and shoot away.
If the bullets have a cannaure, load them to this groove. If you have a rifle or combination that does require crimping, set your seating dies properly to give a light crimp and provided the cases are of approximately right length, load away.
End of the "problems."
 
I had the same issue with a lee seating die with 80gn ttsx for 243, it would pull the bullet slightly when lowering the ram. I haven't had the same issue with RCBS basic die set.
 
Make sure you are not seating to the edge of the ogive. Your bullets could be slipping into the case as you pass the driving band to the narrower tip of the bullet.
 
Good point Longshot, but not even close in this case.

I did have that problem trying to load bullets in 45/70 for a Marlin once. Had to save those for the Ruger #1.
 
Many people (including me) have this same problem with plastic tipped bullets, the plastic tip contacts the top of the seater and compresses to different degrees causing seating height error. And also OAL measurement errors after seating because the plastic tip was compressed.

You need a seater that doesn't touch the plastic tip when seating your bullet. Lee and other die manufactures tell you if you have this problem to send in three bullets and they will make a custom seater for you.
 
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