9mm bullet seating

[Don45]

Hello I am having a bit of a problem with seating a Lee 358-105-SWC sized to .356. I can't seem to get the bullet to seat straight in the case most times, it will from time to time but not all the time. I try to place the bullet in the case mouth as straight as possible and I have even tried to give it a light bump on the seating plug to see if that works but that doesn't work. I have had no problem with other bullets just this one, and so far even though it is not seating straight it shoots not too bad.
I am thinking that maybe I should modify or make a new seat plug that will only push on the outer ring of the SWC rather than the nose of the bullet.
Thanks for any help that you can post.

Don

 

[IM_Lugger]

I had that hapen with .44mag...but not with 9mm (thou I never used that bullet).

If it that was me, I'd switch to another bullet....

 

[slug]

Make sure that you have enough flare on the mouth of the case before you try to start the bullet into the case.

 

[daBear]

Make sure that you have enough flare on the mouth of the case before you try to start the bullet into the case.

x2.. The most likely cause of the "tipping" during the seating process.
Good luck
dB

 

[colinjw]

Enough flare X 3.

If not then the bullet starts tipping over & and usually stays that way.
As they say, been there & done that.

 

[brnolvr]

Don, I have a carbide set of RCBS dies for 9mm, it contains two seater plugs for round rose and flat nose bullets. They are marked RN and TMJ stamped on the top of each seating stem.
If you are using Lee die's I believe they only come with one seating plug, I find lee's seater plug a compromise for seating a variety of bullet shapes, they seat RN best I find. A custom plug could be made quite easily......

brnolvr

 

[aftermidnight]

when you seat the bullet, seat it halfway then back off on the stroke and rotate the case 180* and finish seating/crimping... see if that straightens things out.

 

[Don45]

Thanks for the help
I have the case flared enough that the bullet sits into the case up to the bottom of the lube grove. I will try expanding it a bit more but I don't want to damage the case mouth.
I am using RCBS dies and I have the seating plug that is for flat top bullets in the die.
I also have a LEE seating die that I might try to make a new seating plug for.
Aftermidnight I will give the case rotation a try as well and see if that helps.
I am also doing the crimping after I have the bullet seated by using a LEE taper crimp die.

Don

 

[hatman1793]

What's the application?

105 9mm bullets are a little light. If its target use, why not switch to a heavier bullet, as the heavier ones have more length for the lands and grooves to impart accuracy.
I find that the best 9mm bullets [cast] have a bevel base to fascilitate easy loading.

 

[aftermidnight]

i suspect the meplat on the SWC bullet is also a bit wider than the flat seating surface on the supplied 9mm stem causing the contact with the bullet to only be on the outer edge of the meplat.. maybe comparing it to a 38/357 stem might shed some light. the 38/357 will probably have a larger diameter. i dont have a 9mm stem to look myself.

 

[Don45]

I think I have it solved by using a Lee seater die that I have, it seems to seat the bullet in with minimal tipping of the bullet.
Thanks again for the help.

Don