Bullet seating depth varies

[scott_r]

I just purchased a Forester Micro seating die, got it set according the manual and the seating isn't consistent at all. I set my first round at 2.350 and have some rounds as long as 2.360 and everything in between, there is zero consistency?? Im using Lapua brass. I measured the Hornady HPBT's and they have next to no variance. Whats up? My cheap lee die made more consistent depths.

Cheers!!

 

[yodave]

are you measuring from the tip of the bullet or off of the ogive? base to ogive measurement will be spot on, however the distance of the base of the bullet to the tip of the bullet will be all over the map and will show seating depth lengths all over the map due to the inconsistencies in bullet lengths. The seater die is seating the bullet based on the ogive rather then the tip, this will ensure a consistent jump or jam to the lands in the barrel

 

[bigedp51]

The dies seating plug is touching the same point on the bullet ogive, the problem is some makes of bullets have varying bullet ogive lengths.
Meaning its bullets and not the die, I have the same seating die plus many others and the variance is the inside shape of the seater plug and the shape of the bullet. And all dies have the same problem, the seater plug is designed around the average bullet shape. Many competitive shooters have custom seater plugs made for the bullet they are shooting. In the direction for your die it should tell you that if you send three bullets to the manufacture they will make a custom seater plug. these custom seater plugs contact the entire bullet tip to get better and more uniform results.

Below the ogive curvature can vary in height causing the OAL variations, BUT the same diameter point will contact the rifling all the time. Look at the bullet for the ring pressed into it by the seater plug, and the seater plug mouth. Sometimes polishing the seater plug mouth to get rid of the sharp edges may help to get more uniform results. And I'm sure others will tell you these variations happen all the time with all seating dies.

 

[bigedp51]

are you measuring from the tip of the bullet or off of the ogive? base to ogive measurement will be spot on, however the distance of the base of the bullet to the tip of the bullet will be all over the map and will show seating depth lengths all over the map due to the inconsistencies in bullet lengths. The seater die is seating the bullet based on the ogive rather then the tip, this will ensure a consistent jump or jam to the lands in the barrel

+1 What yodave said first with a lot less words and clearer than my post. (I have two slow dyslexic typing fingers)

 

[scott_r]

are you measuring from the tip of the bullet or off of the ogive? base to ogive measurement will be spot on, however the distance of the base of the bullet to the tip of the bullet will be all over the map and will show seating depth lengths all over the map due to the inconsistencies in bullet lengths. The seater die is seating the bullet based on the ogive rather then the tip, this will ensure a consistent jump or jam to the lands in the barrel

Thanks man!!! yes Im measuring from the bullet tip. Makes sense.

So how do you get a true reading on your OAL or does it really matter once you set your die?


Cheers!!

 

[yodave]

Thanks man!!! yes Im measuring from the bullet tip. Makes sense.

So how do you get a true reading on your OAL or does it really matter once you set your die?


Cheers!!

you need a bullet ogive comparator, either the one that hornady makes and sells or the one from sinclairs that looks like a nut and has 6 different calibers, one on each flat of the nut.

 

[chrismc]

I had issues with the same die (when new) - it was 'gripping' the bullet upon extraction. I disassembled, and as mentioned above, there were sharp edges that dug into the copper jacket, which was making the bullet stick.
A few light turns with the case neck chamfering tool and problem solved!

 

[scott_r]

Thanks for all the help fellows appreciate your advice!!


Cheers!!

 

[burnaby]

Anyone else have issues where a small percentage of rounds seat easier resulting in deeper seating/lower OAL (I can feel the different on my CO-AX with Forester micro seating die). Suspect the powder in some cases are more compacted during the pour (using red Lee funnel) so that during seating less compression is required, bullet seats ~0.005" deeper. Rest seats at 2.285"


Looking into getting this funnel with the longer tube to get the powder to fall in more consistently. Anyone else have similar issues?

 

[yodave]

Anyone else have issues where a small percentage of rounds seat easier resulting in deeper seating/lower OAL (I can feel the different on my CO-AX with Forester micro seating die). Suspect the powder in some cases are more compacted during the pour (using red Lee funnel) so that during seating less compression is required, bullet seats ~0.005" deeper. Rest seats at 2.285"


Looking into getting this funnel with the longer tube to get the powder to fall in more consistently. Anyone else have similar issues?

once again..........are you measuring to the tip of the bullet or the ogive? if the tip reread my posts up above

 

[burnaby]

Ogive, have both the Hornady and sinclair comparators along with the device to measure OAL to rifling.
Powder is measured using RCBS chargemaster. new Lapua 308 brass, 168 SMK.

Confident my measurement are good. I can feel the difference in that last few inches just before the handle bottoms out on my CO-AX. The ones with that final light touch the bullets are always seated deeper.

once again..........are you measuring to the tip of the bullet or the ogive? if the tip reread my posts up above

 

[yodave]

new brass out of the box or did you size it first? I have found that new out of the box is almost as inconsistent as it gets

 

[burnaby]

Doesn't matter whether new, fired and LEE collet sized or FL sized. Still get couple out of 50 that has that final light handle touch resulting in deeper seating.
The once fired brass (WIN, FED, REM, HRN) are all prepped (neck size, trimmed, blah...)

Using 43.5gn Varget. Best guess is less powder compression in some cases. Diff is small, from 2.285 to ~2.280 so haven't investigated further.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[yodave]

throw out the Lee dies...........

Redding bushing neck sizing die only and a body bump die for every third of fourth loading, or when things get sticky, bullet seater of your choice but again I run Redding micrometer competition bullet seaters. depending on the rifle I use a universal decapping die and seat the bullet long with my fingers, closing the bolt on the loaded round seats the bullet with zero run out and to the same spot in the lands every time, and as the throat erodes the bullet still finds the lands

 

[Shooter ----/]

Anyone else have issues where a small percentage of rounds seat easier resulting in deeper seating/lower OAL (I can feel the different on my CO-AX with Forester micro seating die). Suspect the powder in some cases are more compacted during the pour (using red Lee funnel) so that during seating less compression is required, bullet seats ~0.005" deeper. Rest seats at 2.285"

You should be able to hear and feel a compressed load. Are all your shells compressed loads and some are just more compressed than others?

 

[burnaby]

Seems to be different camps on sizing. The FL camp, the body bump camp, and the LEE Collet camp. Some day will get a set of Redding bushing dies but for now 200m is max at my range. Need to find nice stretch of crown land near Burnaby
Happy for now with the Forester micrometer competition die (after all Redding copied them).

First time read of Seating bullet with finger, finish with closing the bolt on loaded round to kiss the land. Did you come up with that? Certainly takes care of throat erosion.

 

[yodave]

I learnt that jewel of a trick from a fellow that we used to shoot with, now we shoot to remember him every year at his memorial shoot. Watched him shoot multiple 1.5 inch groups at 500 yards with a 6ppc, no neck tension and never used a sizing die.........but don't open the bolt on a loaded round.....the bullet stays in the barrel and the powder trickles through the internals of your action

 

[burnaby]

I thought some were more compressed than other. Now that you asked I went to verify to discover that I can still hear/feel the Varget powder moving inside with just a bit of room. Unless the powder settle down my initial assessment of compressed load was incorrect.

Next time I load need to measure the top of the powder to determine if the bullet is compressing it. Second thought is not a compression issue but the brass prep. Brass are wet tumble, looks like new so not a dirty brass sticking issue. Worst case when in doubt blame the LEE dies.

You should be able to hear and feel a compressed load. Are all your shells compressed loads and some are just more compressed than others?

 

[burnaby]

Wow, 1.5" at 500yd is 0.3MOA is hard enough just once but multiple; NICE. Takes single shot loading to another level.

I learnt that jewel of a trick from a fellow that we used to shoot with, now we shoot to remember him every year at his memorial shoot. Watched him shoot multiple 1.5 inch groups at 500 yards with a 6ppc, no neck tension and never used a sizing die.........but don't open the bolt on a loaded round.....the bullet stays in the barrel and the powder trickles through the internals of your action