Bullets shaping like hour glass???

You are comping before the bullet is fully seated. Read the manual that came wit the dies again. Then read it again. Then read a reloading manual twice. After that re read how to set up your dies.

Take die out of press, put brass in shell holder, raise ram, screw in seating die until it couches the brass (you can feel this), unscrew die ¼ to ½ turn. In a bolt gun you don't need to crimp so don't worry about that part.

As for coal. Measure your chamber and use that as a starting point.

If you shoot these make sure you alert everyone at the range that there might be an explosion. Have someone calling an ambulance.
 
Dave nailed it!

Eagleye said:
Your die should NOT be hitting the shellholder!!! You should be about a Nickle's thickness away from the bottom of the
die when the ram is fully up. You are trying to crimp that bullet when the die is adjusted as you have it.
This means the bullet cannot move, and instead the seating plug distorts the bullet.
Back that seating die off at least 1½ full turns, reset your seating stem, and try again.
Eagleye.
Click to expand...

As for the seating,Dave has given you the correct answer.

Your seating die should be at least one full turn off the shell holder, unless you are trying to crimp the case onto the bullet.

A really easy way to see this is to put a case into the shell holder and run the ram all the way to the top BEFORE turning the seating die into the press. It will contact the case mouth well before touching the shell holder. That is the beginning of the seating die crimp section. Now, just turn the case back up half a turn and lock the die. Go ahead and seat a bullet, adjust the seating stem until you get the depth you want, and you are in business.

You have also received a few good hints about the pressure you will be dealing with.

Ted
 
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I just ran the numbers for the " Varget Starting load" that Sierra gave you in that email.

That guy's name should be Richard and not Philip, then we could call him ####...

To be perfectly honest, I really don't think that Varget is a great choice because at 100% fill (~21.7g), you're only generating 42,000 psi with 2,570 fps at the muzzle. The propellant burn will be less than 90% and the ballistic efficiency only 24%

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Boys,have you even read any of my posts?

I said I started at min.
This problem is happening at min load.
I said I've loaded thousands of rnds,the exact same way.

My magazine can only accept 2250 COL

I've read my die instructions and followed.
Actually,I read them every time,I start a session.

If all you have to say is ,read a book, then please move on.

I'm not going to fire these,as they look like tits:)

I'll try eagleeyes suggestions and back the die up,but that leaves me no crimp.
I'll also try with a longer COL.

Thanks hanks for all your help:)

Also I've already fired 125 Hornady Vmax 53 and 55 g, and Varget.
Their listed col is 2250.
And I get compression as I start nearing max load.

But the 69 TMK is a longer bullet and I'm using the only col I could fine,
Which is for a diff bullet.

My magazine is 2250, so I'm not going to make them longer than that.

Anyway, no worries, I'll remove the crimp,and up the COL to 2245.

That should give them a bit more breathing room.

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Quit seating and crimping in one step.When you are done seating all of your bullets,turn your seating stem all the way out then turn the die down to your desired crimp depth.The die shouldnt touch the brass during the seating process.Turn it up a 1/2 turn from initial contact.
 
Well, apparently you are not the only one who has experienced this problem. Sierra actually has an article on it:

https://sierrabulletsblog.com/2016/04/20/seating-concerns-with-sierra-tipped-matchking-tmk-bullets/

At the end of the article it suggests using a different powder so that you are not compressing as much.. That is likely the way to go. Always start low and work your way up. Personally I have found no need to be at or close to max loads. Usually one can find an accurate, reliable load at much more manageable pressures.
 
Are there 69 gr TMKs with crimping grooves that I don't know about? I wouldn't be trying to crimp bullets that aren't meant for it, but that isn't your problem.

It sounds like you are compressing the powder charge and the resistance is more than the light jacketed bullets can take. These things happen. When mag length is the limiter backing off the charge is about the only move you have left. 24 grains of Varget with a 69 isnt exactly a near death experience,but if there's no room there's no room.

Theres a bit in here, some of which touches on your problem.

https://sierrabulletsblog.com/2016/04/20/seating-concerns-with-sierra-tipped-matchking-tmk-bullets/
 
Another interesting thing to do would be to enter this search string into Google:

"sierra 69 grain tmk load data"

The results would likely eliminate many of the critical comments above about the OP's reloading practices.
 
Purple shoulder said:
From the "so many uninformed gun owners" thread
Click to expand...
That's a totally different issue.

And if people mind to read all the posts ,they'd have a better understanding of the problem.

I'm not setting my dies up wrong.
I'm not over charging the cases
I'm going off the only data,I could find.( hodgdons reloading).
And obviously the COL for their listed bullet ,don't work for my bullet.

So please don't post your BS,
 
Ganderite said:
If you max COL is determined by your mag length, why are you looking up Hodgen's COL for their test? You already know the COL you have to use.
Click to expand...
Ganderite, I always like to start with the manufacturer s COL and min data.
Maybe I shouldn't bother with that , but I do.

Problem is,there was no manufacturer COL,recommended for the TMK.
So I tryed the hodgdons recommended COL,for the same weight bullet.

Probably a mistake.

Also,my mag length is 2250, so because I want to keep them a bit smaller than that, I'll try 2245,without the crimp.

Thanks
 
HuntersStand said:
Quit seating and crimping in one step.When you are done seating all of your bullets,turn your seating stem all the way out then turn the die down to your desired crimp depth.The die shouldnt touch the brass during the seating process.Turn it up a 1/2 turn from initial contact.
Click to expand...

That is the best way to do it. One never gets a collapsed case or dented bullet doing it that way.

Brianma65 said:
...I'm not setting my dies up wrong....
Click to expand...

Brian, you are if the die is touching the shell holder.

The die is trying to crimp the case mouth into the bullet before you get the bullet seated all the way down into the neck.

Ted.
 
Just take it easy guys, the OP came for help and not to be jumped on. "WE" were all new reloaders at one time and we also learned from our mistakes.

Far too many people want instant answers in forums and skip reading the front part of the reloading manual or product directions.

Now ask yourselves how so many people knew what the OPs problem was...............the answer was because it had happened to them also.
 
You are right, Ed, that's how I learned, and that's why we have been trying to help him by describing the solution to his problem.

His seating die definitely should not be touching the shell holder.

Ted
 
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