Problem with Lee 45-70 bullet seat/crimper dies

[7.62Man]

I am having prolbem with my Lee brand 45-70 bullet seater die. I set the die up following Lee's instructions and can not get the bullets seated right, it keeps seatting the bullets deaper then set.

I put a case in the press and put the ram all the way up. Next I back off the bullet seater nob and screw the die down until it contacts the brass. Then I put a bullet into the case and adjust the seating util it is correct. Then I turn the whole die down till it touches the ram with the case removed. Adjust the lock ring till it is tight and should be good to go. Problem is that the bullet is seated deeper than it was set for. I am trying to seat Lee 405 cast bullets in the crimp groove over 34 grains of RL-7.

Can anyone help me with this. I don't have the same problem with my 38/357 dies

 

[adriel]

Then I turn the whole die down till it touches the ram with the case removed. Adjust the lock ring till it is tight and should be good to go.

Are you new to Lee dies? You had it right at first, you set the die with the ram up and the case in. Screw the die in until you feel it hit the case. Turn the lock ring down, but don't snug it right up. This is because we'll need to set the crimp after we get the bullet height about right.

Turn the bullet height adjuster knob all the way up. Throw a case and bullet in, and go through a few iterations of running it through, then cranking the knob down some more until you get your desired OAL +0.10. Why 10 thou higher? Because you haven't set your crimp yet. To set your crimp, just turn the die in a 1/4 to a 1/2 turn, then lock it.

If you wanna see it done, there are videos available here: http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

 

[Pete04]

Are you new to Lee dies? You had it right at first, you set the die with the ram up and the case in. Screw the die in until you feel it hit the case. Turn the lock ring down, but don't snug it right up. This is because we'll need to set the crimp after we get the bullet height about right.

Turn the bullet height adjuster knob all the way up. Throw a case and bullet in, and go through a few iterations of running it through, then cranking the knob down some more until you get your desired OAL +0.10. Why 10 thou higher? Because you haven't set your crimp yet. To set your crimp, just turn the die in a 1/4 to a 1/2 turn, then lock it.

If you wanna see it done, there are videos available here: http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html

I think you mean +0.01" ie 10 thou. not +0.10" ie 100 thou.
Pete

 

[Silverado]

You set the die to touch the brass, then removed the brass and screwed the die in farther. That's why.

 

[adriel]

I think you mean +0.01" ie 10 thou. not +0.10" ie 100 thou.
Pete

Can you believe I used to be a machinist, and still made that mistake? Yep.

 

[senior]

What I do is after I set die to touch brass & set seater to correct bullet depth is...turn out the seater exactely the same amount as I turn the die in for crimping.