relaoding 22-250 - bullet seating problem - help

E

explorin2

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
Location
Saskatchewan
Hoping some folks can provide some insight to my issue.

I just starting reloading, finished up and test fired my first batch just a few days ago and all went well.

However, the next batch didnt, and still isnt, going well. The problem I have is that when I seat the bullet to the proper OAL it is not secure ... comes lose with just a little pressure or the bullet ends up sitting on the powder (pushed in to far).

The first batch I made up I did not trim the cases, and they all set in nicely. The second batch I trimmed the case to 1.900 as per the reloading manual. It seems that after trimming the mouth has a bigger opening and the bullets now slide in and and out of the case without resistance.

I have played around with these for some time now and getting no where. Any suggestions.

Even at the correct OAL the bullet seems to be seated to far down, but according the books and comparing to hornaby factory loads its should be correct. If I incease the OAL by approx 10 to 15 thou, the bullet seats tight???

Is it my die set?? Am I not setting my resizing die low enough? Should I trim before resizing?

Stumped
 
just seat them to a longer coal...
I remember from your other thread, your bullets are seated so far, your rounds don't even look like 22-250!


edit: here's one of mine, seated @ 2,463''. I'm pretty sure 2,350 is the minimum COAL (ie don't go under that to avoid high pressures). You can play with the deating depth as long as the bullets are held in the case and it fits your mag, if youre using one. There must be a topic about that in your reloading manual?

 
Last edited:
try setting your die lower in the press and resizing more of the case.if that works you can resize the ones you already have primed by removing the decapping pin from the neck expander.if you are full lenght resizing the shell holder should be touching the die when ram is all the way up.are you using the same bullets as your first batch of reloads?
 
chemo and deadeyes40 ...

My first batch, which I posted pics of have a coal of 2.350". The second batch I increased the COAL to 2.430", for any longer and they won't load into the rotary mag.

Everything was the same .. bullets are 50 gr Sierra Blitzkings. The problems seems to start when I trim the case .. for first batch was untrimmed (hence they may appear seated to low.

I even compared to factory loads and everything seems ok dimension wise.

Is it possible I have sweaty hand syndrome or something.

To set the FL resizing die, it turn it down till it touches the case and turn an extra 1/8 to 1/4 turn.

Maybe best if I clean dies and try the progess again with different brass ... grr
 
Last edited:
realoadedone.jpg


the one left is from the first batch, the middle, is a hornaby factory load, the right is with a the max coal for my mag. all are 50 gr
 
Is your sizing die hitting the shell holder? That would be 100% Full length sizing. For your model rifle, this is what you want.

If you are doing that already, you should remove the expander button on the decapping pin.

Another way to do this is to size the usual way and then remove the decapping pin and size them all again. I guarantee the neck will be tight and the bullet won't fall through the case.

If this solves the problem, you can try spinning the button in a electric drill and sanding the diameter down a couple thou.
 
Ganderite said:
Is your sizing die hitting the shell holder? That would be 100% Full length sizing. For your model rifle, this is what you want.

If you are doing that already, you should remove the expander button on the decapping pin.

Another way to do this is to size the usual way and then remove the decapping pin and size them all again. I guarantee the neck will be tight and the bullet won't fall through the case.

If this solves the problem, you can try spinning the button in a electric drill and sanding the diameter down a couple thou.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ganderite ... think I have it solved now.

I ran the shell into the sizing die, without the expander ball and decapping pin installed, as far as it would go into the resizing die, using lite force. however I could only get the bottom of the die to approximately within an 1/8" of the shell holder. Just tried seating a bullet, without primer and powder, and it worked the first time. Bullet is tight at just below 2.350 COAL, so I think this maybe the solution.:rolleyes: Will try a few more and if all is good will sand the expander ball a hair. Thanks again!!
 
Last edited:
If the bullet isn't held by neck tension, it is either too small bullets, too thin of brass in the neck resulting in too little tension, or a combination. Trimming to length has nothing to do with it.
From the photo it appears you have neck turned the brass. If so, that may be the source of your problem.
Also, some brass is too thin: I had some Imperial .308 that could not hold a bullet.
 
trimming could be the cause if the pilot is expanding the neck a little.measure the diameter of the pilot on your trimmer.it might be 225/226 or bigger.did you try seating a bullet in the resized cases that were resized with the expander ball still in the die?
 
To full length size adjust the die until the shell holder touches the bottom of the die with the handle lowered, or to the point that the shell holder is at it's highest point, then turn the die 1/4 turn down further. In your picture it looks like you have marks from necksizing, but only 1/3 of the way down the neck.
 
You do not have a trim or OAL problem. You need to go back to the start and make sure you're resizing properly and as pockets says it doesn't look as though you're doing that properly. Are you working with one make of brass, how many times have they been fired and what make of dies are you using? Go back to the start, resize properly and without priming the case put a bullet in it and see how well the case grips it. Thats called neck tension. Let us know how this goes. Also make sure you're lubing the inside of the neck.
 
Explorin2

Case trimmers that use a case-mouth pilot will not give a precise straight trim. With a slightly crooked case mouth bullet run-out will decrease accuracy potential. If after trimming, brass needs resizing it may be time to rethink the way you trim your cases.

L.E. Wilson makes a trimmer that uses a non-piloted cutter. Sinclair Int. adds a few fixtures to make Wilson trimmers a bit more user friendly.
 
Your pics look like your not sizing the entire neck. Set your die to touch the shell holder, then turn it in another turn. Try sizing 1 piece of brass, also it may take more than "light" pressure. What type of dies are you using? The lee neck collet dies require quite a bit of force to properly size the neck.
 
Ya i also think your not sizing enough of the case. From the pics and what i read your only sizing part of the neck, haven`t used Lee sizer dies but with RCBS or others i scew them in until the touch the shell holder then back out bit until i`m sizing 99.9% of the neck with out pushing the shoulder back. Then try the case in the chamber if it chambers easily good if a bit tight i will reajust the die until i like the results. Works for me but i only use brass fired in my rifle, Every body has their own system, after 30+ years you tend to have most of the bugs worked out if your lucky. Keep on it till your happy with the results.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom