.223 seating die for Hornady OTMs?

[dhdoyle]

I have a problem with my Dillon seating die when loading Hornady 68 & 75 grain OTMs over compressed charged of Varget. The seating die is deforming the bullet where it contacts the ogive. I'm sure it's related to the amount of seating pressure needed to compress the powder charge. Surprisingly, Dillon wasn't particularly interested in offering a solution. They basically said that it's Hornady's problem for making their jackets so soft.

I'm shooting these in an AR and load them on my Dillon or my Rockchucker, depending on the volume I'm going to load.

So far, the suggestions I've gotten are pretty mixed. On one hand, some folks have suggested that I get a new seating die. Others have suggested that I change the expander plug or turn the necks.

What say you?

 

[bfoosh006]

Re: .223 seating die for Hornady OTMs?

Get yourself a powder drop tube, or buy a Horn. set of dies.

 

[sawgunner2001]

Re: .223 seating die for Hornady OTMs?

How many cartridges do you have through the seating die? I am unfamiliar with Dillon dies, but with others it is common for the seating stem to leave a "ring" on the bullet until it gets "broken in". Some speed up the process by removing the seating stem and polishing it with steel wool/emery cloth/whatever. I personally, just seat a hundred or so bullets and it goes away. Again, I'm unfamiliar with Dillon dies, just assuming they're like any other. If you've already seated a couple hundred bullets and it's still doing this, I have no clue.

Good Luck

 

[dhdoyle]

Re: .223 seating die for Hornady OTMs?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sawgunner2001</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How many cartridges do you have through the seating die? I am unfamiliar with Dillon dies, but with others it is common for the seating stem to leave a "ring" on the bullet until it gets "broken in". </div></div>
Oh, I have plenty of loads through the seating die, but I'm not getting the burnished ring that I think you refer to. The seating die is squashing my bullets on the ogive. It's very obviously deforming the bullets.

 

[sawgunner2001]

Re: .223 seating die for Hornady OTMs?

In that case, I'd suggest a call to Dillon.

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