A-Tip Seating with Redding Comp Dies

[davethedog]

About to load up some 230 A-Tips on Comp dies from redding. I have the VLD seating stem and I'm hoping this ought to be good enough. Anyone here loading these bullets with this die? Do I need to lap it with some grinding compound or am I good to go?

 

[ForgeValley]

In for the info. I read somewhere that the vld stem works for the atips, but will be good to get confirmation. I haven't loaded any atips yet.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Pull the seating stem out of the die, and set it on top of a bullet.

You'll be able to check fit, and (more importantly) make sure the tip isn't bottomed out in the stem.

 

[Rathmatik]

About to load up some 230 A-Tips one Type S dies. I have the VLD seating stem and I'm hoping this ought to be good enough. Anyone here loading these bullets with this die? Do I need to lap it with some grinding compound or am I good to go?

Do you mean the Redding competition seating die? The Type S die is for resizing.

 

[davethedog]

Do you mean the Redding competition seating die? The Type S die is for resizing.

Yes, my bad

 

[davsco]

stupid newbie question, but will the tip compress or the bullet seat off center if the seater profile doesn't match up with the bullet profile? thinking there isn't a ton of force needed to press the bullet into the casing.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

stupid newbie question, but will the tip compress or the bullet seat off center if the seater profile doesn't match up with the bullet profile? thinking there isn't a ton of force needed to press the bullet into the casing.

You'll see rings or deformation on the ogive, or if the tip is bottoming out, you could deform it. It's also possible to seat with wonky concentricity if you're seating with a really poor fit and unsupported seater die.

 

[EarlSwagger66]

This thread seemed most appropriate to add my comments…
FWIW, I have the below pictured seating micrometer. I just got some .308 250 gr. A-tips and they fit fairly snug. When I push the bullet in there is no wobble. I’m going to give it a try before I buy Hornady dies and special stem.

 

[EarlSwagger66]

I went ahead and seated one. And it sure looks like it worked fine.