Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

[ColoWyo]

Why would some bullets be harder to seat in the case than others?

Remington .260 brass. (My guess is this is the problem.)
Full length sized and trimmed every time.
Forrester competition dies using the expander.

The gun shoots extremely well so it's no biggie, but I'm just kind of curios. My guess is Remy brass with out neck turning is the issue. But thought I'd ask you guys.

 

[glock24]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Time to anneal the necks.

 

[Stallard]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ColoWyo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why would some bullets be harder to seat in the case than others?

Remington .260 brass. (My guess is this is the problem.)
Full length sized and trimmed every time.
Forrester competition dies using the expander.

The gun shoots extremely well so it's no biggie, but I'm just kind of curios. My guess is Remy brass with out neck turning is the issue. But thought I'd ask you guys. </div></div>
Neck turning would correct the wall thickness inconsistency, it will also take a few rounds out of your brass. If you already have a few loading on those R-P brass cases, I wouldn't turn them. I only recommend turning on new brass after an initial FL resize before firing. If neck tension is that different, pressure will be as well. I would segregate or discard those cases.

 

[aloreman]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

turn em

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Anneal them first. If that does not cure the situation, then consider turning the brass. If you are running a standard chamber you are working the necks pretty hard when you size after each firing.

I would also measure at least 10-15 pieces of brass at 4 or 5 spots along the neck with a tube micrometer to find out if the necks are uneven in thickness by more than half a thousandth before I took the time to turn it. IF they are uneven on the individual cases or vary from case to case then yes turn it to make it even across the lot of brass. Depending how many firings you have on the brass you may even have uneven thickness vertically on individual cases from use-based flow.

ON my 7WSM F-Class rig I have over 10 firings on my brass (I anneal it every other firing), and recently had to turn it for a second time, as brass flow from firing had caused it to thicken from the shoulder up towards the top of the neck unevenly from case to case.

Jeffvn

 

[turbo54]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Anneal, neck size with a bushing, expand with a sinclair expander mandrel.

 

[DocB]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

ColoWyo,

Try cleaning the inside of the neck with 4-0 steel wool wrapped around a cleaning brush and spun with a drill before seating the bullets.

HTH,
DocB

 

[ColoWyo]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Thanks guys. The gun shoots well with no pressure signs, so I'm not concerned with pressure issues. I pretty much figured it had to due with Remy brass and the necks needing to be turned.

Time to buy new brass. I've been thinking of going to Winchester 7-08 and just throwing them through the .260 dies.

 

[Rugrat]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

I had similar problem with Lapua brass on first loading. Chamfering the case mouths made things run consistently and smoothly.

Some little burrs seem to have been the problem.

 

[gau17]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

+ 1 Anneal.

 

[bkster]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

aneal the cases...turnig the necks will not fix this

 

[Tripwire]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bkster</div><div class="ubbcode-body">aneal the cases...turnig the necks will not fix this
</div></div>

This...

 

[Teggy1]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Another voice to anneal. Sizing will be easier as well as bullet seating.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Best thing I EVER did to achieve consistent bullet seating force was begin using a Sinclair expander. Seating is SLICK and CONSISTENT.

Annealing is also important though.

 

[ColoWyo]

Re: Bullet seating question. Some harder than others.

Thanks again guys. I appreciate the responses.

From having done a little more research, I'm relatively convinced that this is from brass flow and the fact that Remington brass basically sucks. That being said, if the issue is from brass flow, isn't it too late for annealing? Having done that from the get go, it could have helped prevent this issue.