Getting varying results with bullet runout, anywhere from .001-.007. Using a Forster Ultra micrometer seething die. I’ve tried on both my presses, Dillon 550 and Co-Ax and the Co-Ax is slightly better. After sizing my neck runout is .002 or less. Using Berger 130 OTM’s. Any suggestions. Thanks
Help Needed...Bullet runout
- Thread starter jetjock07
- Start date
Do you float your seating die?
Have you "fitted" your seating stem to the bullet you are trying to seat?
Is your brass work hardening?
How are you measuring and controling neck tension?
Have you "fitted" your seating stem to the bullet you are trying to seat?
Is your brass work hardening?
How are you measuring and controling neck tension?
Floated the die on the Dillon but not the Co-Ax.
No I haven’t fitted stem to bullet. Guess I need to call Forster on that.
Brass is on second firing and annealed.
Controlling neck tension with mandrel die similar to Sinclair’s.
You can have fit the stem yourself but Forster does a great job.
I clamp my tool head on my Dillon 650 and float the dies and run out is very minimal.
How is the run-out after sizing before loading?
How are you measuring the run-out?
Neck runout on sized brass in less than .002. Measuring using the Sinclair Concentricity Gauge
Are you measuring runout at the tip or at the ogjive?
The harder it is to seat the bullet, the more runout you’ll get. How is the seating effort?
.002” at the neck is excessive. I get zero to .001”, and .001” is rare. Are you using an expander ball setup?
The harder it is to seat the bullet, the more runout you’ll get. How is the seating effort?
.002” at the neck is excessive. I get zero to .001”, and .001” is rare. Are you using an expander ball setup?
Measuring at ogjive. I’d say seating seems firm but not hard. Not using a expander ball. Using a mandrel die similar to Sinclair
Hornady. I’ve got some Lapua but trying to get my process down pat before I go and start using it. Figured if I mess the hornady brass up I won’t feel so bad since it’s from factory loaded ammo I’ve used at competitions.
I’d be interested to see what it does without the mandrel, maybe just 3-5 to sample and see.
I recently noticed some bad runout with some Nosler brass in 6.5-284. No problems with the Hornady. I noticed it was a lot thicker and took a lot longer to anneal as well. Real good results with adg brass in 300 prc but not so much with the Hornady. Both annealed about the same. Same dies /press for both. Maybe run some of the Lapua brass and see if you find better results
D
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Is it shooting fine, nevertheless?
Yeah shoots great actually. Just want to reduce runout as much as possible. Working on lowering SD’s too. I feel it’s probably a brass issue more than anything.
im not trying to be a dick but if its shooting great why create a problem thats not there?
I know just being ocd. Plus like earlier I want to decrease SD’s and figured every little thing will help. I feel though it more a brass issue than anything but could be wrong
I’m curious, would this help determine if it’s the die,press, seating stem or brass? I’ve heard and tried spinning the brass half way through seating but really never saw much of a difference. I’ve separated ammo that had runout and I did see a difference in groups at 200. But after resizing, they would often be fine with very little runout. I typically run about 20thousands off the lands and think that it helps if there less runout. I have noticed I get better results if I go a little slow with steady pressure while seating seams to help a lot.
WHen doing that I would assume that if the brass starts out straight and the bullet is fine halfway and only goes off at the final depth then I would assume that it’s hitting a donut at the neck/shoulder transition.
I second the "leave it alone" sentiment.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I’ve said this a hundred times....reloading is the most over thought thing on the planet...it’s almost like...well it is like....guys “LOOK” for problems that do not exist.
so you have a little runout but your gun shoots great so you create a problem that does not exist.
OP what exactly are you shooting...gun and cartridge? How long have you been shooting and what types of matches do you shoot?
so you have a little runout but your gun shoots great so you create a problem that does not exist.
OP what exactly are you shooting...gun and cartridge? How long have you been shooting and what types of matches do you shoot?
exactly!!!
I have not checked runout in 10yrs I don’t even own a runout tool any more...
I have not cleaned a primer pocket in 3-4yrs...
I do not weigh powder to a kernel 31.46-31.54 goes in the case.
6.5 creed and shooting it in PRS matches How long have I been shooting, years. Just got into PRS this year and got hooked. Hunted for years. I know I’m probably making more out of it than should be, but I feel since I’ve invested the money and time into this why not get the best possible results.
I don’t bother with it for my ammo for well past PRS distances.
You’d be better served practicing more than worrying about runout....again not being a dick but unless you shooting bench rest shoot more worry less...you can not hold that runout on a prop.
It is.
I do as well.
Just dusted off my checker, out of 50 cartridges I loaded just now (7 saum) and with those dies and a Forster seater on a lee turret I had three at two thou and the rest were less.
I agree with some comments here saying (especially for prs) leave it alone and shoot. I shoot a factory rifle for prs and while very accurate it is not a full custom accurate. I have never felt the accuracy of my rifle was my cause for misses...that is either wind or my error shooting. Now I get caught up in the same game sometimes and overthink things, but have also learned to take the real world into consideration as well. Too many chase paper groups, I got caught in that for awhile too. Take my hunting rifle for example, I wasted so much load development getting that 1/2” group down to .3” but they both hammer a 10” plate at 800yds...both are going to be just as accurate to kill an animal with. If you want to fix your run out just to do it then more power to you, but will it improve your finish position in your matches I doubt it.
