My seating die removes my bullet

[Jig Stick]

So I was using my RCBS standard seating die to load up some Barnes LRX 200g hunting bullets into 2x fired winchester brass that I have been neck sizing with a Lee collet die. And here is what is happening. Im using H1000 powder, and it is pretty much filling up the cases to where the neck starts. Im getting compression at 78.5 grains.

When seating the bullets, sometimes my die works properly. Other times when I ram the bullet up into the die to be seated, I feel it going into the case, and compressing powder. But when I lower the case, my bullet is getting stuck up in the die, and my empty brass comes down without the bullet in it. What causes this?

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

Sounds like you don't have enough neck tension, and your powder is pushing the bullet out.

Seat one without powder, see how difficult it is to pull the bullet.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

how would I correct the neck tension issue? And is it safe to shoot the ones that seated properly?

 

[427Cobra]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

What die are you using to resize the neck with?

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

its a lee collet neck sizing die for 300winmag

 

[427Cobra]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

Screw it down some more

 

[seanhagerty]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

Anneal your brass, and use more applied pressure when you go to size the neck.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

im applying alot of pressure when sizing i think. I mean my table almost comes off the ground.

Eventually I got all the bullets to seat. Is there a risk of a catastrophic failure if I shoot a bullet that potentially has low neck tension? I cant pull the bullets out with my fingers. I think they are in there pretty good.

 

[judgedelta]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

I had that problem the other day using some new .243 Remington brass that I had not taken the time to champher (bevel the inside of the neck). Flat base bullet was the same size as the neck and stuck about three out of five in the seating die. Had to take the die apart. Pain in the butt. I never had this problem with boat tail bullets and will try not to but any more flat bases.

 

[taseal]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

the obvious common sense would be that your brass' neck is loosing the fight with the die. if your die can pull out your bullet, your fingers could do, or just getting banged around.

so this only means one thing since the only parts that holds the bullet is the neck.

make the neck tension higher. so on your collett die since you can adjust, make it so that the neck tension is tigther. meausure the outside of your brass' neck (i use .30-06 so for me it was like .336 I think) and then tigthen it .001-.003 (I do .334) with the collet die

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

you are getting vacuum inside the seating die stem. I bet you are also going to see a ring around the seated projectiles where the die stem is imprinting on the bullet. Annealing the brass is sometimes a cure, sometimes not. if you are running very light neck tension then that may create a situation where this can occur.

It happened to me when I was running 0.002 neck tension, with a custom seating die. For me, the cure was annealing and periodically using a cue tip and running some dry lube (moly in my case) up inside the seating die stem. No vacuum and no more sticking.

I did it very lightly, and it didn't affect the seating depth in any measurable way. NOT GLOBBING IT IN THERE, only only a very light brushing up inside the stem... enough to break up the vacuum.

If you hear a light popping noice when you lower the case from the seating die, its the vacuum release. Your seating depth will not be consistent if you hear that taking place. if you see the ring and hear the pop.. you have a vacuum situation.

Jeffvn

 

[rasp65]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

With the collet die screwing it down will nt necessarily give you more neck tension. Lee recomends taking out the decapper/mandrel and polishing it down a few thousanths in order to get more tension. I agree with the others about the seating stem try the Lee seater. It sounds like the compression of the powder is expanding the case. Seat a few with less powder to see if it changes anything.

 

[trigger29]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rasp65</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With the collet die screwing it down will nt necessarily give you more neck tension. Lee recomends taking out the decapper/mandrel and polishing it down a few thousanths in order to get more tension. I agree with the others about the seating stem try the Lee seater. It sounds like the compression of the powder is expanding the case. Seat a few with less powder to see if it changes anything. </div></div>This........ I took the madrel out of mine. On my .300 Wby it was barely giving .001" neck tension. I took it out, and chucked it up in the lathe, and polished it down .002" ending with 1000 grit, then 0000 steel wool. Works great now.

 

[mdmp5]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

As stated a few times above, you need more neck tension. Also, clean out the inside of your seating stem. Make sure it is nice and dry, no wax and no rust. Polish it a bit if you can. You want to eliminate any possible friction between the inside of the stem and the bullet.

 

[Guest]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

Neck tension, will do it, but my money is on the wrong bullet setter. Dies are sold with a setter that will work with most bullet nose design, not all.
The only way to know for sure is remove the setter an coat with a marking fluid an test.
I've 5 different setters for my .308's alone.
Most die mfg's will make you a correct fit, if you want one.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: My seating die removes my bullet

What was happening was too much powder in the case. These Barnes LRX bullets are pretty long, and the seating depth I was going for was not possible with my desired powder charge. I switched to H4831 sc and they seated fine.