Press or Die "flexing"?

[PJT]

Bit of a funny one, assistance/feedback would be much appreciated.
Reloading for 308. The Press or Dies appear to be flexing when I am reloading ammunition. I was increasing the powder charge and as I was approaching 100% fill the bullet seating was changing so CBTO was increasing with increasing charge, such that I had to readjust the die setting. I'm using a Redding Die set, with micrometer bullet seating die. Is this Normal or is there an issue with my kit.
RCBS RCII which I have owned for a long while and even then bought it second hand.
Redding S match full die set had about 1 year.
thanks in advance,

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

It's not uncommon to see some change in CBTO when seating compressed loads.

 

[PJT]

It's not uncommon to see some change in CBTO when seating compressed loads.

Many thanks, can relax a bit now!

 

[spife7980]

It’s normal. When space is taken up by powder below you can't displace it with the bullet very much. You might find that you can compress it a bit and crunch powder but that only gets you so far before it just won’t go any lower. And the bullets can even scoot back out after time as the powder pressure on the bullet overcomes the neck tension on the bullet.

 

[918v]

Use a powder funnel with a long drop tube and pour the powder in slowly. This will allow the powder to settle better in the case and will make your bullet seating easier.

 

[charliehorse27]

Use a powder funnel with a long drop tube and pour the powder in slowly. This will allow the powder to settle better in the case and will make your bullet seating easier.

+1. I use a powder drop funnel pretty regularly as I have several loads that are compressed or dang near close to it.

 

[PJT]

Thanks everyone, I'd seen the Powder drop funnels on the web, now I know what their for!!
regards

 

[gigamortis]

See if you can set up your seating die body deep enough in your press so that the top of your shell holder makes positive contact with the bottom of it on the upstroke. Firm contact here makes for a consistent mechanical stopping point regardless of press frame flex. Keep in mind you can only do this with a die body that doesn't have a roll crimp feature.