Check your seating die

bronko22000 · 08-31-2006, 05:45 AM

I had an interesting/learning experience last night to share with you guys. I was loading some cartridges yesterday with a new bullet and when trying to get the correct COL I was getting erratic measurements. After setting the die to the correct length, I seated another bullet, checked length and it was off by .015". The next one .010" off. When the next 2 varied, I removed the die and sprayed the inside with Gun Scrubber and wiped it with a folded pipe cleaner. I then re-installed it, set it and all is well. There must have been a small particle on the seating plug. I always keep my dies in their cases when not in use so it probably was picked up from previous loading. Looks like I will be cleaning all my seating dies so this doesn't happen again.

Solitary Man · 08-31-2006, 08:13 AM

Good point. I generally always take my seating dies apart before using them each time. I'm especially concerned about making sure the seater stem is free of any kind of grit or debris to prevent the kind of problem you're talking about.

HighDesertWolf · 08-31-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: bronko22000

I had an interesting/learning experience last night to share with you guys. I was loading some cartridges yesterday with a new bullet and when trying to get the correct COL I was getting erratic measurements. After setting the die to the correct length, I seated another bullet, checked length and it was off by .015". The next one .010" off. When the next 2 varied, I removed the die and sprayed the inside with Gun Scrubber and wiped it with a folded pipe cleaner. I then re-installed it, set it and all is well. There must have been a small particle on the seating plug. I always keep my dies in their cases when not in use so it probably was picked up from previous loading. Looks like I will be cleaning all my seating dies so this doesn't happen again.

asmuch as as .015 of variance in the COL of one cartridge to the next is bit high and could very well be the die. I run into alot of variances with most handgun and rifle bullets ranging from .003 to asmuch as .010 which has absolutely nothing to do with the die. but is soley the bullets because each bullet can vary that much from bullet to bullet. if you are really that worried about the COL I would invest in a stoney point COL gauge which measures from the ogive of the bullet rather then the tip. measuring from the base of the case to the tip of the bullet is a really inaccurate way to measure COL and you should expect variances in the COL.

Solitary Man · 09-01-2006, 08:04 AM

Another good point by HDW. I use the Stoney Point OAL gauge too. It is indeed a more accurate way of measuring OAL as compared to measuring to the tip of the bullet, which can vary as he pointed out.

Rebel Hog · 09-01-2006, 10:00 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Solitary Man

Another good point by HDW. I use the Stoney Point OAL gauge too. It is indeed a more accurate way of measuring OAL as compared to measuring to the tip of the bullet, which can vary as he pointed out.

That's the way I do it!

bronko22000 · 09-01-2006, 01:13 PM

Agreed. I was loading Nosler Accubonds and just to eliminate that varible I measured 8 bullets and they were all within .001" . I think what had happened is that a small sliver of brass got up in there somehow. Anyway, the cleaning of the die solved the problem. I just wanted to let you guys know what I ran into so it doesn't happen to you.

ranger140892 · 09-13-2006, 02:59 AM

Yep, gotta pay attention to detail. I clean my dies quite often. And measure every rifle round. I adjust OALfor throat erosion about every 1000 rounds also.