Hey guys!!!! i have a million questions because Im new at this and excited! This also leaves me very confused.... Ive wanted to reload for years and finally bought a press and ALL the tools, manuals and books! I bought the LEE Loadmaster with powder disc measure. LEE Standard as well as deluxe Rifle die sets for my 22-250. Seems like I have all the tools right! I lubed 5 or 6 cases just for set up and with no powder i progress around, resize, prime, Charge( no powder) progress to seat bullet and hmm!! the bullet will not push in the case far enough to stand. So hold with fingers as it goes into the die. ALL feels smooth then lower and bullet is inside the case! I chamfered the case to at least half the thickness of the brass! There has to be a trick or Im missing something. The bullet is falling over, riding up the inside of the die and the tip catches on the edge of the bullet tip portion ov the die therefor pushing it WAY too far. I know this because the tips of the bullets have a groove in the BRASS tip. The 1 Nosler I tried same thing except the plastic tip split and left a lil piece inside the die. Is there not an die that flaires the neck for rifle??? I think the pistol dies do that!? Thanks in advance guys!!! I have nobody that knows anything about reloading. The guys at the reloading place only do pistol and I acctually have them perplexed!!
Unless your shooting boattails, it happens. I actually guide flat based bullets into the sizing die, and carefully, carefully start to seat. I just barely get it going,and then lower the ram, and rotate case a turn.
You can chamfer more, it helps. You just don't want to jam the bullet in.
Can't say I have ever had the tip split. If you take out the seating plunger, you will see how it should correct. It should be machined tight inside the seating die.
erp, not takin anything away from ya, but anyone with a bit of experience could prolly fix your problem, if we were there, but as you describe it, I have no idea where to start to even try to help ya.
RR
thanks BC! that makes me feel a little better. It seems like there should be a better way right?
If I'm to understand you correctly, the front edge of the seater plug is causing your tipped-over bullets to catch? If that's the case, I'm not sure how they'd stay there as you continue throwing the press, as they'd eventually have to line up vertically or they'd bend the mouth of the case. Any signs of that?
I've never used anything but RCBS and Redding dies. Particularly with flat-based bullets, I've watched them tip over as they disappear into the body of the die, only to slide into the bullet seater and ultimately wind up where I wanted them to go. Possibly an out-of-spec or mismatched seater plug on your die?
Careful with your chamfering. As with everything else in reloading, the key to quality is consistency. Every case should be identical to the next. Every powder charge. Every bullet. Every seating operation identical to the last and the next....
Last edited by homers brother; 03-22-2011 at 04:45 PM.
It sounds like you have die adjusted improperly and/or the bullet seating plug adjusted way too far into the die.
With out a case in the case holder raise the ram to the top of the stroke. Adjust the die until it touches the case holder on top of the ram. Lower the ram and adjust the die 1/8th a turn more.
Next unscrew the seater plug as far as you can. Raise the ram to raise the case into the die with a bullet sitting on top of the case all the way to the top of the stroke. Now screw in the seater plug until it stops against the bullet. Lower the ram to lower the case from the die. Now start adjusting the seater plug a little at a time until you get the bullet to seat at your desired depth.
As far as chamfering the case mouth all you need to do is remove the burrs. Nothing more.
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..... As far as chamfering the case mouths, I agree with bigbulls and homers brother. Just a light touch with the chamfering tool should be all you need. You definitely do not want to put a sharp knife-like edge on the case mouth. Do as was advised and re-set up your die(s). Seems like you have a basic error there with the seater plug.
Maybe I have been screwing up the last few decades, but I chamfer a lot. When I first started loaded, I would see slivers of copper, I would keep chambering until I saw none.
I guess its all relative.
But with that said, I am shocked he is getting broken tips. Woudln't shock me wiht lee dies.
Thanks for ALL the help guys!! this is a great Forum! Ive done as you all describe... I took the die apart last night then put back together, looked indide with a flashlight and the inside edge of the seatig plug is smaller than the bullet hole in the die body, creating a small ledge for the tipped bullet to catch on. In other words the hole in the top of the die body is larger than the inside diameter of the seating plug. Seems like a poor design or a defect to me? If any of you were here you might have an easy fix! i think we might all be scratching our heads! lol Ill look at another die set and another brand and see whats up? Ill try and post a pic tonight so easier to understand. Thanks guys!!!
Thanks for ALL the help guys!! this is a great Forum! Ive done as you all describe... I took the die apart last night then put back together, looked indide with a flashlight and the inside edge of the seatig plug is smaller than the bullet hole in the die body, creating a small ledge for the tipped bullet to catch on. In other words the hole in the top of the die body is larger than the inside diameter of the seating plug. Seems like a poor design or a defect to me? If any of you were here you might have an easy fix! i think we might all be scratching our heads! lol Ill look at another die set and another brand and see whats up? Ill try and post a pic tonight so easier to understand. Thanks guys!!!
I think you got it. I have several sets of Lee dies. I never use the seater, only the collet die. I will take a look and compare with RCBS and others.
brand new here and reloading! HELP???
