.223 bullet seating issues

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

.223 bullet seating issues

Post by valkyrie » 17 Apr 2018, 8:26 pm

Hey all. Ive just started reloading .223. Using sierra varminter 60gr hp i cant get the bullets to seat straight. Every time the seat on an angle and bend the case neck. Using brand new rcbs dies. Any help greatly appreciated.
Remington 700 sf .308
Mossberg 4x4 22-250
Brno model 1 .22
Trusty 12 gauge
valkyrie
Private
Private
 
Posts: 86
South Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by duncan61 » 17 Apr 2018, 8:42 pm

Are you using an inside and outside reamer. Maybe Purchase boat tail projectiles.I had Problems with flat base bullets in my .222 years ago
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by duncan61 » 17 Apr 2018, 8:45 pm

I mean a case mouth chamfer.I have learned something new
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by valkyrie » 17 Apr 2018, 8:45 pm

Ive resized the cases and then trimmed and deburred the outside and inside diameter of the neck. Never had any issues with my .308 but those are all boat tails projectiles. I thought it may be to do with the flat base on these bullets. Unless im missing something i just have to get some boat tail projectiles i guess but i dont see why i shouldnt be able to reload flat base ones.
Remington 700 sf .308
Mossberg 4x4 22-250
Brno model 1 .22
Trusty 12 gauge
valkyrie
Private
Private
 
Posts: 86
South Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by duncan61 » 17 Apr 2018, 8:50 pm

s-l640.jpg
s-l640.jpg (10.11 KiB) Viewed 4016 times
One of these :D
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by duncan61 » 17 Apr 2018, 8:52 pm

O.K good luck
.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g
User avatar
duncan61
Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
 
Posts: 1905
Western Australia

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by in2anity » 17 Apr 2018, 9:21 pm

More deburring on the inside with said tool
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
User avatar
in2anity
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3048
New South Wales

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by Oldbloke » 17 Apr 2018, 9:22 pm

Something else is happening. I load both flat base and boat tail with no issues.

Suggest you have a look at the adjustment.
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by pomemax » 17 Apr 2018, 11:19 pm

Full-Length Sizer Die with an Expander-Decapping Unit, and a Seater Die with Bullet Seater Plug. The Full-Length Sizer Die brings the case to SAAMI minimum cartridge dimensions. It sizes the outside of the case, de-primes and expands the neck to accept the bullet. Are you sure you set the expanded part of the decapping pin right
pomemax
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1165
New South Wales

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by Oldbloke » 18 Apr 2018, 5:27 am

"Are you sure you set the expanded part of the decapping pin right".

Could be.
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by straightshooter » 18 Apr 2018, 8:02 am

valkyrie wrote:Hey all. Ive just started reloading .223. Using sierra varminter 60gr hp i cant get the bullets to seat straight. Every time the seat on an angle and bend the case neck. Using brand new rcbs dies. Any help greatly appreciated.


As likely as not your problem stems from a couple of issues.
First, there may be an unfortunate combination of dimensions and clearances between your projectile, die throat and seating stem that predisposes to generating your problem if there is insufficient preparation and care.
Second, you may be suffering from not so much hamfistedness as a lack of feel when seating.
Try this target shooter's dodge.
Bring the charged case with projectile on top up into the seating die until you can only just feel contact with the seating stem. Now with the lightest possible pressure on the projectile give the case a half turn and then apply a little more seating pressure and give the case another turn, then proceed to seat the projectile.
If this doesn't solve your problem then there are more serious alignment issues involved.
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking." Sir Joshua Reynolds
straightshooter
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1263
New South Wales

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by Supaduke » 18 Apr 2018, 9:17 am

Sounds like your necks might not be sized properly.

If you have a chamfer on the case, and considering flat based bullets still have a slight bevel on the base it should go in. I would say it's catching inside the bevel on the flat part. Try easing off your neck sizer.

Seating bullets, there is usually a fair bit of leeway. A bullet will expand a neck a surprising amount.

Does it happen all the time or only occasionally?
Last edited by Supaduke on 18 Apr 2018, 12:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Supaduke
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1230
Victoria

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by Oldbloke » 18 Apr 2018, 10:19 am

Pics always help
The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
https://youtu.be/2v3QrUvYj-Y
Member. SFFP, Shooters Union.
SSAA, the powerful gun lobby. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hunt safe.
User avatar
Oldbloke
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 11192
Victoria

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by SCJ429 » 18 Apr 2018, 10:14 pm

You are definitely using the seater die? You guide the projectile and neck into the die with your fingers holding them straight. As soon as it starts seating you can pull it back out to check alignment . Try seating a projectile in a case that hasn't been resized. You are using a 224 projectile? Not a 243 or bigger?
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3208
New South Wales

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by Gwion » 19 Apr 2018, 12:51 pm

Have you set the expander according to instructions?
Sounds suspiciously like an unexpanded neck.
User avatar
Gwion
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3978
-

Re: .223 bullet seating issues

Post by marksman » 19 Apr 2018, 6:21 pm

the reason this happens is neck tension being to tight
measure your expander button to see how much tension there is against what the projectile size is
in bushing dies it is suggested to used around 2-3 thou, I like under 2 thou but that's me
you may need another expander button

using a vld champfer tool will help guide the flat based projectile in easier
and so will polishing the inside of the neck with a used cleaning brush covered in steel wool
but the case neck being to tight will be the cause
you can try turning the case around after partial seating the projectile, that is a good method for seating projectiles straight

forgot to add do not lock the die down after setting it up, these dies are called wobble dies because they need to wobble to work straight

hope you can sort it out :drinks:
“If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed”. Mark Twain
User avatar
marksman
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3660
Victoria


Back to top
 
Return to Reloading ammunition