Bullet Seating Depth

P

Pagosa Scott

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Using a Redding Competition seating die I am not able to get consistent
seating depth. I am loading for a 6BR. The die is clean, the case holder is clean
the cases are as exact as I can get them and yet I will get a variation in seating depth of
+/- .0025 on a regular basis. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Pagosa Scott said:
Using a Redding Competition seating die I am not able to get consistent
seating depth. I am loading for a 6BR. The die is clean, the case holder is clean
the cases are as exact as I can get them and yet I will get a variation in seating depth of
+/- .0025 on a regular basis. Any help would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

Are the necks the same size ?
 
is the tip of the bullet hitting the interior of the seating stem ?
what cartridge(ok 6br) what bullet ?
how are you seating, what press
 
Bullet seating

What tools are you using to measure seating depth?

Do you measure from bullet tip to base of the case or ogive to base?
 
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retired said:
is the tip of the bullet hitting the interior of the seating stem ?
what cartridge(ok 6br) what bullet ?
how are you seating, what press
Click to expand...

Hitting the interior of the seating stem is a good question.
I will check that out. Bullets are usually either Berger 65 grain Web BR, or
Bart's 66 grain Ultra. It is a Redding "The Boss" press, cases trimmed to length with
a Sinclair Ultimate Trimmer +.001 - 0, necks turned with a K&M neck turner +.001, -0,
and the bullets are being seated with a Redding Competition seating die. I
 
tenring said:
What tools are you using to measure seating depth?

Do you measure from bullet tip to base of the case or ogive to base?
Click to expand...

I measure with a piece of the barrel that duplicates the chamber. So I can measure with one end
from ogive to base or other end lands to base.
 
classcat said:
Let me rephrase the question . Are the necks cut ?
Click to expand...

Yes, I trim all the cases to length, very consistent with a Sinclair Ultimate Trimmer.
But I fail to see how that could have an effect since the distance from the case holder to the
seating die doesn't change.
 
Pagosa Scott said:
Yes, I trim all the cases to length, very consistent with a Sinclair Ultimate Trimmer.
But I fail to see how that could have an effect since the distance from the case holder to the
seating die doesn't change.
Click to expand...
Not the length, but the diameter. Uneven neck tension can give you uneven seating depths. Light neck tension will yield the same results.
 
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My OPINION, is that with that "tool"
you cannot measure uniformly, because you cannot control
how far into the lands you are pushing the bullet when measuring.
.002 is nothing. The taper on the throat and the taper to the bullet make this very hard to do.
Maybe with an optical comparitor
IMHO, you need a bullet ogive tool sinclair stoneypoint, so you measure to a point,
not trying to measure while not going into the lands.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have had this same problem. I think it's due to a variation in insertion force on the gauge. The gauge relies on the lands of the barrel to stop the bullet, but a little engraving is easy to achieve. Apply the gauge carefully, such that your measurement device isn't compressing it into the lands (i.e. a light touch) and you may see better consistency. (Worked for me, anyway.)
GsT
 
classcat said:
Not the length, but the diameter. Uneven neck tension can give you uneven seating depths. Light neck tension will yield the same results.
Click to expand...

This may be part of the problem. I have noticed differences in force required when seating the bullets.
I will try to correlate this with the seating depth.
Thnx
 
GeneT said:
I have had this same problem. I think it's due to a variation in insertion force on the gauge. The gauge relies on the lands of the barrel to stop the bullet, but a little engraving is easy to achieve. Apply the gauge carefully, such that your measurement device isn't compressing it into the lands (i.e. a light touch) and you may see better consistency. (Worked for me, anyway.)
GsT
Click to expand...

I will give this a try, lighter touch so to speak. Thank you-
 
retired said:
My OPINION, is that with that "tool"
you cannot measure uniformly, because you cannot control
how far into the lands you are pushing the bullet when measuring.
.002 is nothing. The taper on the throat and the taper to the bullet make this very hard to do.
Maybe with an optical comparitor
IMHO, you need a bullet ogive tool sinclair stoneypoint, so you measure to a point,
not trying to measure while not going into the lands.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input, I will check this out.
 
Scott,

Check the overall length of the bullets you are shooting before you seat them. Even match bullets are not all exactly the same length. If your seating die is touching the ogive only for seating, and the bullets vary slightly in length, you will see a difference in LOA measurement, which I have found means nothing on the target as it is usually so little. It the variations in the wind flags that cause the problems!!

FWIW
Steve Kostanich
 
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