alijnclarke Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 I know there was a thread on this a while ago, but I couldn't find a solution. Anyway I'm trying to load some 155 scenar's and my lee seating die is making a very slight line around the tip of the bullet. It doesn't do it when I load up 175 smk's but I want to give the 155's a go, so does anyone have any ideas how I can stop it doing this? Do I just need to swap to a different die? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finman Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Are you getting accuracy issues? If not, it is not a problem, my Forsters do that all the time and never looked or thought about it twice. Best wishes Finman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alijnclarke Posted April 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hi Finman, I've not fired them yet or even loaded more than three, I thought it best to ask someone if it would effect it before trying - having just started reloading and all. Just seemed odd that's all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finman Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Pay it no mind and go burn some powder ATB Finman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Sounds like just the seater stem marking the bullet....no harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcampbellsmith Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 A couple of suggestions: Take the seater stem out and polish it. Reduce your neck tension. Regards JCS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alijnclarke Posted April 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 A couple of suggestions: Take the seater stem out and polish it. Reduce your neck tension. Regards JCS Thanks i'll have a go at that, if i find it effects accuracy I'll just get a different die, this one wasn't very expensive so i'm not too worried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 How will you know if it effected accuracy? You haven't shot the load yet. As Finman said, just shoot it. My dies do the same thing, no matter the die make, with certain bullets. It's not going to hurt anything.~Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alijnclarke Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 How will you know if it effected accuracy? You haven't shot the load yet. As Finman said, just shoot it. My dies do the same thing, no matter the die make, with certain bullets. It's not going to hurt anything.~Andrew Thats true, but i'm told they shoot very well usually, so if they don't at any charge, i would of thought it would be because of the marks? I'll some development this afternoon and see what happens. Seems odd that a die would mark, but i suppose they're not all the exact same shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 When you pull the handle on your press, you forget just how much pressure the ram is exerting. Marks are inevitable even if you lined the seating die with velvet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Thats true, but i'm told they shoot very well usually, so if they don't at any charge, i would of thought it would be because of the marks? I'll some development this afternoon and see what happens. Scenars are among the very best bullets.Shoot some and see what happens...... gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Thats true, but i'm told they shoot very well usually, so if they don't at any charge, i would of thought it would be because of the marks? I'll some development this afternoon and see what happens. Seems odd that a die would mark, but i suppose they're not all the exact same shape Andrew is right-if you haven't got a before/after comparison,then you just don't know.The trouble with 'they usually shoot very well indeed' is that it is just too vague to diagnose anything short of inch groups at 100y-some think 11/2 inches is a great group 'wouldn't miss with that' etc. Rifles do vary too as to what they like.Scenars are very fine bullets,though. What you can do is shoot this load or similar -as you say-and see if the rifle shoots as well as it shoots with other favourite loads-if it does,fine.If it doesn't ,you don't want it anyhow-though that could be for several reasons,and the marks are unlikely to be the reason. Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alijnclarke Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Thanks, yeah I agree, think it's just best to get out and try them, I've got a load I'm perfectly happy with but I just fancied giving these a go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Thanks, yeah I agree, think it's just best to get out and try them, I've got a load I'm perfectly happy with but I just fancied giving these a go So nothing to lose-odds are quite good the scenars will perform very well-it would be a little unusual for a rifle not to shoot any/all of scenar,berger,SMKs about as good as anything else-the go to bullets,for target work. Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaken Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 The finish of lee dies is often lacking, they often need a bit of a polish somewhere to make them work well. As said, spin a bit of fine wet and dry in where the bullet makes contact. Often the same bit has a tiny burr on the flat at the other end that is also worth removing so it can move freely in the housing. Also interesting point mentioned about neck tension, is it taking a lot of force to seat the bullet? Measure the neck diameter before and after seating the bullet, the difference should be 2 or 3 thou. Much more and you will find it work hardens the brass very quickly. Also, if you get shavings of copper around the bullet, a bit more care when chamfering of the case neck may be needed. Rup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethM Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 This might be of some interest: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3837829.0 Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeld Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 I had the same problem with RCBS seaters when I loaded 75g Amax, told RCBS about it and the sent me a polished custom seater stem free of charge, this solved my problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Simple fix is strip out the seater stem and using sacrificial bullets and polishing compound get the stem polished - the process with reshape the seater slightly and stop the bullets being marked. Would be a simple half hour job for someone with a lathe or even a drill (maybe) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Another fix is to seat a bullet in a dummy case, put a very fine coat of a release agent onto the bullet, and put a dab of accra-flass into the seater. Run the bullet up into the seater and leave it til the glass sets. Unfortunately, like all other modifications to accomodate a single pattern of bullet, it will most likely make it unsuitable for other styles of bullet. ~Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorg Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Another fix is to seat a bullet in a dummy case, put a very fine coat of a release agent onto the bullet, and put a dab of accra-flass into the seater. Run the bullet up into the seater and leave it til the glass sets. Unfortunately, like all other modifications to accomodate a single pattern of bullet, it will most likely make it unsuitable for other styles of bullet. ~Andrew One of the best tips I have seen, never thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 All great info and most useful but the OP said 'a very faint line' ...that's not unusual.........does it need fixing? Hard to tell how severe it is without Pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alijnclarke Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Cheers for all the suggestions, some really good points to try. I got a chance to shoot some today, and i couldn't fault the accuracy, though my AT they were pretty much the same hole, so hard to see that the marking could be effecting the accuracy. I'll post a pic later when i load up another set, the marking isn't very deep at all. I'm just a bit OCD and like things to be perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srvet Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Another fix is to seat a bullet in a dummy case, put a very fine coat of a release agent onto the bullet, and put a dab of accra-flass into the seater. Run the bullet up into the seater and leave it til the glass sets. Unfortunately, like all other modifications to accomodate a single pattern of bullet, it will most likely make it unsuitable for other styles of bullet. ~Andrew I would worry that my trial bullet, case or dummy cartridge was not properly aligned. Would this not run the risk of seating all the subsequent bullets wonky? Also what happens when the very thin layer of acraglas fails and a piece drops out or compresses by a varying amount with differing neck tension. Not saying it doesn't work but just that I would be cautious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 I would worry that my trial bullet, case or dummy cartridge was not properly aligned. Would this not run the risk of seating all the subsequent bullets wonky? Also what happens when the very thin layer of acraglas fails and a piece drops out or compresses by a varying amount with differing neck tension. Not saying it doesn't work but just that I would be cautious Your trial cartridge will be as good as the dies you are altering if you used those dies to load it. This is not a fix for a bad set of dies, but simply a way to match the seater's profile to the bullet being seated. If the stem is properly prepped, the glass will stay put. I've got a few seaters I've been using for almost 30 years. Compression: It won't happen to any measureable degree. Caution: Sometimes you need to take a chance. ~Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMcC Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 It is nothing to worry about. The head of the seating rod will have a 'hollow' this will help the bullet centralise in the die when seating it. Sometimes some of my soft point bullets have the lead tip slightly damaged/bent but after seating the 'hollow' in the seating rod has centralised it and the cartridge comes out of the die in perfect condition with the soft lead point, pointing in the direction it was supposed to in the first place. I might add that when loading 'stubby' or round nosed 220gr or even the odd 180gr bullet, if I have a tight case and find it hard to seat, then I also get a very faint ring around the nose of the bullet. I have never found it to be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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