Hi guys, I'm real new to reloading and have already run into a problem. I have a Redding single stage press with Redding dies. I'm loading a spitzer bullet (45-90) I got from Cabela's. The problem is, well one of the problems is that when I press the bullet into the case the seating die leaves an indentation on the top of my bullet. As near as I can tell, the seating die is missing or just doesn't fit my bullet very well. Should I be concerned about this? BTW, the seating die is just a round tube, if that makes any sense.
The other problem is that I'm using Starline brass and I think I over anealed the cartridges cause the bullets are real loose. I think I have the dies setup right, I don't bell the mouth but a tad. The question is will it be safe to just shoot the cartridges (they load fine) in my Shiloh Business rifle and will they work harden them selves back to normal?
For your seating die problem, a quick fix is to put a good coating of lube on your bullet, and then using a hot glue gun, put a dab of glue in the die, press it on the bullet just enough to get a good shape without deforming the bullet and making sure everything is lined up. After the glue cools, remove the bullet from the die. if the bullet sticks in the die, try again with a better caoting of lube as a release agent. You can trim the excess glue from the die with a sharp knife, and if needed can remove the glue from the die the same way, just carefully scrape it out without scratching the interior of the die.
Can't answer your other question.
Good luck
Trigger Dr
rraffl, one question, Did you anneal the cases before or after full length sizing them? The problem with the seating die is endemic to this sport. There are so many different bullet moulds made, that mfg's can't supply anything but a generic seating stem, or one that fits only their moulds, or the most popular one made. Trig Dr gave some good advice, and that is what I ended up doing as well for the custom moulds I use. It takes a while, but all the little things like this add up to accurate loads and hopefully lower scores. Randy
I read your post several times and am just a little confused. You said:
[i][i]"As near as I can tell, the seating die is missing or just doesn't fit my bullet very well. Should I be concerned about this? BTW, the seating die is just a round tube, if that makes any sense."[/i][/i]
Did you unscrew the seating stem from the die body. The stem should be two parts, the stem and the bullet tip that screws into the stem. In the "tip" is where you place your hot glue.
OK thanks guys, used my wifes hot melt glue gun to fill the die and pressed a bullet into the still hot glue to make an impression. Thanks again.
I have not fired the brass or even checked the length yet. Still cold here in Chicago. I have however chambered an empty cartridge with a bullet seated. It just touches the rifling. When I anealed the case, I guess I got carried away cause I let them get red hot before I dropped them into the pan of water. The brass is now very soft and doesn't hold the bullet tightly at all. On most, I can remove the bullet with 2 fingers.
Since I posted this question, I read an article in "Black Powder Cartridge News" issue #44, where Stu Harvey advocates a loose fit as well. I was more concerned with safety when i wrote the message, but now I don't think it is an issue. I also "assume" that the brass will work harden back to normal after it's been to the range a couple of times.
you didnt say but one hopes that you only annealed the necks of the brass they should be stood in water with the neck out and then annealed you do not want the head area to be annealed that is a safty issue.
Dean Becker
only one gun and they are 74 s
3rd asst. flunky,high desert chapter F.E.S.
MYWEIGH scale merchant
reclining member of O-G-A-N-T
rraffl,
If the "red hot" did not go more than an inch below the mouth of the case, you should not have a dangerous situation on your hands. To get more neck tension, just run the cases through the FL sizer and neck expand each time until you start to feel more tension in the necks. You will have the rest of the winter to do it, but hope it doesn't take that long.
Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT
Well I think everything is OK. When I heated the cartridge the color ran about 2/3 down the case, but I only heated the mouth. Hope to get to the range soon, the suspence is killing me.
I'm also new to reloading,,, i've bought the lee 3die set for my 45-70 and are having problems. Been doing test runs (no primer or powder) and my problem is this,, the brass chambers well,, size it and it chambers well, expand the mouth a little and it chambers well,, when I seat a bullit regardless of depth ( I've done approx 12 to different lengths) the shell has approx 1/4" to 3/8" that won't go into the chamber and won't allow the block to close. I can't tell, even with micro where the problem is. ANY IDEAS ANYBODY????
Put the muzzle of your rifle on your toe and drop a bullet into the chamber. With the depth guage on your dial caliper, measure the distance from the base of the seated bullet to the breech end of the barrel. This measurement added to the length of the bullet will give you the maximum overall length of your loaded round and let you know if that may be the culprit. One shooter here on the frozen tundra bought some bullets which were also giving him fits. As it turned out, the nose of the bullet had no bore riding, or reduced diameter. The root of the nose was GROOVE diameter and of course would not allow the round to be fully chambered unless it was seated very deeply into the case.
One thing I've tried with occasional success is to ink up a couple of lines along the case with a black magic marker and then insert it into the chamber. If all goes well, the point of interference should rub some of the ink off the case and give you an idea where the problem is.
You could drive a lead slug into your chamber, or cast the chamber to get dimensions you could compare to your loaded round. Lots of stuff to try. Good luck, Smokin
Smokin
Member in tall standing of the Frozen Tundra Chapter, Flat Earth Society.
Are you crimping the mouth after you seat the bullet? How much belling are you doing to the mouth? If your belling the mouth alot and not reducing it back down with the crimp portion of the die that could be your problem. It doesn't have to be a heavy crimp just enough to take the flare out.
is that when I press the bullet into the case the seating die leaves an indentation on the top of my bullet. As near as I can tell, the seating die is missing or just doesn't fit my bullet very well. Should I be concerned about this? BTW, the seating die is just a round tube, if that makes any sense.
Randy