Smushing lead HP's

[tomh1426]

Ok I got the round seating plug from RCBS today and tried reloading some nosler 158gr HP's.
It worked alot better than the SWC plug :o but it still changed the shape of the lead tip.
It starts off as a cone shape and when I seat it it ends up a bowl shape.
Its hard to get it to seat exactly the same every time.
So what am I doing wrong now??

BTW. RCBS has VERY good customer service, they sent me all new plugs and lock rings and would not take $ for them.

[tomh1426]

No one else has this problem?

[Tim R]

Might add a tad more bell.

[tomh1426]

Ill try that, I have it set like the manual says " Case mouth should be belled just enough to accept bullet when place on top of the case-no more!"
I have some empty brass, Ill try it later today.
Thanks, Tom

[tomh1426]

still rounds them, i guess im gunna shootem and see how they work
the smush dosent bother me as much as diff seating depth

[Tim R]

One option then would be to send a seat plug and a bullet to RCBS and let then build a custom seat plug. I get minor lead deformation using bulk Remington 38 bullets but the ones you are using did not deform so much for me.

[tomh1426]

Well after I use these up I think Im just gunna try a diff bullet.
I wasent having any problems at all with the Nosler silhouette's besides finding them locally.
I tried plated bullets and they are ok
I should seat and pull one and send it to RCBS along with a untouched one and see what they do.
I think Its asking alot but wth

[Tim R]

Working over a seat plug for a particular bullet is a service RCBS has provided for a long time.

[tomh1426]

Really
Its amazing how far they go to make us happy
Ill callem tomarrow.
Hope I dont have this same problem loading cast .45C
Thanks Tim R I knew someone had the answer

[tomh1426]

I just called them, they asked for 3 sample bullets and $19.95
If I knew that I was gunna shoot alot of these I would do it but I just started reloading and would like to try diff bullets.
Its nice to know I can have it done but for now Ill wait.
I bet I could turn my own
thanks, Tom

[jibjab]

I wonder if a cone shaped cavity in the seating plug would work better ?
You could try seating and crimping as two separate steps.

[tomh1426]

Get another die just for crimping or adjust my die and make it a two step process?

[jibjab]

Get another die just for crimping or adjust my die and make it a two step process?
It would be worth trying and if it helps look for a used set of dies I've seen RCBS .38 die sets for $5 at gun shows. When I seat hollow points I do it slowly this seems to help. The RCBS sizing die may size more than it needs to, but this does seem to work well with plated bullets.

[crowbeaner]

I had that problem for awhile, and 2 things I did were to bell the case mouth more, and seat and crimp in 2 seperate steps. The pressure required on the nose of the bullet when you crimp is what is deforming the nose. Since I did these 2 things everything has been fine. CB.

[tomh1426]

ill give it a try, right now I gotta shoot some so I can loadem again.