Ring on RN 200 gr .45 ACP

[mnoirot64]

Good morning, friends. I have noticed a small ring around the bullet when I am reloading .45 ACP 200 gr RN Ranier bullets. I am using a Hornady Lock N Load AP and I have played a bit with the seating/crimping die. I'm certain it has something to do with the way I've adjusted the die. The bullets shoot fine, but I would like them to look better. I've noticed some factory FMJ loads have a fainter ring. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Michael Noirot
Clarksville, Tennessee

[Unclenick]

Not the way you adjusted it, but the shape of the seater stem recess that pushes down on the bullet. It's meant for a longer or different nose profile, and that ring is where it is hitting the bullet. The copper plating is much softer than an actual copper gilding metal jacket, so the indentation is greater.

This causes no significant effect on ballistics.

[mnoirot64]

I believe the Hornady Series II 3 PC die set comes with a second insert for the seating/crimping die. Maybe I should try that one.

[Unclenick]

Usually you get one for round nose and one for SWC. The latter will have a flat bottom rather than round bottom in the recess. That's worth checking to be sure he has the round nose type.

It's also worth noting that you can sacrifice some bullets to hand lap the seater to a better fit if the ring really bothers you. But it really would be just for appearance. The indentation didn't appear to me to be any deeper than rifling marks, and they are too shallow to cause a ballistic problem. Laminar air boundary layers are thicker during bullet flight than the rifling marks are deep, which is why they don't have much effect.