Do I Need A Special Seater Plug?

slice38 · October 26, 2009, 10:26 PM

I'm a novice reloader. I started reloading .45 ACP round nose fmj and so far have had great success. I am using Redding dies (four dies). The seating die I am using is the Redding Competition Bullet Seating Die their item no. 55189.

Recently I bought a box of semi-wadcutter bullets but I have not loaded any of them. Do I need a special plug (different from the one my seating die shipped with) to load bullets which have a dramatically different shape from the round nose ones?

Thanks for your help and advice,
Mike

Stumper · October 26, 2009, 11:02 PM

Probably not. Most seating plugs can accomodate some different shapes withoutissues. Best thing is to try it. IF it gives difficulty a handy little stopgap method of moddifying seaters is to make a loose ball of aluminium foil, smear a little sticky wax on the plug side and insert it. Then partially seat a bullet of the new shape- the foil will compress into the shape of the bullet nose and work quite well for a long time-When you switch bullet shapes again it can be removed.

slice38 · October 27, 2009, 09:40 AM

Stumper,

Thanks for your reply.

Best regards,
Mike

.284 · October 27, 2009, 11:08 AM

You may want to take a look at your seating plug. If it is made for round nosed, your plug will be shaped as such. Wadcutters and hollow points use flat ended seater plug.

I was deforming some JHC 44 mags by using the round nose plug in error. It can make a difference and they normally aren't that much dough through Midway.

T. O'Heir · October 27, 2009, 01:49 PM

"...Wadcutters and hollow points use flat ended seater plug..." Yep. Your die set should have come with a seater for RN's and one for WC's. Rifle die sets should come with more than one seater too.
Just change it and set up the seating depth. If you didn't get it, they're not expensive to buy.

max it · October 27, 2009, 01:54 PM

Better check length of finished cartridge too.
On a pistol I would expect deformation.
So if length is good, and end isnt deformed reload reload reload.

Good luck,

Max

October 26, 2009, 10:26 PM	#1
slice38 Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Posts: 16	Do I Need A Special Seater Plug? I'm a novice reloader. I started reloading .45 ACP round nose fmj and so far have had great success. I am using Redding dies (four dies). The seating die I am using is the Redding Competition Bullet Seating Die their item no. 55189. Recently I bought a box of semi-wadcutter bullets but I have not loaded any of them. Do I need a special plug (different from the one my seating die shipped with) to load bullets which have a dramatically different shape from the round nose ones? Thanks for your help and advice, Mike

October 27, 2009, 09:40 AM	#3
slice38 Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Posts: 16	Thanks Stumper, Thanks for your reply. Best regards, Mike

October 27, 2009, 11:08 AM	#4
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Lesson learned You may want to take a look at your seating plug. If it is made for round nosed, your plug will be shaped as such. Wadcutters and hollow points use flat ended seater plug. I was deforming some JHC 44 mags by using the round nose plug in error. It can make a difference and they normally aren't that much dough through Midway.

October 27, 2009, 01:54 PM	#6
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: near Disneyland Posts: 283	Seating die? Better check length of finished cartridge too. On a pistol I would expect deformation. So if length is good, and end isnt deformed reload reload reload. Good luck, Max

October 26, 2009, 11:02 PM	#2
Stumper Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 438	Probably not. Most seating plugs can accomodate some different shapes withoutissues. Best thing is to try it. IF it gives difficulty a handy little stopgap method of moddifying seaters is to make a loose ball of aluminium foil, smear a little sticky wax on the plug side and insert it. Then partially seat a bullet of the new shape- the foil will compress into the shape of the bullet nose and work quite well for a long time-When you switch bullet shapes again it can be removed.

October 27, 2009, 01:49 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Wadcutters and hollow points use flat ended seater plug..." Yep. Your die set should have come with a seater for RN's and one for WC's. Rifle die sets should come with more than one seater too. Just change it and set up the seating depth. If you didn't get it, they're not expensive to buy.