Problem with vmax

old wolf · April 26, 2006, 12:10 PM

been trying to load 55gr v-max, oal should be 2.250 the min I can get is 2.265. Do I have a problem with my die?

Don H · April 26, 2006, 12:56 PM

What brand die? Seating stem screwed all the way down? Are you crimping in the same operation and are you getting a crimp at the 2.265 OAL?

Robert M Boren Sr · April 26, 2006, 12:57 PM

Is your die adjusted down as far as it will go without crimping?

old wolf · April 26, 2006, 02:52 PM

Lee Deluxe Rifle Die,not crimping in the same operation,die is bottomed out,I had no problems with 55gr. sx-sp's

**Unclenick** · April 26, 2006, 03:12 PM

O.W.,

If you unscrew the seater depth plug you will see the stem is floating in there. You can drop it out and add shims if you have some shim material? You can also call Lee and let them know about the problem. They will probably make you a new seater stem to handle it. They will want to know there is a problem in the first place.

Nick

old wolf · April 26, 2006, 03:27 PM

I have added shims and get the same results.the plug is bottomed out, shims will just affect the thread depth not the plug

TATER · April 26, 2006, 04:49 PM

Something is wrong in the setup I would think.... I have the same dies
And have had no issues all the way down to 35 grainers..

old wolf · April 26, 2006, 05:45 PM

I have checked and rechecked my set up,the die is new,have no problems with the sx-sp's. I'm just totally puzzled

**Unclenick** · April 26, 2006, 07:25 PM

2.260" in SAMMI max for .223 Remington (that is what we are discussing, right?). It sounds as if the stem is already down on the stop funnel/shoulder in the die. You do have the main die body screwed all the way down to touch the top of the shell holder when the press ram is up, right? Assuming you do, check the writing on the side of the die body to make certain it says .223. If so, now take the aluminum seating stem adjuster completely off so you see the back of the seating stem. Put a loaded cartridge in the press and run the ram up and down a couple of times. On the second pass the stem should not move except for maybe a little centering if it is all the way down on the shoulder in the die. If it bobs up and down as you run the ram up and down, then it has room to seat deeper.

The next question: if the stem doesn't move up and down and the other conditions I mentioned are satisfied, did you get a mislabeled die or a defective die? Fortunately for you, I happen to have one myslelf, so I was able to check a couple of measurements on it.

Using the depth stem on my caliper, I measure from the top of the die body down to the bottom of a Winchester .223 case in the shell holder and pushed up all the way by the press ram is 2.767". I was able measure from the top of the die body down into the hole in the through-die powder funneling taper (that also serves as the seating stem depth-stopping shoulder). I lowered the press ram slightly, pushed the caliper depth stem down in and against the side of the hole, and with the back of the caliper body parked on the top edge of the die body, I then raised the ram up into place. The case neck pushed on the caliper depth stem up to a measurement of 1.074" from the top of the die body. The seating stem itself is 1.400" long. If I place the stem in the die body it sticks up above the top of the die body 0.400".

I have to take back what I said about the shim. If I take the die out of the press and put the seating depth adjusting cap back on and screw it in until it stops, the stem no longer rattles inside. This means I have pushed it hard against the bottom of the funnel/shoulder in the die, and that's all the adjusting that can be done without a lathe. If you have access to a lathe, you can actually shorten the business end of the seating stem by cutting back and matching the outside taper (that matches the funnel/shoulder). This will let it push a bullet further down as long as the aluminum depth adjustment can still push the shortened stem down without bottoming the adjuster cap itself.

If I had one of the light V-max bullets to try, I could get further on the measurements, but I don't. 75 grain A-max and some very old 50 grain FMJBT's are the only .224 Hornady's I have in hand at the moment.

Call Lee about this if you have no lathe. They will probably still make you a part that works with your bullet.

Nick

old wolf · April 26, 2006, 08:31 PM

I tried removing seating stem adjuster to check for movement, the sxsp's moved the seating stem but the vmax did not. I take it that I have a defective die and will be contacting Lee.
I dont believe somebody took into account the long poly tip on a vmax
I appreciate your input

**Unclenick** · April 26, 2006, 08:48 PM

Let us know what Lee has to say?

Nick

Poodleshooter · April 27, 2006, 11:56 AM

What press are you using?
Is the lock ring for the die all the way at the top of the threaded portion of the die body? Will the seater portion thread all the way down until the knurled portion at the top is almost touching the die body?

old wolf · April 29, 2006, 08:57 AM

Lee Turret, I've tried everything,my seating stem is bottomed out.

April 26, 2006, 12:10 PM	#1
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	Problem with vmax been trying to load 55gr v-max, oal should be 2.250 the min I can get is 2.265. Do I have a problem with my die?

April 26, 2006, 03:12 PM	#5
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	O.W., If you unscrew the seater depth plug you will see the stem is floating in there. You can drop it out and add shims if you have some shim material? You can also call Lee and let them know about the problem. They will probably make you a new seater stem to handle it. They will want to know there is a problem in the first place. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

April 26, 2006, 07:25 PM	#9
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	2.260" in SAMMI max for .223 Remington (that is what we are discussing, right?). It sounds as if the stem is already down on the stop funnel/shoulder in the die. You do have the main die body screwed all the way down to touch the top of the shell holder when the press ram is up, right? Assuming you do, check the writing on the side of the die body to make certain it says .223. If so, now take the aluminum seating stem adjuster completely off so you see the back of the seating stem. Put a loaded cartridge in the press and run the ram up and down a couple of times. On the second pass the stem should not move except for maybe a little centering if it is all the way down on the shoulder in the die. If it bobs up and down as you run the ram up and down, then it has room to seat deeper. The next question: if the stem doesn't move up and down and the other conditions I mentioned are satisfied, did you get a mislabeled die or a defective die? Fortunately for you, I happen to have one myslelf, so I was able to check a couple of measurements on it. Using the depth stem on my caliper, I measure from the top of the die body down to the bottom of a Winchester .223 case in the shell holder and pushed up all the way by the press ram is 2.767". I was able measure from the top of the die body down into the hole in the through-die powder funneling taper (that also serves as the seating stem depth-stopping shoulder). I lowered the press ram slightly, pushed the caliper depth stem down in and against the side of the hole, and with the back of the caliper body parked on the top edge of the die body, I then raised the ram up into place. The case neck pushed on the caliper depth stem up to a measurement of 1.074" from the top of the die body. The seating stem itself is 1.400" long. If I place the stem in the die body it sticks up above the top of the die body 0.400". I have to take back what I said about the shim. If I take the die out of the press and put the seating depth adjusting cap back on and screw it in until it stops, the stem no longer rattles inside. This means I have pushed it hard against the bottom of the funnel/shoulder in the die, and that's all the adjusting that can be done without a lathe. If you have access to a lathe, you can actually shorten the business end of the seating stem by cutting back and matching the outside taper (that matches the funnel/shoulder). This will let it push a bullet further down as long as the aluminum depth adjustment can still push the shortened stem down without bottoming the adjuster cap itself. If I had one of the light V-max bullets to try, I could get further on the measurements, but I don't. 75 grain A-max and some very old 50 grain FMJBT's are the only .224 Hornady's I have in hand at the moment. Call Lee about this if you have no lathe. They will probably still make you a part that works with your bullet. Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

April 26, 2006, 08:48 PM	#11
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Let us know what Lee has to say? Nick __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

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April 26, 2006, 12:56 PM	#2
Don H Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2000 Location: SLC,Utah Posts: 2,704	What brand die? Seating stem screwed all the way down? Are you crimping in the same operation and are you getting a crimp at the 2.265 OAL?

April 26, 2006, 12:57 PM	#3
Robert M Boren Sr Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Location: NW Montana Posts: 269	Is your die adjusted down as far as it will go without crimping?

April 26, 2006, 02:52 PM	#4
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	Lee Deluxe Rifle Die,not crimping in the same operation,die is bottomed out,I had no problems with 55gr. sx-sp's

April 26, 2006, 03:27 PM	#6
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	I have added shims and get the same results.the plug is bottomed out, shims will just affect the thread depth not the plug

April 26, 2006, 04:49 PM	#7
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	Something is wrong in the setup I would think.... I have the same dies And have had no issues all the way down to 35 grainers..

April 26, 2006, 05:45 PM	#8
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	I have checked and rechecked my set up,the die is new,have no problems with the sx-sp's. I'm just totally puzzled

April 26, 2006, 08:31 PM	#10
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	I tried removing seating stem adjuster to check for movement, the sxsp's moved the seating stem but the vmax did not. I take it that I have a defective die and will be contacting Lee. I dont believe somebody took into account the long poly tip on a vmax I appreciate your input

April 27, 2006, 11:56 AM	#12
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	What press are you using? Is the lock ring for the die all the way at the top of the threaded portion of the die body? Will the seater portion thread all the way down until the knurled portion at the top is almost touching the die body?

April 29, 2006, 08:57 AM	#13
old wolf Junior Member Join Date: April 26, 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10	Lee Turret, I've tried everything,my seating stem is bottomed out.