Bullet Seating Variance Question

cohibamatt · February 9, 2012, 10:02 PM

When I seat my Rainier bullets with my die I sometimes get a .005 difference in depth, is this normal? Here are some of the specifics:
Lee Single Stage Press
Lee Deluxe pistol 4 die set
New Remington .45 acp brass
5.7 gr Accurate # 2
CCI Primers
Rainier Lead safe Bullets 185 gr Flat Point

If you can't tell, I'm new to reloading.
Thanks,
Matt

WookieRookie · February 10, 2012, 12:18 AM

When I had this problem with 9mm rounds (especially flat point), I brought the same question to this forum. With some help, I narrowed the problem down to my seating die (it was the lee die set also). The die was crimping the bullet as it was seating, thus causing the discrepancy in OAL. Unscrew the top of the die until it is not touching the bullet at all, and if you want to crimp to remove the mouth flare, use the Lee factory crimp die. This is what worked for me, and now my rounds are all spot on. Good luck!

Scharfschuetzer · February 10, 2012, 12:21 AM

While not jacketed bullet related, if you are shooting cast bullts with a fairly malable lube, it can work up to the top of the seating plug and as it accumulates, it will give you deeper and deeper seating. I found this most often with the old mica-wax (white-powdery-stuff) lube that Hornady used on their swaged bullets in the past as well as the dark wax coated Speer swaged bullets.

Of course with your jacketed bullets it is of no concern, but if you shoot cast bullets in the future, it can be an irritant.

dickttx · February 10, 2012, 11:02 PM

The place you seat from on the bullet is not the same place you measure, so any variation (bump, dip, etc) in the tip of the bullet will be what you measure, not the seating depth of the bullet.

Jammer Six · February 10, 2012, 11:39 PM

When I got excited about Cartridge Overall Length, the Dillon support guy told me that the Dillon Square Deal B was only accurate to ± .007.

Since then, I choose an overall length, and if it falls within that range of .015, I'm happy.

And he was right. It can bounce all over that range.

Shootest · February 11, 2012, 07:51 PM

You can knock yourself out trying for perfection but .005 is really not going to amount to much. It might make a difference at long range with a rifle but at handgun distance I don’t think you will notice. Factory ammo typically varies that much sometimes even more.

dacaur · February 12, 2012, 04:27 AM

I agree. I used to sit there and adjust my die over and over... eventually you realize that no matter what you do, its not going to be the same every time... So now I just adjust it so that the "average" is right anad still get small groups

.... For hunting I load 20 rounds or so, and then pick the ones that measure at what I wanted and hunt with those, practice with the rest....

cohibamatt · February 13, 2012, 12:08 AM

Thanks for your help. As a new loader I don't know what is normal and what is not. I now set it for the middle of where I want it to be knowing it could be .005 more or less. I got started loading for the accuracy and see why people do it now. My loads are much more accurate than factory with less recoil.
Thanks again,
Matt

February 9, 2012, 10:02 PM	#1
cohibamatt Junior Member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Location: PA Posts: 8	Bullet Seating Variance Question When I seat my Rainier bullets with my die I sometimes get a .005 difference in depth, is this normal? Here are some of the specifics: Lee Single Stage Press Lee Deluxe pistol 4 die set New Remington .45 acp brass 5.7 gr Accurate # 2 CCI Primers Rainier Lead safe Bullets 185 gr Flat Point If you can't tell, I'm new to reloading. Thanks, Matt

February 10, 2012, 12:21 AM	#3
Scharfschuetzer Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2012 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 293	While not jacketed bullet related, if you are shooting cast bullts with a fairly malable lube, it can work up to the top of the seating plug and as it accumulates, it will give you deeper and deeper seating. I found this most often with the old mica-wax (white-powdery-stuff) lube that Hornady used on their swaged bullets in the past as well as the dark wax coated Speer swaged bullets. Of course with your jacketed bullets it is of no concern, but if you shoot cast bullets in the future, it can be an irritant. Last edited by Scharfschuetzer; February 10, 2012 at 01:02 AM.

February 12, 2012, 04:27 AM	#7
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	I agree. I used to sit there and adjust my die over and over... eventually you realize that no matter what you do, its not going to be the same every time... So now I just adjust it so that the "average" is right anad still get small groups.... For hunting I load 20 rounds or so, and then pick the ones that measure at what I wanted and hunt with those, practice with the rest....

February 10, 2012, 12:18 AM	#2
WookieRookie Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 105	When I had this problem with 9mm rounds (especially flat point), I brought the same question to this forum. With some help, I narrowed the problem down to my seating die (it was the lee die set also). The die was crimping the bullet as it was seating, thus causing the discrepancy in OAL. Unscrew the top of the die until it is not touching the bullet at all, and if you want to crimp to remove the mouth flare, use the Lee factory crimp die. This is what worked for me, and now my rounds are all spot on. Good luck!

February 10, 2012, 11:02 PM	#4
dickttx Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 500	The place you seat from on the bullet is not the same place you measure, so any variation (bump, dip, etc) in the tip of the bullet will be what you measure, not the seating depth of the bullet.

February 10, 2012, 11:39 PM	#5
Jammer Six Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 827	When I got excited about Cartridge Overall Length, the Dillon support guy told me that the Dillon Square Deal B was only accurate to ± .007. Since then, I choose an overall length, and if it falls within that range of .015, I'm happy. And he was right. It can bounce all over that range.

February 11, 2012, 07:51 PM	#6
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	You can knock yourself out trying for perfection but .005 is really not going to amount to much. It might make a difference at long range with a rifle but at handgun distance I don’t think you will notice. Factory ammo typically varies that much sometimes even more.

February 13, 2012, 12:08 AM	#8
cohibamatt Junior Member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Location: PA Posts: 8	Thanks for your help. As a new loader I don't know what is normal and what is not. I now set it for the middle of where I want it to be knowing it could be .005 more or less. I got started loading for the accuracy and see why people do it now. My loads are much more accurate than factory with less recoil. Thanks again, Matt