I've Got The Bullet Seating Blues....**Update 7/30**

[Outlaw6.0]

Here is an interesting situation I found myself in yesterday that I haven’t experienced yet. I was enveloped in the process of seating some Berger 6.5- 140 Hybrids over a mild charge of RL-19 to conduct my own “amended” barrel break-in procedure. New dies, new formed Norma 270WSM brass etc. I get my seating die set as normal, back my seating stem most of the way out. Place my brass & bullet into the ram & take the ram to top of its stroke. I then carefully begin to screw my seating stem down until it contacts the bullet, lower the ram & adjust the seating stem to seat the bullet. Pretty straight forward right? (So easy a caveman could do it…. Or so I thought.)
Here’s the dilemma, as I am adjusting the seating stem a little at a time to reach my desired OAL…. Houston, we have a problem. My seating stem is bottomed out, my die is as low as it can be set without squashing my case & I am not anywhere near my desired seating depth, my intended depth is to seat the boat tail/bearing surface junction at the neck shoulder junction of the case….. Well that’s about as possible as a hippie using deodorant….
Well ok then, we’re pretty long no problem but this is a single feeder any-who…. Well it jams the lands hard… I guess it’s back to the drawing board (code word for MidwayUSA or Sinclair I’m sure).

What am I missing here? The most obvious question is: Where do I go from here?

Thanks guys,

[jimbires]

I'm going to say your seating stem is cut for a different profile bullet . call the die maker and ask if they have a seating stem for the berger bullet your trying to use . Jim

[J E Custom]

There are different shaped bullet seaters for die sets and the one you have/or using
is for a standard ogive bullet and the hybrids have a secant ogive and go way up in the
bullet seat er.

You can make or buy the correct one from your die maker. Just be careful that the nose
of the bullet is not damaged with a shallow seat er.

Most dies are of the old design and wont work on some of the new bullets.

Just a thought.

J E CUSTOM

[bigngreen]

Are you using a 270 WSM bushing die set to get this done, you should need a to order a seating plug for a 6.5.

[Outlaw6.0]

Originally Posted by bigngreen

Are you using a 270 WSM bushing die set to get this done, you should need a to order a seating plug for a 6.5.

No sir 6.5 WSM bushing die.


JE, good point on the bullet profile differences. These are the first Berger's i've had issues with. No problem with my 338 RUM & no issues with my 7RSAUM... this one being the problem child

I guess it's off to find another seating plug....

[Joe King]

Or they sent you the wrong die, sounds to me as if the dies is cut for a longer cartridge . Like a belted mag case or...........

[Outlaw6.0]

Well after some input from you gents and several email back & forth with Redding customer service (very helpful), I have a micrometer style seating die on order from MidwayUSA. $35 isn't too bad plus it will look cool, should provide the extra reach & is designed for VLD style ogives. I think it will work wonderfully with the CEB's I intend to launch.

Stay tuned for an update & thanks for your help.