As the title says, I have the stem in a Lyman seating die and it is bottoming out for the longest COAL in my Berger recommended test. Would using a Redding seating die give me more adjustment? I have resorted to turning the whole die closer to the case to get adjustments. Any advice would be appreciated!!
Redding micrometer VLD seating stem
- Thread starter Cochese
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boomtube
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what you mean.
How/why do you have a Redding Mic seating stem in a Lyman die? The really effective part of the Redding Comp seater is the full length inner sleeve that aligns the case to the bullet before seating begins. A calibrated Mic head is nothing but a user aid, it doesn't do a thing to improve the average quality of your reloads.
What do you mean about Berger's "recommended" OAL? If you mean what shows in Berger's manual all that tells you is the length they used to develop the listed data, it has no other meaning at all. Each of us has to find our own best OAL for accuracy and/or lowest velocity ES.
How/why do you have a Redding Mic seating stem in a Lyman die? The really effective part of the Redding Comp seater is the full length inner sleeve that aligns the case to the bullet before seating begins. A calibrated Mic head is nothing but a user aid, it doesn't do a thing to improve the average quality of your reloads.
What do you mean about Berger's "recommended" OAL? If you mean what shows in Berger's manual all that tells you is the length they used to develop the listed data, it has no other meaning at all. Each of us has to find our own best OAL for accuracy and/or lowest velocity ES.
I purchased the Redding VLD seating stem because I have heard that using a standard stem will crush/dent a Berger bullet upon seating. I went with Lyman because that is all I could get my hands on, thanks to our prez.....
As far as OAL goes, I have measured with a COAL guage and then added/minused from there in the increments listed in Berger manual. The problem I am having is that my longest OAL has about bottomed out the stem adjustment into the die. I have set the die correctly, but I have to crank the stem all the way in. I hope this will shed a little more light on my issue....
jasent
Well-Known Member
I seat Berger vld's with a standard rcbs seater die,never had an issue! Try your normal seating stem and you will most likely have no issues
boomtube
Well-Known Member
"I still feel that the Redding stem should have way more usable adjustment than what I am getting...... "
I suspect it does.
I suspect it does.
If you have the lyman stem you should be able to just drill it out. I don't know what a lyman stem looks like but I have done this on a few others. I just used a bit one or two sizes smaller than the existing hole in the stem and drilled another 1/8-1/4 inch to get the meplat into so it would not bottom out on the stem. I just held the stem in my fingers and used a hand drill, pretty easy.
gary
gary
boomtube
Well-Known Member
"I suspect it does" Is that just an assumtion? Or do you actually know?"
I can't see your Lyman die and Redding stem so I can't know anything but I suspect you don't have the die body and stem set up properly. If you want a longer OAL you sure won't get it by screwing the seating stem down but I'm not sure I understand what you can't get it to do! Try this:
1. First, run an empty but sized case fully up into your seater.
2. Turn the seater die body down until the case mouth lightly contacts the internal crimping ring; then turn the die body back UP about a quarter turn - no more - and tighten the lock the ring right there.
3. Back your Redding seater stem up, way up.
4. Place a bullet normally and run the case back up to seat the bullet; continue lowering and raising the case while slowly turning the seating stem down in small steps until you have the OAL you want.
That will get you the most adjustment lattitude possible, bet you'll be fine. But, if not, you've done all that can be done so use the original Lyman seater stem. And you likely won't need to drill the seating cup deeper but if you do it sure isn't difficult.
I can't see your Lyman die and Redding stem so I can't know anything but I suspect you don't have the die body and stem set up properly. If you want a longer OAL you sure won't get it by screwing the seating stem down but I'm not sure I understand what you can't get it to do! Try this:
1. First, run an empty but sized case fully up into your seater.
2. Turn the seater die body down until the case mouth lightly contacts the internal crimping ring; then turn the die body back UP about a quarter turn - no more - and tighten the lock the ring right there.
3. Back your Redding seater stem up, way up.
4. Place a bullet normally and run the case back up to seat the bullet; continue lowering and raising the case while slowly turning the seating stem down in small steps until you have the OAL you want.
That will get you the most adjustment lattitude possible, bet you'll be fine. But, if not, you've done all that can be done so use the original Lyman seater stem. And you likely won't need to drill the seating cup deeper but if you do it sure isn't difficult.
I have set it up exactly as you have stated, thus the issue of having the stem cranked all the way in to get my longest OAL. I am @ 3.455 OAL which equates to .010 jam. The shortest OAL I could get was 3.385. These are all for 7mm Rem Mag....I just feel there should be more useable adjustment IMO. I will be fine as long as 1 of the 3 different OAL's I have loaded up shoot/group well from my rifle.
