Ballistic tip relloading

[muelrexp]

Gentlemen,

I am trying to reload some 140 grain .264 Win Mag ballistic tips and the press is compacting and deforming the ballistic tip. Has anyone else encountered this issue and how did you handle it?

Thanks,,

Muelrexp

 

[g0rd0]

once many years ago loading 308win in rcbs dies (only not balistic tips but I was deforming the lead point).
How I cured the problem was I put the bullet seat in a lathe chuck and useing a small drill bit deepened the nose cavity then with an other bit that was just a tad larger than the base of the exposed lead (or balistic portion of the tip) widened the cavity so that the bullets jacket contacted the seat while also not allowing the tip to contact the seat. But, becarefull to be sure that your tools and bits are centered and that the wide bit you use is just wide enough to do the job doing this will allow the bullet to easly center its self without deforming your tip

 

[muelrexp]

Gordo,

Thanks for the feedback, I was planning on utilizing a drill bit, but I like the idea of two different ones. I have a buddy with all the tools that I will get to handle the operation as my favorite tool is a sledge hammer.

God Bless,

Muelrexp

 

[Nimrodmar10]

You can also buy VLD style seating stems for your dies, which you need if you load the Berger VLD bullets.

 

[muelrexp]

That would be great, do you know who manufactures those?

Thanks,

Muelrexp

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I load both Nosler Ballistic Tips and VLD's with a plain old Lee seating die (30-06)...

This one... Lee Deluxe 3-Die Set 30-06 Springfield

The 264 dies may not fit the bullet the same as these do for the 30-06...

But I have had no issues with the seater deforming bullets in any way...I'm not a big fan of most of Lee's stuff...but some of their stuff works quite well. Their seater dies are pretty darn good in my experience...I like the floating plug....makes good ammo.

VLD's

168 grain Ballistic Tips

Loaded ammo...

 

[lloydsmale]

dont know what kind of dies your dealing with but it sounds like your expander button my be on the small side. Id give the company a call and have them send you a new expander. Also make sure your lubing the inside of your necks. If theres alot of resistance bringing the expander through the neck you can actually cause gauling there and it will make bullet seating more difficult. By the way bts have allways seemed to me to be a bit tougher to seat. I dont know if they make them a bit on the large side of spec compared to others. ive ran into it my 264 and my 257 wby. What i did to cure it was to run my brass though my neck sizing die after i full lenght sized them. I dont know if the expander was a bit bigger in the neck die or if just the second pass of an expander cure it.

 

[sendero72]

It's been 4 or 5 years ago, but I had the same problem with the BT's and then the Bergers. Call Lee die company and sent them the stem and 2 bullets of both BT's and Berger. Cost $5.00! Turn around time was about a 10 days. I would think most dies today would handle the vld design.