Hornady 140gr 6.5mm SST seating inconsistancies

[DT400]

Hey all I have a question.

I am using Hornady 140 gr 6.5mm SST #26302 and am having serious inconsistencies in seating depth. To the tune of .025" ish.

I am using the Lee seating die on a full frame single stage press, it isn't the press for sure. Where the seating stem touches the brass is just past the poly tip/copper joint.

If I pull the seating stem from the die and measure the top of the stem to the base of bare bullet I get a variable of .025" or so.

If I use a Hornady .22 cal bushing and comparotor base the variance is reduced to about .004-5"

If I use a .264 comparator bushing I get a variance of about .0015.

Based on this I am finding the dia of the bullet where the poly tip goes in and the seating stem contacts the bullet varies causing my problem.

I used these same methods of measurement on Hornady 123gr 6.5mm SST and the Hornady 143 gr 6.5mm ELD-X and these bullets are with-in .002 total variable or less at all 3 points measured (poly/copper joint, at a .22" die and at the .264 ogive die) so I am 99.9999% sure it is the bullets.

I emailed Hornady over a week ago and haven't heard form them yet.

And in case your wondering the poly tip isn't bottoming out and the stem touched the bullet verified using a black marker witness mark method.

Is anyone else having issues with these bullets?

It wouldn't be such a big deal if they didn't shoot so well once I seat each round individually by adjusting the seating die for EACH round..



Thought? Any other things I might be missing?



Darrell

 

[ShtrRdy]

Sounds like you've checked the dimensions. I would give Hornady a call and see what they say.

 

[Remmy700]

Not compressed loads?

 

[Dosh]

400, I've measured several brands of tipped bullets and found your same variation. Others are fairly close to one another. If you are one of the few who can get a Hornady reply, please post it. My grandson has an old .270 that is very accurate with the SST, but nothing else.

 

[DT400]

Not compressed loads?

I started at 39.5g of H4350 and worked my way up to 42.3g and noticed the problem on the 2nd round I seated and it was a problem all the way through with every single one. So I don't think the upper end was compressed but the 39.5 certainty shouldn't have been, But no, I did not specifically check.

Darrell

 

[DT400]

400, I've measured several brands of tipped bullets and found your same variation. Others are fairly close to one another. If you are one of the few who can get a Hornady reply, please post it. My grandson has an old .270 that is very accurate with the SST, but nothing else.

That is interesting I shoot and have shot several tipped bullets by Hornady and Nosler in various calibers .223, 243, 6.5, .308 and 30-06 and this is my first experience with such variation.

If I hear back or get ahold of them by phone I'll let you all know what I hear. I don't expect a response tho.

Darrell

 

[Remmy700]

I started at 39.5g of H4350 and worked my way up to 42.3g and noticed the problem on the 2nd round I seated and it was a problem all the way through with every single one. So I don't think the upper end was compressed but the 39.5 certainty shouldn't have been, But no, I did not specifically check.

Darrell

Have seen that kinda of variance before running light neck tension on compressed loads. Just something to check I guess but at that charge shouldn't be compressed.

 

[DT400]

Have seen that kinda of variance before running light neck tension on compressed loads. Just something to check I guess but at that charge shouldn't be compressed.

Since I found the issue to be the bullets themselves (if you reread my first post I mention this in the post) I am not worried about the load being compressed at this point. But I definitely see how that could cause a loaded round the vary, but wouldn't you feel that in the stroke of the press being harder near the end of the stroke/cam-over?

Darrell

 

[Remmy700]

Not necessarily depends on the press and mechanical leverage of that press brother. I have filled creedmoor cases to the top of case mouth with RL26 and it's one of the powders that compressed well, didn't notice at all on downstroke. However, my seating depth was all over the place and got worse as the cases sit.

 

[DT400]

Not necessarily depends on the press and mechanical leverage of that press brother. I have filled creedmoor cases to the top of case mouth with RL26 and it's one of the powders that compressed well, didn't notice at all on downstroke. However, my seating depth was all over the place and got worse as the cases sit.

Good to know Thx.

Darrell

 

[DT400]

Well I called Hornady and spoke to a tech there. Explained what was going on, what I found and gave him a ton of dimensions form the 123 and 140 SST as well as the 143 ELD-X.

He asked how far off the lands I was trying to seat them, I told him I don't remember. He said that at the factory we seat them to the canalure and I returned with those don't shoot well at all in my gun seat bullets based on what the gun likes.

He put me on hold and to "talk to his boss" and said the best they would do is if I would send them the rest of the box one my dime they would do a bunch of measurements on the bullets and send me a new box.

To say the least I am not impressed with the customer service. It will cost me a lot more in time and money to pack and ship a box of lead than it is worth to me. I feel as if this was what they were trying to get me to do in the first place.

Most companies would just say ok we'll send out a new box if nothing else just to stand behind their product and keep a customer especially for something that costs them very little.

Who knows maybe they get 25 calls a day from people saying their bullets are out of spec and want a free box.

Sad.

To say the least I am not impressed with customer service.

One thing I did learn from all of this measuring is that the ELD-X bullets are held to a FAR smaller tolerance than the SST's

Darrell

 

[aushunter1]

Not sure how those variances you mention should affect the CBTO as the distance from the projectile ogive where the seating stem touches to the sell holder should remain the same.
As suggested by Remmy quite often it comes down to neck tension variances.
This can be caused by a few things but most likely case hardening.

Have you annealed your brass lately?

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Remmy700]

I shoot a lot of different bullets and have none vary enough to make a .025 variance in seating depth. Maybe try another seater brother. I mean I don't want to make people mad but Lee is not exactly a high end die maker from the ones I have used, could have just had bad ones which is also a possibility.

 

[DT400]

Not sure how those variances you mention should affect the CBTO as the distance from the projectile ogive where the seating stem touches to the sell holder should remain the same.
As suggested by Remmy quite often it comes down to neck tension variances.
This can be caused by a few things but most likely case hardening.

Have you annealed your brass lately?

Just my 2 cents.

What started this entire issue was the fact that the CBTO was varying by .025".

Darrell