loading straight ammo?

[Rich Coyle]

What setup do I need to get straight ammo every time? The cases have a max of .001" and yet the ammo varies from .001" to as much as .012". I checked the neck thickness and it doesn't seem to vary at all.

 

[Trickymissfit]

What setup do I need to get straight ammo every time? The cases have a max of .001" and yet the ammo varies from .001" to as much as .012". I checked the neck thickness and it doesn't seem to vary at all.

buy a good quality seater. I recommend the Forster. Secondly make sure your seater is properly aligned with the shell holder. If your shoot VLD's, be sure to order the correct plug for the seating stem.
gary

 

[flashhole]

What set-up do you have now? I assume you are referring to runout in your first post. Getting low runout consistently is not something guaranteed by your choice of equipment. There is a lot of technique and brass processing involved.

 

[bill123]

What setup do I need to get straight ammo every time? The cases have a max of .001" and yet the ammo varies from .001" to as much as .012". I checked the neck thickness and it doesn't seem to vary at all.

When you say, "The cases have a max of .001", I assume those are fired cases? You need to measure a few cases after each step in the process to figure out where the runout begins. Then try to solve each problem as it comes up.

 

[LaHunter]

I would also recommend a high quality seating die. I use the Redding Competition seating die and it works well for me.

 

[nosualc]

When you say, "The cases have a max of .001", I assume those are fired cases? You need to measure a few cases after each step in the process to figure out where the runout begins. Then try to solve each problem as it comes up.

+1

Most runout is caused by sizing dies, especially expander buttons.

-nosualc

 

[Mateo]

A good trick is to size your brass once, rotate 180 degrees in the shell holder and resize again. This can cut your runout in half.

 

[LoneTraveler]

If you are using a conventional shell holder check the groove and keep it clean. One grain of powder or other junk in the groove will throw the centering of the case off in the seating die no matter who made the die, It will go down hill from there. If the cases have been annealed was the heat even around the neck at quinch. If the brass is a little softer on one side can cause run out on the bullet when seated. Good Luck in finding the reason and a cure.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I mis-read one of the post. He suggested rotating the case after sizing and size it again. I thought he posted seat the bullet and rotate it and seat it again. It worked. The runout is almost nil. t didn't make any since, but it worked. So I tried it on another cartridge which is set up on a different press. It didn't work on that one.

I didn't anneal them. Some one asked if the cases are measured after sizing. They are right out of the hydro-forming die and beautifully strait. There is no need to size them because they will hold a bullet without necking down. The hydro-forming die was set up just like the full length die: Try one and adjust the die down about 1/16" of a turn until I could close the bolt with a tiny bit of resistance.

Thanks for trying. I will try to get a new shell holder.

 

[frankinaustin]

For me, the tricks I have found to improve straightness (i.e., reduce the runout of a seated bullet) are:

1. When seating a bullet that is at or near max powder load, I seem to get more runout, esp when I hear that crunch when I'm seating. What I do is seat first by running the ram all the way up, then rotate the case about 1/3 turn and do it again. Seems to help. What I think is happening is the case is just real full and the bullet just needs some extra help to smash all the grains down. This doesn't happen when I'm loading a "tender load" or if I'm loading on ball powder.

2. If the above doesn't help, what i do is get a kinetic bullet removed (plastic hammer) and knock the bullet out about 1/8" or a little more, and then just re-seat the round. This will clear up a lot of wobbly seats.

3. I always clean my re-sizing dies and my seater every time I use them, as well as the shell holder and the top of the ram. I use a .308 swab with a 3 x 3 patch (for 12 ga shotguns) that I have sprayed with Berryman's Chem Tool just to make sure there is no debris anywhere. I use this process every time.

Some cases just always load wobbly with a lot of runout. when I look real close, it seems like the brass material itself just isn't perfectly consistently the same thickness. Perhaps if I cared more, I would neck turn. But i just mark them with a sharpy and use those cases for foulers or for speed testing.

With Nosler brass I will have 5 out of 100 cases that just always give me more runout than I want. For me, when I'm doing load development, I want to test rounds that are no more that .0025" of runout. If I get a .003" or higher, I try to fix them. If they wont fix, then I take them along to the range, but only to speed test or foul my bbl. I think the amount of allowable runout depends on if you are developing a BR load or a deer hunting load. Also, I think if you are loading bullets with a secant ogive -v- tangent ogive also need to be taken into consideration on your allowable amount of runout.

BTW, none of the above really matters when I am flinching on the trigger, which, if I were smart, I would work to solve first.

 

[dragman]

- I use redding competition FL bushing dies for my sizing (NO expander button)
- I use either redding competition bullet seaters with micrometer or my Wilsom competition seater with my arbor press

I have also found the press has a little to do with it. I used my T7 turret press for years and it served very well but when I check each piece of sized brass through my instant indicator I would usually have some fall out of brass that wasn't perfect (put them aside for foulers) I switched to my new forester coax and the fallout is almost zero.