Rolling Shoulders

Easy fix too much neck tension get a Lyman m die put a flare on the brass no more problem had a similar situation with 556 lc brass trying to load 75 match bullets put a flare on it saved the day. And the vld chamfer helps as well both together you should be good to go. You can get a universal flare die from lee it works just as well, but it's not cartridge specific like the Lyman.
 
I'm using a RCBS Gold Medal seating die. 300RUM ADG case and a 240gr Alco bullet. The first one went in without any trouble, than the next two did this. I've never seen this before, was wondering what the cause would be? Bullets have a coating of HbN.

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best one money can buy
 
Years ago I experienced the same problem with a .270 Wby cartridge. I was using new Norma brass and loading Swift bullets. Almost every case collapsed when I tried seating the bullets. Per the many comments already on here, I had full length sized the brass, chamfered the case mouth, had the dies adjusted properly, etc. Never having had that happen before, I was astonished and simply could not understand what was happening.

Long story short, I shifted to a Nosler Partition and the bullets seated just fine and I had zero case collapse. The Swift is a much stickier bullet than the Nosler Partition.

I also tried cleaning out the case mouths with a quick touch of steel wool, and then applied some dry case lube (mica) to the inside of the case necks. When I tried seating more Swift bullets after that preparation, they went in smoothly and easily with no more case collapse.

So the basic problem was too much friction/tension between the bullet and the inside of the case neck.

My problem could be solved by using an expander mandrel to open up the case mouth diameter to just the right size, or by switching to a more slippery bullet, or by taking steps to reduce the friction between the inside of the neck and the bullet surface.

YMMV.

- Wyowind
 
Check this bushing on your sie and make sure it moves freely. The seating stem should pass through it without a round in it. Same issue I had and that bushing was sticking to the wall of the die. Cleaned it and put gun lube on it everytime I use itView attachment 274307
The bushing is loose. I learned my lesson on that one along time ago. I was holding the bushing up on that one to verify that wasn't the issue again. I know you can't see it in the pictures, but the collapse looks to be happening below the shoulder because you can still see some of the shoulder impression.
 
What was your I.D. on the neck? Picture looks like you did not chamfer the neck, maybe you did. I had a similar problem with 5.56 rounds. They had very slight rolled shoulders, and I did not catch it until after several rounds. VLD chamfer tool helps also. I have never worked with ALCO bullets, so it could be something else.
Yep
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm thinking it's neck tension from all information provided here. Get some more measurements tomorrow, to answer some of the questions. All cases were chamfered with a VLD style.
 
Definitely neck tension. I had the same thing happen when I thought I would make a 30-338 dummy round by just seating a boat tail .308 bullet into a 7mm rem mag case

Also 99% chance that goes away with sizing first and a proper chamfer
 
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I use a Lyman 22* chamfer tool, it's the "VLD" style like a K&M or Sinclairs (meaning 22* and not 45*), but a lot cheaper. Mine is in a RCBS prep station, not in the handle anymore.

FWIW I brush necks after I chamfer/deburr with an old RSBC case neck brush mounted on the prep station, it started as white nylon and is black now because I use an Imperial dry neck lube kit, so it probably has picked up enough graphite out of dirty necks to be the equivalent of dipping the case at this point.

Completely random aside for people who use the Imperial dry neck lube - do you dip the case or the bullet?
Case
 
What was your I.D. on the neck? Picture looks like you did not chamfer the neck, maybe you did. I had a similar problem with 5.56 rounds. They had very slight rolled shoulders, and I did not catch it until after several rounds. VLD chamfer tool helps also. I have never worked with ALCO bullets, so it could be something else.
I ve seen that happen on tight necks ! Try lubing the inside of the case and also chamfer the inside of the case neck
 
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