Crushed Bullet Tips

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Been loading some .375s this week for @AZ KJ. Loaded up some Accubonds to do boresight as well as some Aframes and NorthForks.

Accubonds after seating had the tip mashed as well as to a lesser degree the 300gr NFs.

The 300gr A-Frames and 250gr NFs did not.

I’m guessing the tips on the bullets showing this problem are hitting the top of the forcing cone which under the pressure of seating deform.

Anyone ever have this problem? Ideas?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Anyone......anyone?

 

[Pheroze]

Weird, those are not particularly long bullets for the caliber. Could some piece of debris have lodged in that cone? I thought most were designed to press the bullet from essentially the ogive.

 

[Edge]

If you haven’t checked your die, flush your seater out and as @Pheroze suggested, check for debris.

What brand of die are you using?

 

[larry4831]

Are you loading a compressed load?

 

[Ridgewalker]

If this hasn’t happened before with the same bullets and dies, there probably is something stuck in the die.
If this is a new die you’ve never used, it sounds like it is out of spec.
Brand?
Just my thoughts on it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

If you haven’t checked your die, flush your seater out and as @Pheroze suggested, check for debris.

What brand of die are you using?

RCBS and will do.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Are you loading a compressed load?

No

 

[larry4831]

What about the bullet seating plug? Sometimes dies come with a couple of them.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

What about the bullet seating plug? Sometimes dies come with a couple of them.

Mine only came with one.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So I think I may have figured this out. I took a look with a decent light into the seating die. On the RCBS version the inner wall of the die tapers which I would think straightens up the bullet. At the taper I can clearly see where copper has rubbed off on to the die wall. The taper is narrow enough that I think it aids with seating the bullet.

I could not see anything on the tip of the stem. Curiosity won out over better judgment and I completely dropped the seating steam out of the die, certain I would never get it to start on the threads again.

Top of this threaded section would be sticking out top of the die.

Bottom of the seating stem.

So when you setup the bullet seater die, you screw the die down with a piece of brass in the up position on the ram. You do this until the die touches the brass which you can tell due to resistance. You then back the die out a bit to avoid crushing the brass with the die.

For the Accubonds and 300gr North Forks, I think the die was backed out a bit too far and the taper was being used less to seat the bullet and it was all on the stem.

For the A-Frames it wasn't a problem because the ogive on the bullet is further towards the tip and the taper on the die engages sooner.

At least this is the theory for now. I do not normally lube bullets with graphite, but I've read of it and this may also be part of a solution.

 

[Hogpatrol]

That looks like it's only good for use with round nose bullets. I would call RCBS and email that pic. They have top shelf customer service and may be able to send you a seater to use with the Accubonds and other pointed bullets. Aside from that, how much neck tension, unloaded neck diameter versus loaded neck diameter? A hunting round, .002 is sufficient. More than that and depending on the bullet, bullet design, jacket hardness, brass hardness and mouth chamfer, the case may shave copper off the bullet as it's being seated.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

That looks like it's only good for use with round nose bullets. I would call RCBS and email that pic. They have top shelf customer service and may be able to send you a seater to use with the Accubonds and other pointed bullets. Aside from that, how much neck tension, unloaded neck diameter versus loaded neck diameter? A hunting round, .002 is sufficient. More than that and depending on the bullet, bullet design, jacket hardness, brass hardness and mouth chamfer, the case may shave copper off the bullet as it's being seated.

I'd have to measure the neck tension. But it's whatever the expander on sizing die was cut to at the factory. I've not changed it.

 

[450 Dakota]

RCBS offers a couple styles of seater plugs. If you get one that is close and need more depth you can drill the point area pretty easy. Have had to do that on a couple seating the long Berger bullets.