Reloading Help

[p_ham]

0.002-0.007" is much to do about nothing.
If it gets to 0.020-0.070" then write us.

While true, if the seating stem is contacting the bullet tip he could be introducing a lot of runout. Depending on what type of bullet he's using that could cause a lot of grief trying to work up an accurate load.
I've also seen accuracy nodes come and go within .015" - almost exclusively with secant ogive bullets though.

 

[44hunter45]

I think that's acceptable as long as they're not over the MAX COAL for a beginner. If you're just reloading for hunting you're fine. If you're trying to shoot some serious bench rest competitions or something you're going to want to invest in some more tools.

Not to confuse you but, for precision you should be measuring from the bullets ogive (which is the area of the bullet that contacts the rifling) not the tip. To do that you can use a tool such as this https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...ad-bullet-comparator-basic-set-with-6-inserts I also use this tool regularly with the caliber specific cases in order to customize my loads for my particular rifles https://www.midwayusa.com/product/570611/hornady-lock-n-load-overall-length-gauge-bolt-action. This allows you to adjust your bullet seating depth to get as close to the rifling of your particular rifle.

I'm far from an expert but I've been reloading for a while, feel free to PM if you need anymore advice.

This.

Your seating stem in your die uses the ogive of the bullet to push it into the charged case, not the tip of the bullet. To keep this simple, you would need to measure it the same way to verify the consistency of your loads. Since the ogive is the part of the bullet that comes into contact with the rifling first, that is the important measurement. If your finished rounds feed through your magazine, you are fine.

BTW - If you don't need bench rest accuracy, anything which consistently hits the same place on the ogive will work as a "comparator". Any 1/4 drive socket bigger than the bullet tip but .050"-.100" smaller than the bore diameter will do. Start by measuring a known good round with the socket on the end and zero your calipers. Now it will measure everything either +/- that standard. It kind of begs the question though, only an OCD like me will measure ammo that doesn't need benchrest accuracy like this.

Regarding RCBS die seating stems, if you see a faint ring behind the tip of your bullets after seating, you are NOT seating off the tip. You can check this by removing the stem from the die and just spinning your choice of bullet in the stem opening with your fingers. Look for the little ring in the bullet about 1/8 back from the tip after. Ring = good.
This is not a flaw in the RCBS die. They sell a stem to use with higher BC ("pointier") bullets. Depending on the vintage of your RCBS die, they may already have a secant ogive stem installed.

More than likely it’s the RCBS dies. The seating stem is most likely contacting the tip of your bullet and not the Ogive of the bullet.
You can check this by coloring the tip of the bullet with a sharpie and then seating it and checking for contact on the bullet tip.
Its a pretty simple fix also if you want to do it. You remove the seating stem from the die and drill out the stem with a small drill bit and then insert a bullet into the stem and check how it fits. Keep stepping up the size of the drill bit until your stem is contacting the Ogive and the tip isn’t in contact with the stem.

That would work. I have drilled out stems. Be sure de-burr afterward.

Top quality ammo is made by controlling the consistency of three variables. The consistency of your COMPONENTS, the consistency of your PROCESS, and the consistency of your EQUIPMENT.

 

[44hunter45]

I just got sucked into a 4 year old rabbit hole.....

I'm a sucker for these things.

 

[yakimanoob]

Thanks all; this is very helpful. Where I’m at, I don’t (or didn’t) know if a .007 variance was a big deal or not. I haven’t had a chance to check my die yet, and will definitely do that, but it sounds like something not to fret over for hunting rounds.

Generally, my hope is to do a good enough job reloading that I only have myself to blame for wide groups .

 

[yakimanoob]

The seating die was not contacting the tip - it seats nicely around a ring below the tip.

 

[manitou1]

But... if you are measuring with calipers from the case base to bullet tip, there will be variances. Bullet tips, even plastic tipped bullets vary quite a bit.

 

[cahunter805]

Thanks all; this is very helpful. Where I’m at, I don’t (or didn’t) know if a .007 variance was a big deal or not. I haven’t had a chance to check my die yet, and will definitely do that, but it sounds like something not to fret over for hunting rounds.

Generally, my hope is to do a good enough job reloading that I only have myself to blame for wide groups .

For most average hunting loads .007 isn’t a huge deal. I Prefer to have my handloads as precise as I can make them though.

Is your brass brand new or fired? If new did you run them through your die to straighten/square up the neck before loading?