Cartridge over all length

[Ucsdryder]

I get what you're referring to and I've done the same. When you're seating the bullet, if you push hard on the handle, it'll seat deeper than if you barely get to the "stop". So the question is, if you have a light cam over, will the pressure you use to seat the bullet be less impactful on the cbto/coal?

 

[milboltnut]

I'm it.... LOL

Well yeah FL bumping can be done occasionally after 5 or 6 firings. Redding has an add on top for thier standard seater not that I've seen for thier FL die. I use the Hornady H&S gauge for case HS. I might go that route... after trying the Lee Factory crimp die to seated bullet straightening.

Some brass brands/lots behave differently than others... even in one lot I see that !! So I always just run them through a FL bump, and not check each case.

So that leads me to the next question.. If it's a partial FL size then I see my necks getting sized completely.

So why partially size a neck when you're only neck sizing?

Ya know... after getting Bonanza BR seaters, and finding out a Lee crimp die with ANY seater would have been just as good, I really could kick myself ! I mentioned before about the RCBS seater with the VLD stem for my 300 WHBY Gooot meeee thiiinkiiing !

I have a two die set coming from Redding.. FL and standard seater, that I want to get a add on mic using a Lee crimp. Am I golden then ? What I can't get is if that bullet guide atop the chamber sleeve in the forster BR seater is sloppy and the fact the stem fit is kind sloppy through the chamber sleeve bullet guide, but the RO is acceptable, and can achieve the same thing with a standard seater/crimp? Of course the crimp enhances accuracy too.

I knew a guy who said you could feed Sako with anything and it is crazy accurate.

Is there anything wrong with cartridge prep instead of just enhanced rifle building? Or even the best rifles need it? I have a M70 that I bedded, free floated barrel and it does alot better and that's all I did. Shot it, and got an inch group with fliers, before that the same. Should I keep going? I come this far ! After that with push mandreling, it shrunk to a half inch, after turning necks/mandreling, almost one hole. So yeah I think concentricity, proper neck tension, and bullet concentricity helps for my rifles.

 

[QuietTexan]

So why partially size a neck when you're only neck sizing?

It's a tuning option. Controlling the length of the neck sized makes a large impact on hoop strength/neck tension/ whatever you want to call it so when you're looking for less grip it's a way to reduce further. You can't realistically go less than 0.0005" because of mandrel tolerance limits, so you can try something like full length 0.0005" fit, half length 0.001" fit, full length 0.001" fit, half length 0.015" fit, etc. The math isn't that linear but you get what I'm working towards of hold everything else constant and adjust only interference fit and see what it does on paper.

Of course the crimp enhances accuracy too.

Lee FCD is also a tuning tool, especially with monos. I somewhat disagree with the blanket statement that crimp enhances accuracy because there are many situations where crimping isn't necessary to obtain more than acceptable results. It's a tool in the box, just like a mic neck bushing die and a body die.

Is there anything wrong with cartridge prep instead of just enhanced rifle building? Or even the best rifles need it?

Nothing wrong with cartridge prep. Do the best you can to get what you need out of a rifle. Balance accuracy and precision with durability and utility. Taking care of brass is an easy job for me, so I generally do it all the time so there's one less thing that can go wrong down the road. Occasionally I use random pickup brass in multiple rifles also

 

[milboltnut]

Never had any success with LFCD, but I'll see if it straigtens the bullet out.

 

[QuietTexan]

No promises that you will or won't see a benefit, but @ButterBean put a lot of effort into writing up a detailed method to use it as a repeatable tuning tool. Nifty low cost tool to keep around for when you get a head scratcher.

 

[milboltnut]

I just crimped a dummy round and went from .0015 -.002 to .0005. I got a winner ! many thanks ! Had to go a little over a half a turn though...whadda think? You can't see the mouth tapered at all. Gradually worked up at 1/8 turn per indicating until I got .0005 run out. Actually it stayed at .002 till I turned the die to where it had the .0005 RO

 

[kiwikid]

It appears that the guy that made the video never read the instructions supplied with his Redding Competition die sets. It clearly states that for the Bushing die and the Seating die that there Must be No contact between the die bodies and the shell holder.
This is to prevent the bottom of the die body becoming swaged which could stop the sliding sleeve from operating.
Redding suggest screwing the die in until it touches the shell holder and then backing it out until the micrometer index mark is facing you.

 

[milboltnut]

ooooh for sure ! I back off my Forster chamber seater off enough to make clearance.

 

[WapitiBob]

It appears that the guy that made the video never read the instructions supplied with his Redding Competition die sets. It clearly states that for the Bushing die and the Seating die that there Must be No contact between the die bodies and the shell holder.
This is to prevent the bottom of the die body becoming swaged which could stop the sliding sleeve from operating.
Redding suggest screwing the die in until it touches the shell holder and then backing it out until the micrometer index mark is facing you.

The die makes contact with the shell holder to ensure uniform travel. If you screw the body down enough to swage the mouth of the die you probably shouldn't be reloading.

 

[kiwikid]

The die makes contact with the shell holder to ensure uniform travel. If you screw the body down enough to swage the mouth of the die you probably shouldn't be reloading.

Considering the mouth of the Redding Competition dies are only .051" thick and beveled I can see why Redding warn against this practice.

 

[milboltnut]

update on my crimp die....

I just pulled the bullet and believe I went to far, the runout went back up, I wanted to see if the .0005 would go away too. It pulled easy, but was concerned that it doesn't pull as easy after I crimp, which tells me the tension increased. I'll see how it goes when I seat another bullet.

 

[milboltnut]

Considering the mouth of the Redding Competition dies are only .051" thick and beveled I can see why Redding warn against this practice. View attachment 333199

Forster recommends for the sleeve to be completely compressed. I back off enough to prevent beveled edge off shell holder.

 

[milboltnut]

got another one for ya... this guy seems to be doing his due diligence. Does the OAL properly represent the eroded lands? And when marking bullet to see the lands impressions, the length of the land engraving shows at what point initially, the end or the beginning ?