Difficult Bullet Seating Experience

[LongBomber]

The nosler brass I have seems to have very thick case necks- which means they size the inner diameter down pretty small. Some can be very tough to get back over the expander ball. I neck turned all mine down and the issue went away.
I also had the occasional case with very hard seating force, I think the amount of sizing was hardening the necks very quickly.

 

[Full Curl]

After testing over the weekend, lightly chamfering and deburring the mouth after cleaning prior to FL sizing helped with more consistent tension with the expander ball passing through the neck and mouth. I then chamfered and deburred like I normally would after trimming, after sizing and then seating was much better. Much more consistent tension and no hard press force needed on any loads. They also shot very nicely so I think this will help out a lot in the future. If I run into any more issues I'll be looking into neck turning... I still don't really want to neck size alone because I'm building hunting ammo and like the couple thousands of shoulder insurance that bumping the shoulders gives me as far as making sure the shell will chamber without issue. Thank you to everybody for all the feedback and help!

On a side note, I called Forster and the tech said that he would polish the seating stem cap and also the bullet channel prior to that at no change if I sent the die back to him. He did say that the end of the seating stem can "grab" a bullet if it's a tab bit rough and pull it out a little when the case exits the die on the up stroke. This winter they will be getting all of my seating dies to polish.

 

[g0rd0]

Thanks for all the great replies! These cases were once fired Nosler cases. They have never been annealed, I typically anneal after 3 firings. I'm not sure how I would be oversizing necks since I'm just using the Foster FL die set as they instruct...? In addition to lubing the outside of the case, I usually run my finger across the edge of the mouth with a tiny bit of lube before putting the case in the press for sizing so the expander ball should be getting lubed as well when it enters and exits the mouth. Maybe I should lube the ball itself before sizing as well...??? I haven't noticed any hard pressure sizing issues when sizing cases on the press...? I don't have a neck wall thickness measuring tool, but may have to look into that.

I almost exclusively neck size (lee collet) although I do occasionaly fl size. every time I fl size I notice that all of the bullets are tight seating, I then lube the inside of the neck of the fl sized brass and run them up over the mandrel in the collet sizer , this gives me fl sized brass with what I consider to be good neck tension

 

[Full Curl]

I choose to FL size in my hunting rigs. I'll neck size in a couple of my range rigs or if I know I'm going on an easy "truck" hunt where my rifle isn't going to take any abuse like a pronghorn hunt, but if I'm carrying everything on my back for a week or better where my rifle and ammo get exposed to all the elements, I FL size (just touch the shoulder .002") so I have that extra security in knowing that my cases will chamber when needed.

 

[Gord0]

I've had an issue with my forster seating stems cracking and then they expand and grab the bullet. They sent me a new one for free and it cracked on the first use. I proceed to bed it with devcon and haven't had an issue with it since.

 

[ChrisInKY]

I don't have a neck wall thickness measuring tool, but may have to look into that.

When you use one, you will be quite surprised by the inconsistencies discovered.

I have had great success with: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012725281/hollands-case-neck-ball-vernier-micrometer

When you see the inconsistencies ... and you're compelled to eliminate them: http://www.xxicsi.com/neck-turning-lathe-complete.html There are several other components you have to have to make the lathe work for your brass. If you order from 21st, you will see what a quality mechanical engineer is capable of.

 

[Full Curl]

I've had an issue with my forster seating stems cracking and then they expand and grab the bullet. They sent me a new one for free and it cracked on the first use. I proceed to bed it with devcon and haven't had an issue with it since.

I called them and they told me the same thing. I don't have a cracked one but still would like them to polish it up for me this winter when I don't need it as bad as I do now. Not sure how one would bed it as I've never seen that done before. Is it an easy fix?

 

[Full Curl]

Thanks ChrisInKY. If I have to go the way of neck thickness and turning my brass I will.

 

[Gord0]

I called them and they told me the same thing. I don't have a cracked one but still would like them to polish it up for me this winter when I don't need it as bad as I do now. Not sure how one would bed it as I've never seen that done before. Is it an easy fix?

You couldn't tell it was cracked unless you have really good eyesight, or looked at it under magnification. Then you could see hairline fractures.
I assembled the die and backed the seating stem way out so it was just barely starting the bullet. Disassembled the die. I then took the bullet that had been coated with clear shoe polish (same way I do rifle actions) Filled the seating stem with devcon. Removed ALL extra that squeezed out anywhere. Reassembled the die without the spring and just barely seated a bullet. Let it set up for a while and then removed the bullet and let set up for a full day. Down side is I'm stuck using only that bullet with that seating stem now.

 

[ChrisInKY]

I almost exclusively neck size (lee collet) although I do occasionaly fl size.

I've heard so many stories of satisfaction with Lee Collet sizing. Never seen anyone doing it at their bench, but I did find a fairly decent video on YouTube. I've migrated to Redding Bushing dies and have no measurable runout. I've heard this can be the 'real' challenge when it comes to the collet dies.

How do you control/manage runout with your rig?

 

[Gord0]

I almost exclusively neck size (lee collet) although I do occasionaly fl size. every time I fl size I notice that all of the bullets are tight seating, I then lube the inside of the neck of the fl sized brass and run them up over the mandrel in the collet sizer , this gives me fl sized brass with what I consider to be good neck tension

I almost exclusively neck size with the Lee die also. I took an RCBS full length die and reamed the neck out to chamber dimensions (basically turned it into a body bump die) and use that after about 5 firings. Then run them through the collet sizer.
Someone also asked about runout with the Lee. I have found extremely low runout. My tools measure down to .0001 Everything has been very consistent with them.
Sorry for the possible confusion of 2 Gordos in this thread

 

[Full Curl]

You couldn't tell it was cracked unless you have really good eyesight, or looked at it under magnification. Then you could see hairline fractures.
I assembled the die and backed the seating stem way out so it was just barely starting the bullet. Disassembled the die. I then took the bullet that had been coated with clear shoe polish (same way I do rifle actions) Filled the seating stem with devcon. Removed ALL extra that squeezed out anywhere. Reassembled the die without the spring and just barely seated a bullet. Let it set up for a while and then removed the bullet and let set up for a full day. Down side is I'm stuck using only that bullet with that seating stem now.

I'm going to send it back to Forster with one of my bullets so they can polish it up and replace if needed. If I run into further issues, I'll look at bedding it but then like you said, I'm stuck with that one bullet.

Gord0 - what caliber do you use your "body bump die" for? Is it a belted mag by chance? I've not found any factory dies that will size the web portion of the bottom of the case (just about the belt) on a belted mag. I know you can get custom dies for this but was wondering if your customized RCBS FL die will do this?

I've never sized with a Lee collet sizer. I typically FL size all my hunting loads by barely bumping the shoulder back and can get many firings out of the same case before the web area starts giving me problems on a belted mag.

 

[g0rd0]

I've heard so many stories of satisfaction with Lee Collet sizing. Never seen anyone doing it at their bench, but I did find a fairly decent video on YouTube. I've migrated to Redding Bushing dies and have no measurable runout. I've heard this can be the 'real' challenge when it comes to the collet dies.

How do you control/manage runout with your rig?

I first deprime then wet tumble, after drying I have the collet set and locked in a quick change bushing (classic cast breach lock), 1 gentle push down on the handle retract the brass just enough to turn 1/3'rd turn and another gentle push on the handle. That is all it takes, it gives me a real nice consistant neck tension. I donot have a runout gauge but, a friend who is a machinest put a couple of my loads in the chuck on a lathe and let it spin, by putting a (chisel is it called?) on the rest we could not notice any wobble on the neck.
I have found that the collet dies work best with clean brass with no lube anyware, not even inside the neck

 

[Gord0]

I'm going to send it back to Forster with one of my bullets so they can polish it up and replace if needed. If I run into further issues, I'll look at bedding it but then like you said, I'm stuck with that one bullet.

Gord0 - what caliber do you use your "body bump die" for? Is it a belted mag by chance? I've not found any factory dies that will size the web portion of the bottom of the case (just about the belt) on a belted mag. I know you can get custom dies for this but was wondering if your customized RCBS FL die will do this?

I've never sized with a Lee collet sizer. I typically FL size all my hunting loads by barely bumping the shoulder back and can get many firings out of the same case before the web area starts giving me problems on a belted mag.

I use mine on my 300win mag. After 5-6 firings I had to run it through this somewhat homemade body bump die because it was getting a tad tight in the area above the belt and I also bumped the shoulder back .002. It worked great and shrunk the area above the belt about .002 also. Then I ran it through the collet die and did the 1/3 rotation the other gordo talked about and my rounds chamber great. I still haven't had to trim this brass yet. Runout on everything I have checked has been .001 or less.