Nosler 6.5mm 129 LRAB Problem

[26Reload]

Hey rsmithsr....everybody on this site should not only get respect..they deserve respect....until the person tries to be an
A..S..S....
You could have said what you did without being one....
Maybe you should quarantine yourself......

 

[Chopaka81]

142lrab does the same thing if too much neck tension...
Resized all the lapua new brass...no more problems...
View attachment 197247

I am using Lapua 260 brass.
Don

 

[rsmithsr]

when I mentioned neck tension, there had been no input that he had a compressed load.( yes it does say MILDLY)
a compressed load could also be the source of bullet damage from the seating stem.
neither the type of brass nor the neck thickness , nor the type of sizing had been mentioned up till then. silly to claim it to be has a specific sizing die and it could not cause a neck tension issue. zero data to support that statement.

IMO, regardless what the issue is, a VLD seater is still a good idea with the Low drag bullets. To bend a bullet, you'd need a lot of neck tension. If he has a standard Redding FL die, it's not giving too much neck tension. It'd have to be a bushing die with too small of a bushing.

 

[Tiny Tim]

View attachment 197066

I am using a standard Redding seating die and I am getting a slight deformation of the LRAB bullet when seating with a mildly compressed load of H4831SC.
Looking for a recommendation on an alternate bullet seating holder that won't damage the LRAB bullets.
Thanks,

Post #1

 

[Tiny Tim]

Post #1

 

[Chopaka81]

Reading thru the conversation regarding neck tension, ​

I think I have a couple issues contributing to the seating problem with the Nosler 129gr LRAB..
The rifle is chambered for 260 Ackley (40 deg).
I am using fire formed Lapua 260 Rem brass with 48.5 - 49.1 grs of H4831SC.
What I have not done is trim the outside neck diameters (which will reduce neck tension - eventually), nor have I trimmed the cases to a common overall length. I need to do that because I am (or was) using a very light crimp. This crimp could be contributing to the compression ring issue on the softer tipped LRAB bullets.
Overall the

fire formed ​

Lapua brass is about 10 mills shorter than the SAMMI trim to length of 2.025" for 260 REM, but the cases do vary in length from 2.011" to 2.017".
Going forward, I am going to do the following:
#1, uniform the brass length, uniform the outside neck diameters, and uniform the flash holes.
#2, install the VLD Bullet seater into the seat die prior to doing any further reloading.
#3, back off the seat die in the press so no crimping is occurring.

Truly, I do appreciate the advice gentlemen.
Don

 

[rsmithsr]

yes it does.

Post #1

 

[Mike D Texas]

Excessive neck tension certainly can contribute to bullet deformation. Excessive neck tension combined with a compressed charge is a double whammy.
What sizing method do you use (I.e. bushing die, non-bushing die)?
You may consider an expanding mandrel die to see if that helps as well.

 

[jpndave]

The deformation on the bullet is caused by too much force being required to seat the bullet. That can be a compressed load, neck tension, donut at the neck shoulder, etc. or any combination which can stack up.

In my experience the VLD seater is better at seating the types of bullets we use and I wish they just sent it standard. I do use the Redding competition seater on most applications. I prefer how the slider cradles the bullet and guides it in. I don't use loads compressed enough to damage it. The non-competition micrometer is just as accurate - no difference in seating accuracy. The difference is how it centers up and guides the bullet in. I even have the competition seater in many of my handgun dies. In hindsight it is a waste in 9mm, 40, 45ACP, etc. I do like it on my 45/70 and 357/44 mag but I load less volume and single stage for those. It just centers up and guides the bullet better. Micrometer in one form or the other is pretty much essential IMO.

 

[jpndave]

Umm guys, I am hearing a clear crunch of powder as I seat the bullet into the case. I am using a 6" drop tube, I was hoping that would help, not so sure it does.
Thanks,

A drop tube can help. I find the swirl technique Mic McPherson recommended works much better when you get the hang of it. Then some vibration. I used a rechargeable toothbrush and you can watch the powder settle.

 

[VLD Pilot]

A drop tube can help. I find the swirl technique Mic McPherson recommended works much better when you get the hang of it. Then some vibration. I used a rechargeable toothbrush and you can watch the powder settle.

The vibration technique works very well.

 

[Chopaka81]

What sizing method do you use (I.e. bushing die, non-bushing die)?

I am using a non-bushing die.

 

[jpndave]

I am using a non-bushing die.

Just a side note, it's not the bushing so much as the lack of an expander. I am currently using a bushing die with the expander since I'm not turning necks. Just gives a little more control of how much sizing is happening. And, if I decide to turn necks I can do that too.