Is it normal to get a light ring on the bullet after seating it?

LeviSS

LeviSS

New member
I just got some owder today, so now I'm trying to finish reloading a round or two.

I set up the die as the redding instructions said - screw the die into the press until it touched the shell holder at the top of the stroke, then back it off a full turn.

The first bullet had a noticeable ring around it. I thought that it maybe had something to do with the crimper, so I backed the die out about half a turn and tried another. This time it was not as deep, but it was still there so I tried it again. A couple times later and the die is backed out about three turns and the bullet seating plug won't go deep enough to set it to the correct OAL. The last bulet had just a slight ring. You can see it and if I run my fingernail over it, I can feel it.

So...is it normal to have the seater die leave a ring around the bullet? Or am I doing something wrong?
 
Sometime you can eliminate this by just beveling the inside of the case neck . This can happen if the expander ball is on the small size for cal, the brass neck is to thick or dirty and if the bullet has very soft jacket like varmint bullet.
 
It is most likely being caused by the seater stem. It won't hurt a thing. If it does bother you for cosmetic reasons, you can polish the seater stem.

Take the seater stem out of the die and put a bullet in it just as it would be in the seating operation. That is where the ring on the bullet should be.

To polish it, put the stem in a drill, some polishing compound on a bullet and get after it. A little will go a long ways, don't over do it.
 
Or just chamfer mouths with a vld tool.......You can also recut the seating cup with it. Don

Here's a pic showing the difference between the chamfer angles on a standard rcbs and a sinclair vld. The seating ring is clearly shown,(std tool) along with the same bullets seated with the vld cut mouths. They seat almost effortslessly compared to std chamfer. These were neckturned brass......
IMG_1151.jpg
 
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Thanks guys. I'll probably polish it sometime in the future. I don't really care if they look pretty as long as they shoot well /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I just shot my first five reloads that I have ever done. I'm no sharpshooter, but I shot a better group with these five than with the ammo that I was shooting, so hopefully I can keep that up...hopefully improve. I think I'm gonna like reloading /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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Will it hurt anything to shoot these?



No, you're good to go. Your description makes it sound pretty deep, though. (if you can feel it). Rajn has the correct fix.
Once the seater is smooth and contoured, it will be easy to adjust the die down, but unless all of your cases are going to be trimmed to the exact same length every time, I wouldn't try to apply a crimp. Not needed or beneficial unless done very precisely.
Keep asking questions, most of us wish we had Internet when we were starting out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I know I did.
What reloading manual are you using?
 
Three.

ABC's of reloading

Speer #14

Lyman 49th

Yes, I don't know what I'd do without the internet. I now find a forum and ask all kinds of questions before I buy anything of signifcant value. These things are addicting...in a helpful way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Unless the seater stem exactly matches the bullet curve, it's going to make contact at a single point first (which makes a ring). I see them on my bullets, but very faintly. If I could feel it, I'd be investigating (like you are). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Have you removed the seater and inspected the inside of it?
It should be pretty darn smooth.
The bullet should start into the case without you having to apply a lot of pressure ( and getting a "jerk" as it breaks over the mouth). Bullet seating is pretty smooth as long as the bullet is seated center and upright and you have enough neck chamfer.
 
I just completed my 20th round and they seem to have become more faint. Now you probably wouldn't see it unless you were looking for it.
 
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I just shot my first five reloads that I have ever done. I'm no sharpshooter, but I shot a better group with these five than with the ammo that I was shooting, so hopefully I can keep that up...hopefully improve. I think I'm gonna like reloading /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif




Oh God this is how the addiction starts. There is no hope for him now.
 
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I just completed my 20th round and they seem to have become more faint. Now you probably wouldn't see it unless you were looking for it.



Yea, Your getting the idea now. The biggest mistake most new reloaders do with bullet seating, is having the die screwed to far into the press. This causes the crimping part of the die to crimp before the bullet is fully seated. It's like squeezing the case mouth shut tight while your still trying to push the bullet down into the case. This will put a definite circular dent where the seating stem contacts the bullet. A very slight ring is normal and will vary with different bullet nose shapes. A rough or un-beveled case mouth will add increased resistance to bullet seating and cause the same thing, but not as severe.

The use of a VLD chamfer tool and/or the proper neck bushing will make seating even less resistant. Since you have a standard 2 die set, you might take one of your loaded rounds and put it into the shell holder and raise the ram to the top without the seating die in the press. Screw the die into the press and see if you feel any resistance before it stops at the lock ring. If you do, then the crimper is starting to close on the case. Loosen the lock ring and back off the die to the point you feel no resistance plus a bit more. Turn the lock ring against the top of the press and re-lock the set screw in the locking ring. Re-adjust the the seating stem to set the desired COAL. If you change bullets, you need to re-check this adjustment. A VLD chamfering tool is nice but not required for smooth bullet seating for most jacketed bullets.

There are FL and Neck dies that have interchangeable neck bushings to better control neck tension, and therefore seating resistance. Variations of neck thickness between case lots and brands are handled with a few neck bushings. This is starting to get into the more advanced reloading, but it sounds like you will get there before you realize it.
 


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