Seating die nose distortion frustration and solution

[Char-Gar]

Handgun reloading dies often come with the wrong shape stem in the seating die. Sometimes they come with multiple stems for RN, SWC and WC bullets. Over the years I have found these stems a source of frustration, sometimes distorting the nose if the wrong shape bullet is used. Wadcutters and semi-wadcutters have enough difference to sometimes cause problems.

I take any shape stem and turn it flat in the lathe. It will then work well with any bullet with a flat on the nose. This limits my needs to this flat one and another for a round nose bullet.

If anybody want this done, put your stem in an padded envelope along with another stamped return envelope and sent it to me. I will turn it flat free of charge. PM me and an address.

This offer has a shelf life of a couple of weeks.

[Maximumbob54]

Can you do this for the Lee RN stems? If so I have been waiting for someone to post this exact ad. The stupid round nose stem rounds the edges of all the SWC's and worse leaves a ring around the Lee 358158RF that drives me nuts!!!

[DeanWinchester]

Awesome offer and great advice. I use Lee dies and all their rifle dies (i have ever used) will let you just flip the seating plug up side down. You'll wanna file it smooth because there's usually a nib in the center left from the parting tool in their lathe.

Their pistol dies require the afore mentioned procedure. 95% of cast boolits have a meplat and 100% of the cast boolits I have had REALLY good luck with have a meplat. Sure makes for an easier time of things. I have to flat top punches in my lubesizers and they don't get changed. No need of it.

Nice offer Char! If mine weren't already done, I'd have to take you up on that.

[Char-Gar]

Can you do this for the Lee RN stems? If so I have been waiting for someone to post this exact ad. The stupid round nose stem rounds the edges of all the SWC's and worse leaves a ring around the Lee 358158RF that drives me nuts!!!

I am not familiar with Lee dies, but if the stem comes out and I can catch the shank of the stem in a lathe chuck sure, no problem. Remove the stem and send me a pic if you are unsure.

PS: I got curious and went to the Lee site for a peek see at their dies. The handgun seating die looks like any other except there is an O ring to keep the stem in place by friction rather than a little lock nut. Just remove the O ring and send it to me. You can put it back when it gets back. The O ring might cause some issues in the lathe chuck.

[Maximumbob54]

These are two Lee stems one from a .44 and one a .357. They need the rim at the bottom to hold them in place from just falling through the die. The rubber o-ring is on the adjustment knob.

http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x333/Maximumbob54/Reloading%20and%20Casting/IMG_20140522_182943284_zpsheeqck52.jpg (http://s1176.photobucket.com/user/Maximumbob54/media/Reloading%20and%20Casting/IMG_20140522_182943284_zpsheeqck52.jpg.html)

But if you can make the cup on these flat I would actually like to send you a handful of these and wouldn't mind being charged for the service. This issue is my one biggest problem with Lee that they don't/won't make a flat stem even from their custom ordering.

I've thought for a while about posting a WTB ad for someone to just machine clones of these with flat heads as I'm not sure if you might lose any amount of adjustment with losing some of the length or not. If I find I do then I don't care and will just re-order the stem from Lee. But I bet I'm far from the only one with this issue if the word would just get out that someone could make these... (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

[bbqncigars]

Have you thought about putting them on a level surface and filling the cleaned cupped end with J-B Weld? At room temp or so, it should pretty much level itself. A good file or sandpaper can true the surface if it needs it. You could do the same thing with solder if the seater is steel.

[C. Latch]

A forum member made me a flat-faced seater for my Lee .45 ACP dies.

The old seater plug squeezed my hollowpoints in such a way as to turn them into hybrid round-noses. The new flat seater is perfect, and your offer to do this for folks is outstanding.

[Char-Gar]

These are two Lee stems one from a .44 and one a .357. They need the rim at the bottom to hold them in place from just falling through the die. The rubber o-ring is on the adjustment knob.


http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x333/Maximumbob54/Reloading%20and%20Casting/IMG_20140522_182943284_zpsheeqck52.jpg (http://s1176.photobucket.com/user/Maximumbob54/media/Reloading%20and%20Casting/IMG_20140522_182943284_zpsheeqck52.jpg.html)

But if you can make the cup on these flat I would actually like to send you a handful of these and wouldn't mind being charged for the service. This issue is my one biggest problem with Lee that they don't/won't make a flat stem even from their custom ordering.

I've thought for a while about posting a WTB ad for someone to just machine clones of these with flat heads as I'm not sure if you might lose any amount of adjustment with losing some of the length or not. If I find I do then I don't care and will just re-order the stem from Lee. But I bet I'm far from the only one with this issue if the word would just get out that someone could make these... (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

The issue with those are the length. The rim would need to fit behind the chuck jaws so the jaws could grab the shank and still have enough sticking out to turn it flat. The piece might not run true is just gripped by the short rim. It might be easier to just make a new flat face stem. I am not the world's greatest machinest, but it doesn't look that hard. I would need the entire die to make certain it fit right. If you want to risk loosing a stem and would trust me with a die, send it to me and I will see what I can do. No charge, just to play with it and see. Let me know.

[Maximumbob54]

I have no idea of the rifle dies as I've not had issue with any of them but I'm pretty sure all the pistol dies have the stem with the rim on them as that's what holds them in the die body. It's a pretty simple system. No need to go to all the effort of machining a new one. I think I will try locking one in my drill press and see what an end mill does to it.

[oldfart1956]

I have no idea of the rifle dies as I've not had issue with any of them but I'm pretty sure all the pistol dies have the stem with the rim on them as that's what holds them in the die body. It's a pretty simple system. No need to go to all the effort of machining a new one. I think I will try locking one in my drill press and see what an end mill does to it. Hey Bob, just put a coupl'a wraps of tape around the shank of the seater building it up to the diameter of the rim and chuck it up. Now don't go all bonkers on tightening it up...just snug it. Turn on the drill press and hold a file to the end to flatten it. Takes longer to wrap/unwrap the shank with tape than it does to turn it down. Been there, done that. Audie..the Oldfart..