Boolits Getting Stuck in the Seating Die???

[Yodogsandman]

My boolits are getting stuck in the seating die! Some are getting bound up solid and the case comes down without it staying seated. About half are being seated alright. I think that's due to the variance between the two cavities of the Lee 6.5mm "Cruise Missile" mold. The RCBS seating die has a bullet clearance of just a tad over .266". Half the boolit noses are a tad over the clearance of the die. On most, the boolits are being seated to the height of the die and not to the seating stem. My Mauser M38 6.5X55 chamber is .270" and I'm sizing to .269", my bore is .266". I'm getting light engraving of the nose section for over a half inch. What's the best solution to fix this situation? Am I missing something?

Nose size to .266"?

Vary the alloy, maybe use linotype? I'm using COWW+1 1/2% Sn now.

Lap out the bullet clearance of the seating die?

Get a different mold?

[44man]

Need to lap the seating die so a boolit is a perfect fit. Dies are made for jacketed, not lead that is larger.

[geargnasher]

The crimp shoulder is biting your bullet noses, hone it out.

Gear

[runfiverun]

try seating them in your 7 mauser die.

[fatnhappy]

Lap out your die. I've needed to do it to a couple of dies over the years.

[milrifle]

Yep. What THEY said.

[Yodogsandman]

Anyone think I should also mark one of the cavities, say with a little prick punch, at the center of the nose?

I just love the size of that metplat on that Lee mold! I'm hoping someday to see a Ranch Dog designed mold offered in 6.5mm.

[geargnasher]

Just use your 0-1" mic as a "go, no go" gauge and sort them that way.

Gear

[44man]

Same as separate crimp dies. A few will not take a cast boolit. Need to lap so a boolit does not get stuck above the crimp shoulder.

[gnostic]

I've had that experience as a result of bullet lube accumulating in the seating die.

[Yodogsandman]

Just use your 0-1" mic as a "go, no go" gauge and sort them that way.

Gear

Maybe a new use for that .266" "M" die, eh?

I have to admit, I need a lot of practice with the micrometer! A month ago, I picked one up for the first time in 25 years. I couldn't remember how to even hold it. Working on it...

[10mmShooter]

had same problem with my fat .432 from my Accurate mold .44 mag flat nose. Had to abandon my Redding seater/crimper, and go with the RCBS Cowboy dies.... principle is the same you need a seater and crimper with larger diameter. Use another larger suitable caliber or lap it larger.

[wquiles]

had same problem with my fat .432 from my Accurate mold .44 mag flat nose. Had to abandon my Redding seater/crimper, and go with the RCBS Cowboy dies.... principle is the same you need a seater and crimper with larger diameter. Use another larger suitable caliber or lap it larger.

Same here. Both my Accurate and NOE 44 Mag boolits were too wide for the reloading dies. I am fortunate to have a lathe, so I was able to touch up the seating die's sleeve (Hornady). For the crimp die I switched to the seat/crimp die from RCBS - I just removed the seating stem, and used it as the crimp die. It worked great since that RCBS die allowed the .432" sized bullets to fit without rubbing, yet, the die gave me a beautiful and smooth roll crimp.

Will

[Yodogsandman]

I've had that experience as a result of bullet lube accumulating in the seating die.

At first, I thought that was my problem, too.

[country gent]

A prick punch works but better if you can fit it into the cavity is a letter o punch or zero punch from number set. Less depth and lighter kick up on the edges of the blocks. also if centered leaves a better nose surface