Micrometer Seating De and Nose Sizer?

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Hello Campers! It's a hot, sunny, humid day here in WNY, I hop y'all are staying cool wherever you are! Just got back from the range, starting to work up a loa for the new '06 (Mossberg) that I was lucky enough to win last spring. The load specs are:

WW cases (new)
CCI 200 primer
16.0 gr. of 2400
Lee 312-185 gr. RNGC

The boolits drop at 0.313", sized them to 0.311" and lubed with Javalina. Initial results were pretty good, 10 shots into 1-1/2" at 50 yards after zeroing the scope. I know that's not stellar but as a starting point, I'll take it! At the least, it tells me that this rifle has potential.

The nose of this boolit is cylindrical, not tapered, and mikes at 0.302". My Alloy is 94-3-3, essentially COWW with 2% tin added, though I mixed this from pure lead, lino and 50-50 solder. The nose engravs heavily when chambering the round, but will extract with a bit of a bump rearward without pulling the boolit. Neither does it telescope into the case upon loading. I use a Lyman "M" die to prep the case mouth and I straighten the flare (no crimp) with a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

So, everything works pretty well except for that stiff push needed to chamber the round. I've heard of nose-sizing dies, haven't done any research on it, but would like to get some opinions from you guys about it. Also, Micrometer Seating Die - yes, no maybe? Can you make a recommendation? Thanks for your input!

[John Boy]

The nose engravs heavily when chambering the round, but will extract with a bit of a bump rearward without pulling the boolit.
The COAL of the reload is too long ... seat the bullet deeper in the case

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The COAL of the reload is too long ... seat the bullet deeper in the case

John Boy- Can't do that, the entire nose section up to the radius of the tip would need to be in the case neck. COAL now is 3.050".

[charlie b]

NO, do not seat deeper. That bullet is designed for the nose to enter the rifled section of the barrel.

But, those bullets are for a .303 so the nose is too large for a .30cal. So, to use them in the rifle you will need to nose size. Not an unusual process. I do it for most of my .308 bullets.

Go to the NOE website and look in the sizing section. You'll need to buy the sizing bushing holder set. Then get body and nose sizers of choice.

Nose size is almost as critical as the base size when using longer bore riding bullets. When you say they were hard to chamber did you mean you had to pound on the bolt handle? If so you may have to step down to .300" or even .299". If you could close the bolt but it was very stiff, then you can probably get away with just a .301" bushing.

And, no, the fit of bullet in the muzzle is a little tighter than at the chamber, at least in my rifle. Mine are sized with a .302" bushing and they are a slip fit in the throat but an interference fit at the muzzle.

Second, I get best accuracy if the first driving band is jammed into the rifling as well. Not a lot. Basically the bullet is aligned in the bore before shooting.

[charlie b]

PS Micrometer seating die. I use a Redding competition die for my .308 jacketed bullets. My cast bullet do not fit through it (they are sized at .310). Heck, even some of my jacketed bullets are a tight fit in the die (Hornady 168gn AMax). Berger and Lapua bullets fit perfectly.

[Mk42gunner]

I've used that boolit quite a bit in .308's with military chambers with no problems. I also size to .311" but I use FWFL. I haven't done much with it in an '06. At a wild guess you are somewhere around 1500 fps, my 26" .308 was running 1587 IIRC.

Personally, I think micrometer seating dies are like fishing lures, only meant to catch reloaders instead of fishermen. Recording the setting is only going to work if you get the die body back exactly where it was the first time.

Robert

[zarrinvz24]

After initial die setup, I mark the die with a paint stick. Witness marks are your BFF. I love the Redding competition does. Top notch stuff.

[charlie b]

The micrometer die indexes just fine, especially since it is in a quick change holder.

The key to the accuracy is not the micrometer adjustment, it is how the competition die parts hold everything in alignment as the bullet is seated. If you are not measuring cartridge run out then a competition seating die may not be your cup of tea. For me it is more suited to jacketed bullets meant for long range shooting.

When seating my cast bullets I use the Lee setup. I mark the seating stems so I know where the OAL is for each cast bullet design I shoot. A poor man's micrometer stem. The setting is recorded along with the measured OAL and charge data. I use these dies in my progressive press, so they are never removed from the die plate.

[Shopdog]

Pretty simple setup here. The lower hole in this jewelers C frame press,extends through the wooden base.... invert the little,ID tapered "die" and push the nose sized bullet out.

Tapered noses "can"(don't mean will) fix issues,but also can create some. It's a touchy feely relationship on the leade of the chamber. As the ogive goes towards this taper,vs a bore radius ogive it gets a little tricky. You have to be willing to experiment,not a one size fits all process. I like a tapered nose because it gives me some latitude(longitude?) on seating depth. Meaning,a small change in where you place the taper can markedly change the "jam" on OAL.

One thing is for sure though,this dosen't have to be a complicated process. An evilbay tapered reamer and a decent drill press should get you in the fast lane. All good shop practices apply(lube the reamer and study their use).

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This is excellent information gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to respond to my queries!