Belding and Mull Mod 26 Seater die

I have a very much loved B&M 22-250 bullet seater. It came to me many moons ago minus the base.

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Attachment 297744

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I use it on a piece of cold rolled steel plate that a friend ran an end mill down in for it to sit in and drilled a hole so the primer doesn’t sit on a hard surface.

I am guessing that the base would be the same for 308, 243, 30-06 and God knows how many more.

Does anyone have a B&M Seater for this case family with the original base they can take the dimensions from?

It would not be difficult to turn a proper base for it on the end of a piece of round bar stock… if I had a good photo of both sides and the dimensions.

I can’t tell you why it is important enough to me to bother making a matching base, it works real well in what I have. I think it has to do with keeping tools complete and intact.

Your last sentence says it all. There is a satisfaction we get from having as many of the “right” parts as possible. No further explanation needed. Besides, just about anything from B&M is worth seeking out. Good luck with your search.

Froggie

"Besides, just about anything from B&M is worth seeking out."

Trust me, I have had more than a few "well meaning" friends offer to relieve me of the source of my irritation by relocating this seating die to their shop. It really is a dandy.

A while back these in 30-30 were sought after with little or no luck by guys who played a tube magazine lever action benchrest game at a local range because they have a crimping shoulder and after inline seating the bullet the seating stem was taken out and the base was turned over and the case mouth crimped. The guy doing all of the winning had one he was using to load his ammo with.

I have B&M seaters in 38 Special, 45 ACP, 30-06 and 38-55. Yes I have the bases. The base fits the outside diameter of the die and not the case head. Measure the outside of you die and you are good to go. Of course there is a hole where the primer sits. I use mine with a cheap one ton Harbor Freight arbor press and do not beat on it.

They are the same basic design as the L.E. Wilson seaters. The Wilson's don't have the crimp feature. The bullet seating chamber on a Wilson is very tight and will not work with cast bullets. I had Wilson make me one in 308 Winchester with a .3125 bullet chamber.

Not all B&M seating dies have the crimp feature, only those rounds that need a crimp.

Are they worth seeking out? Yes, if you think "straight line" seating is a good thing. The B&M tend to sell for a fraction of the Wilson.

I have made a number of these type seaters from the chambers of rifle barrels. Drill and ream the hole the size I want, make the plunger to fit, turn off barrel threads and shorted so the base is even with the end of the die and make a base. I have them in 30-30, 30-40, 8mm and a few other calibers.

I have only one base, but it can be used with my 30-06 and .38 Spl die. The dimensions are....

Dia. 1.325 in, knurled
Height .530, top edge radiused, bottom flat
Seat dia .830
Seat depth .150
Primer relief hole .250, drilled through

Sorry I can't take good photos with my antique phone.

Thank you much sir!!!

I use mine with a Bald Eagle Mini Arbor press that really has been just fine after I stoned all of the burrs off the stainless steel bottom of the base and used an old ignition point file in the slot that the clamp knob tightens up on the post. Until I worked it over it would not clamp in place on the rod and would have trashed any surface it was placed on. It came highly recommended. When I first got it, IIRC from Sinclair, I was horrified at the inattention to detail and was about to send it back.