Press technique

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mikerjf

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Starting to make 9mm, and 45acp beyond simple LSWC. Trying to be accurate, and I noticed on the last FMJ 45's that my COAL was varying more than I liked. (Using mixed brass, some once-fired, some ancient, some inbetween...)

Had an idea... instead of one smooth stroke of the press to seat, I started doing 3-4 partial strokes. First one gets the bullet straight and in a little, 2nd one in a little more, last one I go all the way and hold it a second or so at the end.

Result: Suddenly COAL is all within a .002 spread! Actually, most are right on or .001 longer. I'm wondering if maybe I'm "normalizing" how the bullet hits the seating stem?

Is this something everybody does? Or random coincidence? :)
 
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If your cases are adequately flared and you don't have lube built up on your seating stem, it should be one a done. I don't think holding at the top makes any difference.

But, as Ivan says ... if it's working for you, why not? I've been known to rotate my case 180 degrees and hit it a second time on roll crimps. I don't think it makes a bit of difference but it makes me happy.
 
mikerjf said:
...I started doing 3-4 partial strokes. First one gets the bullet straight and in a little, 2nd one in a little more, last one I go all the way and hold it a second or so at the end.
Click to expand...

I've been doing it that way for a while but on each of my partial strokes I rotate the assembly partially. I feel this ensures the bullet gets started straight as often bullets tend to tilt a little when first being started.

I've never noticed it made any different in a more consistent COAL" however.

For me, since I load mostly JHPs, I found a flat seating plug gave vastly more consistent COAL" than the typical round nose seating plug that many come with, like from Lee Precision's.

A flat seating plug ($8) can easily be obtained from Lee by requesting SKU# 90485 on their Custom Services page (link below) & stating the caliber required.

Custom Bullet Seating Plug - Lee Precision

.
 
Didn't think of rotating, I'll do that too! :)

And yes, the flat-nose seater might be a good thing, will get one.
 
A flat nose seater can help. However with thin jacketed, soft cored plated bullets, it'll create flat nosed FMJs. How consistent those flat points are formed depends on how consistent the force needed to seat the bullets happens to be.

I suggest buying a number of seating stems, greasing a bullet and then placing a small amount (seriously, a *small* amount) of JB weld in the seating stem, seating the greased bullet and letting it cure for about 8 hours before raising the arm on the press. The end result will be the top of the seating stem conforming to the curve at the end of the bullet.
 
TECHS

AlHunt said:
If your cases are adequately flared and you don't have lube built up on your seating stem, it should be one a done. I don't think holding at the top makes any difference.

But, as Ivan says ... if it's working for you, why not? I've been known to rotate my case 180 degrees and hit it a second time on roll crimps. I don't think it makes a bit of difference but it makes me happy.
Click to expand...

I dont know either but I sure have done it:)
 
LEE CUSTOM

BLUEDOT37 said:
I've been doing it that way for a while but on each of my partial strokes I rotate the assembly partially. I feel this ensures the bullet gets started straight as often bullets tend to tilt a little when first being started.

I've never noticed it made any different in a more consistent COAL" however.

For me, since I load mostly JHPs, I found a flat seating plug gave vastly more consistent COAL" than the typical round nose seating plug that many come with, like from Lee Precision's.

A flat seating plug ($8) can easily be obtained from Lee by requesting SKU# 90485 on their Custom Services page (link below) & stating the caliber required.

Custom Bullet Seating Plug - Lee Precision

.
Click to expand...


Well maybe. I called them the other day and on LAINE in customer service, as soon as I ask her to speak up i was hearing impaired her attitude noticeable changed. Her retort, after I stated the two presses I used was I needed to buy a new press, (Lee) was what she was hinting. No help there so I am moving on. I dont need a new press and am in doubts any thing Lee sells can equal my REDDING operation. :( :mad:
 
mikerjf said:
Starting to make 9mm, and 45acp beyond simple LSWC. Trying to be accurate, and I noticed on the last FMJ 45's that my COAL was varying more than I liked. (Using mixed brass, some once-fired, some ancient, some inbetween...)

Had an idea... instead of one smooth stroke of the press to seat, I started doing 3-4 partial strokes. First one gets the bullet straight and in a little, 2nd one in a little more, last one I go all the way and hold it a second or so at the end.

Result: Suddenly COAL is all within a .002 spread! Actually, most are right on or .001 longer. I'm wondering if maybe I'm "normalizing" how the bullet hits the seating stem?
Click to expand...
What dies are you using for your 9mm and .45 loads? If they are tight in the press , you've got the brass trimmed to same length and slightly bell-mouthed (expander die) and the seating die is properly adjusted, you should have all the rounds coming out the same OAL without all the fiddling. I have RCBS, Lee, and Hornady dies for my handguns, they all have a 'floating' seater, which allows the bullet to shift a bit and self-center when you start the press to seat the bullet.

You're not trying to crimp your autoloader rounds are you?
 
Too slow with zero benefit. Put 0.003" on your calipers, you can barely see the gap. Just dont swearpt it. Nose variations on some bullets will yield more variation than that. I stopped chasing numbers about 35y ago. You arent really making better ammo chasing numbers. Put it on paper, you see it just doesnt matter.
 
Since most pistol ammo does not have to be crimped on a "Can"..........
the smooth wall bullet can be +/- a little bit and still not hurt, if your cases are a little different in over all length.

I do like to have the "Correct" bullet seating tip in the die, to help center the bullet and try to keep the OAL a little closer..........
than using the wrong seater, that might cause the bullet to lean or not center correctly.

I do it in one motion but I also do it slowly to start the bullet and help the case from bulging.

Good loading.
 
Sounds like you are concentrating more on you press operation and adding consistency. Try to operate the press at the same speed, same force, same handle "swing" every time, every round. I've found consistency in the reloading process, regardless of the step, produces consistent, accurate ammo...
 
I've been doing it for years .
I also noticed more consistent seating ...not only in length but with the bullet being straighter in the case .
During the second seating step I will spin the round in the shell holder 180 degrees .
I also get the bullet fully seated with no crimp being applied then in a seperate step do the crimping .
I find it does make a difference ... most are interested in speed and don't really want to do the extra steps to load accurate ammo ... so I usually don't mention the extra steps I do .
Gary
 
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