I am currently using a Lee 44 seating die. It works, in that it seats bullets. But it tends to flatten the nose of Nosler hollow points, and noticeably closes the hollow point of Speer GDHP's.

Has anyone had success with other dies for these bullets? I know RCBS includes two stems with their seating die. Does Redding? I've replaced most of my 44 kit with Redding dies and been quite happy with their performance and quality. Will the seating die serve me well?

I know Lee will cut a new seating plug if you send them some bullets, but I have no interest in doing that.

Sounds like you're using the RN stem. Find a Flat nose stem.

You may also be crimping a little heavy which amplifies that flattening.

Interesting. I've never heard of that before. The seating die is actually deforming the nose of the bullets? Seems to me they shouldn't be that hard to push down into the cases. Are the bullets oversized? Or the case necks undersized - maybe not flared enough?

Here are some of my 9mm..

Xtreme 115gr.. half with flattened noses..
Speer GDHP.. the middle one with a deformed nose..

They came about because of too much crimp.

Attached Images

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It's not the bullets, but the seating stem. There are different shapes for seating different-style bullets -- round, flat, pointed, whatever-- and the correct shape will not deform the bullet tip.

One trick you might try -- wad up a tiny ball of aluminum foil, poke it up in to the recess of the seating stem, then try seating a round. With luck and a bit of fiddling you can temporarily "adapt" the seating stem's shape to work with the bullets you are using.

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Pisgah

Common. That's why RCBS sends out two seating stems. IIRC, they will sell you a Gold Dot stem in some calibers.

Pisgah's aluminum foil hack will work, as will epoxy bedding compound. Both are short term fixes. You are better off getting a custom stem from the manufacturer.

I don't crimp when seating. That foil trick sounds interesting! I don't load that many of the GDHP's. They are the Special ones, so the cavity is really big, and the surrounding bullet fairly thin. I'm sure that contributes to it.

Send a couple of each bullet to Lee and for about $12 each, they'll make you custom seating stems for each bullet.
The only part of the seating die that is important is the seating stem, so why bother with generic seating stems from ANY company when custom stems are cheap enough. Why hack when you can get quality affordably?
Ask for seating stems that contact the bullet's ogive as far down as possible and doesn't touch the meplat at all and you'll be a lot happier.

Because I have no interest in doing that. That's why in the OP I used the phrase "I have no interest in doing that".

No disrespect, but you have indeed stated this twice - but have given no reason. Most of us around here tend to look for the simplest solutions to problems. Just curious as to why you're so dead set against this simple solution.

Clean your existing seating stem and put silicone in it and run a bullet up in the seating die enough to square the bullet to the stem. Let it dry and remove the bullet. Your seating stems nose will now match the bullet your seating. New bullet, remove the silicone and use the seating stem as you normally would until you have another problem bullet.

For long term/large #'s of reloading with a bullet your seating stem doesn't like. Either use something more permanent as already stated like epoxy.

Ooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I know (You have no interest in doing so!!!!!!!!!!) Buy or make the right tool for the job. Myself, I make my own seating stems for problem bullets. Actually allot of the bullets I make are the problem. Ssssssoooooooooo custom bullets ='s custom seating stems.

Right now I use redding dies for the 44mag, they use a seating stem that's hollow. It seats on the shoulder of the bullets. No shoulder (swc/wc) ='s minor ring marks on the octive of some bullets.

I use lyman dies for the 44spl and interchange seating stems when needed. 99.9% of all the bullets I seat for the 44's (14 of them) can be seated by 2 stems. A round nosed stem and a wc/flat stem. I made a sustom stem for this pointed/sp 200gr bullet for the 44's. (kept smashing the nose).



My home made swaged jacketed hp's/xtp clones have no problem leaving the huge hp open when seating them.



I shoot a ton of 44cal's, have for decades. It's a toss up between the 38spl and 44spl for plinking & playing. But at the end of the day when play times over the 44spl is in my pocket.

My RCBS seating die will deform Nosler HPs slightly with either seating stem, this in both .357 and .44. Also whether I seat and crimp in one step or two. Tells me I have good neck tension and/or the Noslers use a very soft lead core. IME, The slight change does not seem to effect accuracy or terminal performance. If it bothers you, spend the $12 for a custom stem, otherwise load 'em and shoot 'em.

I ran into this with rifle bullets (Hornady SP Interlock in 30 and 35 cal).
I got the glue gun out and put a drop or two in the seating die, let it sit and then loaded a few rounds. Solved my problem.

Charlie

Make a custom fit plug with a small ball of epoxy putty. Place it in the seating stem, grease a bullet nose , seat the bullet and let harden. Remove the bullet and clean up any overflow. Now you have a perfect, non-deforming custom fit to your bullet. Hot glue is softer, epoxy putty will last much longer but can still be removed. I found the putty easier to use than liquid epoxy like J-B Weld, in fact the putty I'm using now is made by J-B Weld.
Another way to skin this cat , if you have an interest in doing it.