So I just got into reloading recently and bought DRCBS rock chucker kit and RCBS neck die set 270 win. I spent a significant amount of time researching recipients and made sure what I was getting was by the book. I did end up running into a problem while using my seating die where before I can even get the bullet seated it squished my brass to look like a turtle neck(see image attached). I did try it 1 time without a projectile loaded and it did the same thing. I have also tried it with the die only screwed on a little bit(2-3 threads). I did lightly lubricate the outside and mouth of the case. I really can't find any info on this. Any help would be amazing, thanks.
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What am i doing wrong?
- Thread starter Zapoyou
- Start date
Exactly how are you setting up and adjusting your seating die? Looks to me like the seating die is run down too much.
Read this link, read the portion about Bullet Seating Without Crimping. They describe exactly what you are seeing, a crushed case.
Ron
Read this link, read the portion about Bullet Seating Without Crimping. They describe exactly what you are seeing, a crushed case.
Ron
I agree with ReloaderRon that your seater die might not be adjusted properly. You might also want to check your case length with calipers or a case gauge. If the neck is too long, the same thing might happen, but it looks like a significant amount of case neck is crushed, so it is less likely that the neck stretched that much. Go back to the RCBS manual for setting up your dies. If you don't have them, you can probably get them online or call RCBS. Their customer service is excellent.
Does a neck die have a resizer bulb on the stem?
Are the bullets flat based (that can be an issue getting started unless you chamber the case)
Are you trying to crimp? If so, do not.
Not needed for rifle, if you do it on anything separate operation, the crimp and seat thing is just to darned tricky (IMNSHO_)
New brass or fired?
Are the bullets flat based (that can be an issue getting started unless you chamber the case)
Are you trying to crimp? If so, do not.
Not needed for rifle, if you do it on anything separate operation, the crimp and seat thing is just to darned tricky (IMNSHO_)
New brass or fired?
firewrench044
New member
Your seating die does 2 things
1 -- it seats the bullet ( the seating plug )
2 -- it crimps the case neck ( the die body )
It looks like the die itself is screwed down way too far
so that the crimp is so sever it is doing that to your case
back off the die assembly ( a lot )( to where it will not touch the case )
screw down the seating plug ( not the entire die )
Try that let us know what happens
The case or cases that are crushed are scrap
( when you get a 5 gallon bucket full of scrap brass,
take it to the scrap yard and get some money for loading supplies )
1 -- it seats the bullet ( the seating plug )
2 -- it crimps the case neck ( the die body )
It looks like the die itself is screwed down way too far
so that the crimp is so sever it is doing that to your case
back off the die assembly ( a lot )( to where it will not touch the case )
screw down the seating plug ( not the entire die )
Try that let us know what happens
The case or cases that are crushed are scrap
( when you get a 5 gallon bucket full of scrap brass,
take it to the scrap yard and get some money for loading supplies )
Smoke & Recoil
New member
Double check the bullet diameter, double check that you have the correct die.
Like you said, the die was only threaded in by 2 or 3 threads so there's do
chance that the brass is contacting the crimp portion in the die.
Like you said, the die was only threaded in by 2 or 3 threads so there's do
chance that the brass is contacting the crimp portion in the die.
As noted, check the diameter of the bullets first.
Are you chamfering/deburring the inside of the sized mouths? Hence the question about using a flatbased bullet.
It looks like the bullet is not fitting into the case mouth and is crushing the neck.
Remove the seating stem from you seating die and try running a case into the seating die. It should not crush the neck when you do this. If it does then the seating die has been screwed in too far or there is an obstruction in the die.
Many of us will seat the bullet without a crimp and then crimp as a third step using a LEE Factory Crimp die.
Are you chamfering/deburring the inside of the sized mouths? Hence the question about using a flatbased bullet.
It looks like the bullet is not fitting into the case mouth and is crushing the neck.
Remove the seating stem from you seating die and try running a case into the seating die. It should not crush the neck when you do this. If it does then the seating die has been screwed in too far or there is an obstruction in the die.
Many of us will seat the bullet without a crimp and then crimp as a third step using a LEE Factory Crimp die.
precision_shooter
New member
You mention you are neck sizing only. Is there an expanded ball in your sizing die? If not you may likely be sizing the neck too small and the case is collapsing while the bullet is forced into the small neck.
Zapoyou,
Welcome to the forum.
Reloadron hit it right. Those case mouths have heavy crimp shoulder marks, so the crimp shoulder compressed the case shoulders via the neck. The reason the die body and the seating stem adjust independently is that different shape bullets need the seating stem and crimp shoulder in different relative positions even when you do choose to use a crimp. The die body adjusts the crimp and the seating stem adjusts the bullet seating depth. They have to be adjusted separately for this reason.
You are in good company with many a beginning reloader who mentally transposed the resizing die instructions with the seating die instructions and thought the seating die body's mouth needed to make contact with the shell holder like a resizing die mouth does. It does not and should not. It is actually meant to provide a range of crimp adjustment by varying how far from the shell holder its mouth is when the press ram is fully raised.
In your case, you are unlikely to need a crimp. Crimps are arguably necessary for full-auto weapons or other extremely rough handling. In some instances there is an accuracy improvement obtained from using them, but not usually you can do as well by adjusting your powder charge or bullet seating depth or by changing to a magnum primer to increase start pressure. By not crimping, your cases last through more reloads before they start to split, so unless you expect rough handling or cannot achieve equal accuracy by another means, I would avoid crimping.
So let's start you with no crimp.
{indent]1.) Back out the seating stem by loosening the small nut on top of the black knurled nut at the top of the die body. Unscrew the slender threaded seating stem, raising it as far as it goes.
2.) Unscrew the die body from the press until just the last two or three threads are hanging onto the press.
3.) Put a resized case into the shell holder and raise press the handle to raise the ram all the way up.
4.) With the case in this position, hold the press handle down and screw in the die body until you feel it stop against the case or feel it try to raise the press handle or both. This will indicate the crimp shoulder making contact with the case mouth.
5.) Back the die out a full turn, then take your hand off the press handle and hold the die body from turning while you turn the die locking ring down to contact the press with your other hand, and then tighten the set screw in it. The die body is now positioned to make no crimp and the locking ring marks the spot so you can find this position without adjustment next time.
6.) Lower the ram and put a bullet on top of the case and raise it again.
7.) Hold the ram up while you screw the seating stem down until it stops against the bullet.[/indent]
At this point, any further adjustment of the seating stem will start seating the bullet into the case. If you intend to make a dummy round for reference, proceed to the next step. If not, replace the case with one that has been primed and charged with powder.
That last step can be done by calculation, but most folks just turn the seating stem in some by eyeball, holding off on tightening the locking nut, then run the press ram back up, lower it, and check the length of the cartridge. They keep repeating this, turning the seating stem in a little more and running the ram back up, seating the bullet a little deeper each time until they wind up with the cartridge length they want. At that point they tighten the nut that locks the seating stem in place. The die is now set up.
Welcome to the forum.
Reloadron hit it right. Those case mouths have heavy crimp shoulder marks, so the crimp shoulder compressed the case shoulders via the neck. The reason the die body and the seating stem adjust independently is that different shape bullets need the seating stem and crimp shoulder in different relative positions even when you do choose to use a crimp. The die body adjusts the crimp and the seating stem adjusts the bullet seating depth. They have to be adjusted separately for this reason.
You are in good company with many a beginning reloader who mentally transposed the resizing die instructions with the seating die instructions and thought the seating die body's mouth needed to make contact with the shell holder like a resizing die mouth does. It does not and should not. It is actually meant to provide a range of crimp adjustment by varying how far from the shell holder its mouth is when the press ram is fully raised.
In your case, you are unlikely to need a crimp. Crimps are arguably necessary for full-auto weapons or other extremely rough handling. In some instances there is an accuracy improvement obtained from using them, but not usually you can do as well by adjusting your powder charge or bullet seating depth or by changing to a magnum primer to increase start pressure. By not crimping, your cases last through more reloads before they start to split, so unless you expect rough handling or cannot achieve equal accuracy by another means, I would avoid crimping.
So let's start you with no crimp.
{indent]1.) Back out the seating stem by loosening the small nut on top of the black knurled nut at the top of the die body. Unscrew the slender threaded seating stem, raising it as far as it goes.
2.) Unscrew the die body from the press until just the last two or three threads are hanging onto the press.
3.) Put a resized case into the shell holder and raise press the handle to raise the ram all the way up.
4.) With the case in this position, hold the press handle down and screw in the die body until you feel it stop against the case or feel it try to raise the press handle or both. This will indicate the crimp shoulder making contact with the case mouth.
5.) Back the die out a full turn, then take your hand off the press handle and hold the die body from turning while you turn the die locking ring down to contact the press with your other hand, and then tighten the set screw in it. The die body is now positioned to make no crimp and the locking ring marks the spot so you can find this position without adjustment next time.
6.) Lower the ram and put a bullet on top of the case and raise it again.
7.) Hold the ram up while you screw the seating stem down until it stops against the bullet.[/indent]
At this point, any further adjustment of the seating stem will start seating the bullet into the case. If you intend to make a dummy round for reference, proceed to the next step. If not, replace the case with one that has been primed and charged with powder.
8.) lower the ram and turn the seating stem in by the amount you intend to seat the bullet. Tighten the nut on the seating stem to lock it in place.
That last step can be done by calculation, but most folks just turn the seating stem in some by eyeball, holding off on tightening the locking nut, then run the press ram back up, lower it, and check the length of the cartridge. They keep repeating this, turning the seating stem in a little more and running the ram back up, seating the bullet a little deeper each time until they wind up with the cartridge length they want. At that point they tighten the nut that locks the seating stem in place. The die is now set up.