I’ve been trying to load some Sierra JHC bullets up for my 44 mag and can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. The noses of these JHC bullets are getting deformed real bad. I’ve tried running the expander die deeper, running the bullet seating plug in and out, but I can’t figure out how to not have smashed noses on these rounds. I’m using Lee dies and it sounds like it’s a common issue with their seating plug maybe? And also that they’re powder through expanding die doesn’t really expand the mouths that much? Anyone have any suggestions? I’m all ears!
"A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." ~ Aldo Leopold
Looks like you need a different seater "plug" for semi wadcutters rather than round nose. Don't know if Lee has them available or not. Your expander should give a bit of flair to the mouth.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
Call Lee customer service at the factory and have them send you a flat seating plug for your die and replace the factory standard conical plug. I have had to do this with 9mm and .45ACP Lee dies. In the event that they do not have one in stock, you can either order an additional conical shaped one, or use your current one, and either have a machinist/gunsmith cut it flat or do it yourself if you have the proper cutting tools. When I started loading .45ACP, Lee at that time was very backed up as to orders and it would be a wait for my special order. Since I wanted to have a conical shaped one on hand as well as a flat, I had them send me another "standard" conical plug and had my gunsmith cut it flat in his lathe. He didn't even charge me to cut it and it took him only a couple of minutes to do so. Works like a charm. BTW, seating plugs of one caliber are not interchangeable with those of other calibers.
"...why, land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for,... because it is the only thing that lasts."
Looks like you need a different seater "plug" for semi wadcutters rather than round nose. Don't know if Lee has them available or not. Your expander should give a bit of flair to the mouth.
Dang! And I can't even blame autocorrect on that one. 😱
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
I’ve been trying to load some Sierra JHC bullets up for my 44 mag and can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. The noses of these JHC bullets are getting deformed real bad. I’ve tried running the expander die deeper, running the bullet seating plug in and out, but I can’t figure out how to not have smashed noses on these rounds. I’m using Lee dies and it sounds like it’s a common issue with their seating plug maybe? And also that they’re powder through expanding die doesn’t really expand the mouths that much? Anyone have any suggestions? I’m all ears!
Looks to me like your seating plug is to deep. Back it out a bit and put a round back in it then screw the seating plug down to the bullet. Adjust from there.
Even the wrong seating stem plug shouldn’t give you all that deformation without an untoward amount of pressure.
My first thought is, are you seating and crimping in the same step? Seating and crimping in two separate steps will solve a plethora of handgun reloading problems, both roll-crimp revolver loads or taper-crimp autopistol loads before they start. If you are doing it in one step, try this: Remove your seating stem and back out your seating/crimping die to the point that it doesn’t crimp at all. With the seating stem out, you can find this by backing the die up, running an empty case up, then turning the die down until you feel a little resistance. Just to be sure, back out the die a quarter of a turn, and set your lock ring. Next, replace your seating stem, leaving it backed way out. Run a charged case and bullet up into the die, and start seating your bullet, little by little, adjusting the stem down each time, until you’ve got your bullet seated with the case mouth half way or a little more, up the cannelure. If you have a smashed bullet at this point, I would be surprised, unless you have a very tight expander plug. If you don’t have a smashed bullet nose, seat all your rounds in that batch, then take out your seating stem and, with a loaded round all the way up, readjust your die down in small increments until you get the desired amount of crimp. (I like to see about half my case thickness biting into the cannelure.)
Even the wrong seating stem plug shouldn’t give you all that deformation without an untoward amount of pressure.
My first thought is, are you seating and crimping in the same step? Seating and crimping in two separate steps will solve a plethora of handgun reloading problems, both roll-crimp revolver loads or taper-crimp autopistol loads before they start. If you are doing it in one step, try this: Remove your seating stem and back out your seating/crimping die to the point that it doesn’t crimp at all. With the seating stem out, you can find this by backing the die up, running an empty case up, then turning the die down until you feel a little resistance. Just to be sure, back out the die a quarter of a turn, and set your lock ring. Next, replace your seating stem, leaving it backed way out. Run a charged case and bullet up into the die, and start seating your bullet, little by little, adjusting the stem down each time, until you’ve got your bullet seated with the case mouth half way or a little more, up the cannelure. If you have a smashed bullet at this point, I would be surprised, unless you have a very tight expander plug. If you don’t have a smashed bullet nose, seat all your rounds in that batch, then take out your seating stem and, with a loaded round all the way up, readjust your die down in small increments until you get the desired amount of crimp. (I like to see about half my case thickness biting into the cannelure.)
I had some Cabela’s points and decided I’d order a set of RCBS dues to try out. When I got them the first thing I played with was the seating die. As soon as I ran the ram once, I knew that was probably 90% of my problem. Then when I set the SWC plug in the seater die and tested that, I was good to go. See attached photo.
NEXT question, is preferred powders? I’ve pretty much just used Unique or Universal for lead bullets, and IMR 4227 for jacketed bullets in my SBH. Trying to load for my CVA Scout now. 4227 is throwing pretty consistent 3 shot groups with 2 touching and one 2” off at 75 yards. This is with 200gr and 240gr XTPs and 210 and 240gr Sierras. I have a decent stock pile of non-magnum primers, so I’d like to stay away from powder that needs that to work best. But it sounds like AA#9 might be worth looking at? Any other suggestions?? Thanks!
"A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." ~ Aldo Leopold
"A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." ~ Aldo Leopold
