Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 458 seating question

Guys, I am a neophyte when it comes to loading the 458. I am noticing that as I seat bullets that occasionally they bulge the side of the brass. That strikes me as a bad thing. I flare out the case mouths and try to place the bullets squarely in the brass. Any advice on this would be great. Thank you

I've had the same thing happen when loading straight walled cases. Is the bullet bulging at the case mouth or is it at the base of the bullet after it is seated. If it is at the base of the bullet apparently your seating stem is occasionly not catching the bullet in alignment as you seat. Since you are belling the cases mouths and placing the bullet as square as you can you are starting out right. Just a suggestion but what I do as I start the bullet, I back off the handle and rotate the shell in the shell holder a little and seat a little deeper and then repeat the process until I have seated the bullet. It might help, it has me. I've been reloading for over 30 years and still learning.

It is the base of the bullet that bulges out the side. I'll try your suggestion on the seating of the next 20. Thank you

When you resize the case, don't full length size it. Back the die off enough so the primer pops out but not all the way to the head of the case. You'll still have plenty of neck tension and not so much of a bulge in the case.

I use a VLD style inside neck chamfer tool for a .50 BMG. Even the outside tool I use was designed for .50. There is no edge after a couple of turns. This cut bulged cases by a bunch for me.
The conventional chamfer and deburring tools are awkward on a .458 case. The .50 caliber stuff doesn't feel like it is going to fall in the hole.

Its not much help ... but if you run them into a 470Capstick die they'll straighten out. I've assisted 458WinMag and 45/70's to straighten using my Capstick die.

Otherwise, as suggested, half turn and seat them a little deeper etc etc, you'll get the feel of it, but there comes a point when the projectile is deep enough that you can push it all the way in.
Cheers...
Con