Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anyone ever try seating a bullet top down?

I know this sounds a little stupid, but what the heck- another topic in the reloading forum to talk about.

I am not exactly sure how Wilson seating dies work, but it got me thinking. What if you put your brass in the seating die without the seater in place, then dropped in the bullet from the top and threaded down the seater?

I know this would take up time to do, but with the case supported in the die, it seems like the bullet would be placed plum with the mouth. Is this how the Wilson die works?

Ok,I am ready to be called retarded.

The seater doesn't thread down to put the bullet in the case.

Read this:

http://www.lewilson.com/images/BULLET_SEATER_-_CHAMBER_TYPE.pdf

I don't know what it would do but I would pull the trigger with a string from a distance the first time! I used to load the hollow base .38 wadcutters upside down in my .357 and we would shoot 2 x 4's into splinters at the deer camp with them. They weren't very accurate but very destructive at close range.

I've never done it but I've read that it's no different than shooting a wad cutter in a pistol. also, inside of 100 yards, they can be surprisingly accurate. Maybe sorta like shooting a bullet with a very long boat tail on it????

The OP isn't talking about putting the bullet in the case backwards, he's talking about reversing the bullet seating step in the reloading sequence. No, you can't do it as the seating stem diameter is a lot smaller than bullet diameter. Additionally the seating plug is larger diameter than the seating stem, so you can't put the seating stem/plug assembly in from the top of the die - it has to go in from the bottom, the same side as the case goes in. You might be able to screw the seating stem/plug all the way up, place the bullet on top of the case, run the case/bullet up into the die, then screw down the seating stem/plug with a screwdriver to seat the bullet. Probably wouldn't help anything though, as there is clearance built into the die for generous case neck thickness differences, so the case isn't really supported snugly anyway...

Yeah, not loading the bullet base first. Thanks kcn

KCN, that's what I was doing last night in my first time using the Wilson seater. I don't have an arbor press so I was doing it by hand, it just seemed to make sense to put the brass on the base, cover it with the die body, place the bullet in the hole, watch it float on the air column, then push it down with the seater portion.

But even that works okay; two bullets in one case base to base, not so well. The second bullet is low -as expected- but It generally also "windages" as well.

Can't help with the original question.

I saw a test report of shooting bullets base up. Accuracy was far better than I would have expected.

kcn can read! bt cant!

What about cutting the base off your brass putting the bullet in from the bottom,loading powder and then taping the base back on the case?

What you smokin? Must be some good stuff. LOL

Or, forget about the brass altogether. It's a design I've been thinking about for years, the caseless rifle. It works like this - pour your powder charge down the barrel, then seat a bullet on top of it. The primer goes on a special holder on the backside of the barrel. What do you all think???

That'd be one heckofa boat tail for such an inefficient tip .

I have developed a load for the 308 Win using Horn 110 gr bullet seated upside down using a fast powder and dacron overwad. Accuracy is exceptional and velocity is slightly over 2000 fps. I have used it for head shots on squirrels and rabbits to 80 yds. Also use it for possum and raccoons and feral cats.

This is a well accepted practice for subsonic competition match rifles (.300 whisper etc) since below the speed of sound a teardrop configuration is more aerodynamically efficient, and your MV is below the speed of sound, it only makes sence.

Alabama, would you mind sharing that recipe via PM? I have a bunch of 110 gr. that I'd like to run way down in velocity for plinking and such.

I have loaded with for years with my home made hand dies. They seat the bullet from the top with the neck held. About as concentric as you can get. The Wilson dies are that way but there is a die manufacture that works with standard reloading pressed that will do the same thing. There is a slotted hole near the top of the seating die where you drop the bullet and then seat with a stroke of the leaver. Sorry but the brand name has escaped my old tired brain.

If you can you should try hand dies. If you have a lathe they are easy to make. I made my press from an old bottle capper by cutting off the base, removing about six inches of the back beam and braising it back together. Total cost was five dollars including the braising rod.

Never even occured to me to try??

I read reports of the Germans pulling their bullets and loading them upside down, they used them with great success to shoot through the trench armor. I believe it's called 'riveting".
I have loaded 308 bullets upside down, accuracy was amazingly good.