Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting VLD seating problems

I have been having a tough time getting consistent seating depths with a new set of forester benchrest dies. I am loading 140 bergers in a 6.5x284 with a full case of retumbo(57.5). I am thinking that I may have to drill out the seater stem or that the full case was somehow pushing the bullet back out of the case somehow. Any thoughts?

Here's what I do when I experience what you are. I seat the bullet and leave it in the die while I weigh the next charge and pour the powder into the next case. By then the powder seems to have taken on a "memory". Then I take it out and do the same thing again.

Don't forget to take the last one out before you leave the loading area. It's a bummer to get to the range and realize the last one is in the press.

If your load is highly compressed, you bet that your depths may vary and bullets will "pushed" back out by the powder.

You may have to try more neck tension. If you do, check accuracy as it can be affected by changing the neck tension

Thanks guys, the load fills the case to just below the shoulder. It doesn't seem that compressed, I'll try more neck tension.

What system are you using the meausre your loads. I thought I was getting inconsistent results with 6mm VLD's in a Forster Ultra seater but it turned out the tip of the bullet was hitting the end of the Davidson comparator I was using to measure them. Once I drilled it out, the results were very very consistent.

Perhaps the seating stem is engaging the tip of the bullet versus the body of the bullet during seating. As you mentioned you very well may need to drill the stem a bit. That's where I would look to start with.

I have something I use to measure about half way down the ogive to accomplish the same thing. If I measure the ends of Nosler .257 85 grain varmint bullets I get slightly different OAL dimensions.

Like stated Id suspect the tip is engaging the stem before the ogive. You can easily test it by coloring the bullet with a sharpie and seeing where the contact is made. Very easy fix to drill it out and then lightly lap the stem and polish it. Also are you measuring off the ogive with a comparator or measuring to the tip of the bullet?

I'll try the marker to check the seating die, I am measuring from the ogive with a comparator so that's not the problem. I suspect its a neck tension problem after talking with my gunsmith, he is going to mill some off the bottom of my die. He told me that he has had to do that with quite a few of the forrester dies.

You can call the die mfg and get a VLD seating stem.

You may want to try another, less bulky powder. My 6.5-284 does very well with 48.8 gr. RL-17 and 140 gr. VLD's. It shoots half MOA at a consistent 3,000 fps. No compressed load here.

A Lee Factory Crimp die will stop those bullets from moving around.

DF

Isn't a lee factory crimp die applied after the bullet seating has taken place? How would that help? I just tried VLD's in my 270 short mag and I can't get two bullets in a row to seat anywhere close to what they are supposed to be. Won't shoot either. I thought maybe it was just the tip of the bullets aren't consistent but now I don't know. I use redding dies. Really wanted to drink the Berger kool aid but its not tasting too good.

I'm loading 140 gr Berger VLD's in my 270 WSM and they shoot lights out. I have them seated to touch the lands, as that proved to be the most accurate seating depth. Rifle is a custom and shoots 1/2 MOA reliably. Also using Redding dies. Seating die is a comp die. Seating depths, as measured with a Stony Point comparator, is usually within .001. Powder is 61.8 gr H4831SC.

If the seating depth won't hold long enough to get to the Lee FC die, you need more neck tension. If using a comp type sizing die, get a smaller bushing. With Lee Collet neck sizer, cut the mandrel down. If conventional dies, cut down the ball expander.

DF

I had the same problem with 140 Hybrids in the 6.5-284 and my Forster seating die (Redding did the same thing) here is what I had to do:

First I had to move up one bushing size, then I had to lightly lube the jacket with sizing wax. If you look closely, you will see that there is probably a slight indentation around the bullet where it contacts the seating plug. The 140s are hollow all the way up and it doesn't take much to upset that thin J4 jacket. Neck tension has to be really consistent.

Anneal your brass, only load brass that has the exact same number of firing cycle on it and keep your neck tension as light as you can safely run in your rifle.

Never really had this crop up until I had the same combination that you have (assuming you have hybrids)

Thanks again guys. I am running the hybrids, I will order up another bushing and try that. I've never annealed brass, but it doesn't look to difficult; I'll give it a go.
Tyson

More than likely the seating stem is designed for conventional bullets and the VLD is hitting the point rather than further back on the ogive, as someone said. Doubt that neck tension is a problem if powder is not compressed. Best bet is to get a VLD stem.

Clarence

I was having the same problem with the same bullets and came to the same conclusion as Dennis. If that is the problem, then a bigger bushing (less neck tension/less pressure needed to seat the bullet) would certainly help.

Inconsistent neck tension will play hell with seating depth.

Trimming the bottom of the die doesn't do anything for neck tension it just allows you to get more shoulder bump and a little more base / body size.
If they are compressed use a drop tube

Personally, a new seating stem for VLD bullets would be my first step. Seen this several times with the "long/skinny" type bullets.