Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Seating Berger VLD

I've just started loading a friends 7mm Rem Mag with 168 Berger VLD bullets. This is the first time I've used this bullet and I'm having a problem getting the bullets straight in the cartridge. The runout is between 4-7ths. The die works great with all other bullets(Sierra, Nosler, etc). It seems as though the long bullet nose is touching the back of the seater plug before the ogive touches the plug. I'm using an RCBS Competition seater and I've tried a Wilson seater(it's worse) Am I using this equipment correctly and can any of you gents help me out? Thanks, Forks.

I guess I got lucky, I use a standard RCBS seating die and can keep things in the .002-.003

I have'nt tried that! Now I will, thanks.

I pulled the plug out of my standard RCBS die and slid the nose of the long Berger VLD bullet in but the nose bottoms out just like the RCBS competition die. Thanks anyhow! It was a good idea.

I use the Wilson dies as well and have 168gn VLD's for my 7x57. I measured my stems and there is .012 clearance between the tip of the vld and the depth of the cavity. It definately bears on the ogive. I have two stems and they both measure the same.

Von Gruff.

Redding makes a seating stem, competition seater, just for the VLD bullets, don't know if they have them for their standard seater. If you have a lathe, you can use a proper sized drill to open the inside top of the seating stem to allow for the bullet tip.Rick.

If you have a concentricity gauge have you checked runout on your case necks before seating the bullet, most runout issues are from sizing problems. If your runout issue is caused by your seater switch to a Forster or Redding Comp seater.
Also excess neck tension can be a source of runout issues, if you dont use bushing type dies it might be worth a try.
B

I've seen the same problem over the years with pointy bullets and certain seating dies that do wonderfull with good old lead tip bullets. Lately I've been experimenting with an idea that seems to be helping.
I have the cases charged and ready to seat. I then take an old worn out q-tip that has the remains of some imperial sizing wax on it from old applications. I lightly rub around the case mouth enough to leave just a trace of wax at the enty point and the bullet seems to start much easier and the runnout has improved on the few batches I've tried it on. I'm not sure you can ever get the wax off one of those old q tips so I may have a "lifetime" applicator there.

I did email RCBS and Wilson but of course I hav'nt heard back from them yet beings it is the weekend. If that does not work I can talk to Redding and see about buying a new die with a different seating stem. I will check the concentricity issue with the brass and the wax idea is something I'll have to explore. Thanks for all the help, Forks