I'm new to this reloading stuff and am trying a lot of different bullets etc. I'm getting frustrated adjusting the seating depth each time I change bullets. Is there a die that I could partially seat the bullet, measure the overall length and say I need to go .1" deeper, turn a dial on the die and go exactly .1" deeper without the "trial & error" I'm doing now? Thanks!

Yup,there are many setups
You need a micrometer on the bullet seater.These dies cost a lot.relatively speaking.You also need 1 for each caliber.
I found the much simpler setup from Wilson the fastest and easiest.also seats the bullets straight.

sheephunter

Hey gahunter2, You don't really need to buy anything new. Your current Seating Die will do the job once you know this little trick.

You are best served to take a single "Set-Up Bullet" from a box and by whatever method you choose determine what the Overall Cartridge Length(OCL) is for it to just Kiss-the-Lands or feed through your magazine, whichever is shorter. I like to use the old time proven Cleaning Rod method to determine OCL to Kiss-the-Lands, but there are many ways to do this task.

Screw the Seating Die into the Press so it will not "Crimp" an empty case and set the Lock Ring on the body. (Make sure you are able to unscrew the Die from the Press after you secure the Lock Ring.)

Seat the "Set-Up Bullet" to the previous OCL and tighten the Lock Nut on the Seating Stem. Without changing the position of the Seating Stem, unscrew the Seating Die from the Press and measure the "Overall Seating Die Length" from the mouth to the top of the Seating Stem. Record this number on that box of bullets as the "OSDL". (And totally forget about OCL at this point.)

Example: Let's say the OSDL is 4.130". Now, if you want the bullets Seated 0.025" Off-the-Lands, adjust the OSDL to 4.105", screw it in the Press and begin loading bullets from that box.

Anytime you open a new box of bullets, re-measure the OSDL and write it on that box. You need to do this to compensate for changes in your firearms throat as well as minor changes made to the Ogive by the Bullet manufacturers.

Oops! Hot Core, sounds like good advice but I ordered a new die earlier today. I bought the die for .223, I'll try your method on 221 Fireball loads.

thats the method i use hotcore... take a split or other wise screwed up case and seat the bullet into it just perfectly and use it for a gauge. works great......

Hey gahunter2 Nothing at all wrong with getting a nice Micrometer style Seater. Depending on the model, it may even come with one of the "sleaves" which aligns the Bullet with the Casemouth before it is squased in.

Of course, they are designed to "Zero" the Die at any height you desire. So, if you use a specific bullet all the time, that would be nice.

On the other hand if you use multiple bullet brands, you could "Zero" for the one you use the most and then simply record the Setting for the other brands when they are set to just Kiss-the-Lands on their box.

Don't know if it has enough "Range" in the Micrometer, but you can possibly use it with the 221FireBall too. I don't think you wasted your money.

Just keep the top of the Press clean so when you screw the Seater in, it will be in the same position every time. Of course this is true for both Seating Die styles.

Hey tasco74, Good for you. I've often wondered why this isn't a Standard Reloading Procedure. I've never seen it written up in a Gun Rag(when I took them), nor in a Reloading Manual.

So, it is good to hear you are aware of it too.