Hi, I am new to realoding and needs some help, when you completing this step, how can you positively confirm that you did a great job ?

I am not sure I completely understand what you are asking. But if what I read is right, visually it looks good and chambers in the gun. Bullet depth is critical in some cases if you are limited to magazine length, chamber lengths, bullet type etc. Some guns like it on the lands (be careful with pressures) and some like a jump between the bullet and lands.

Thats the beauty and fun of reloading. Figuring out what your gun(s) like best.

If you don't have someone that knows what they doing helping you, a reloading manual will be your best friend. You should have one anyway for reference. I have three and want more.

I have a Lyman book, Sierra, and Swift. There are other good manuals out there also such as Barnes, Speer, and Hornaday. I am sure there are more than just these.

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Hi, I am new to realoding and needs some help, when you completing this step, how can you positively confirm that you did a great job ?

Easy, take your rifle and your reloaded ammo to the range and shoot it, that will tell you if you did a great job.

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Originally posted by swheeler:

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Hi, I am new to realoding and needs some help, when you completing this step, how can you positively confirm that you did a great job ?

Easy, take your rifle and your reloaded ammo to the range and shoot it, that will tell you if you did a great job.

Is there any guide line ? Can it be dangerous if it is not done properly ?

Got any buddies that reload?? If so please have them help you on your first or second batches.....the help of a good meantor is really invaluable.

If you`ve stayed within the COL for your bullet that is listed in the manual you got your load out of and the bullet is firmly held by the neck, you should be fine.

Your process is your guarantee of a good product. In your early period, you are correct to have concerns, as you have not perfected your process, nor have you made it habit. It is necessary for you to understand every step, the deviations that are possible, and the consequences of any deviations. There are steps that you can take to assure your process will not have deviations that will produce unfortunate consequences.

1. Be sure of your components.

2. Only have the powder of choice on your bench.

3. Double-check each powder charge as it is dispensed into the case.

4. Visually check again before seating bullet. You do not want double charges.

5. You can weigh the finished product to determine if any are not at expected weight.

Hope this is helpful. Your process is your guarantee.

Yeah, for basic correct bullet seating, start with the listed over all length for that particular cartridge/and or bullet.

If you still don't have a caliper, at least compare to a factory round.

It needs to be short of the rifleing or it may stick in the barrel if ejected without fireing.

It needs to be seated long enough to have as little as possible below the case shoulder, yet short enough to fit in the box magazine.

It should be a firm fit in the neck. If the bullet has a cannelure, that is USUAllY the normal seating depth.

You normally would have the seating die just high enough in the press to avoid using the crimping ring unless you need it.

The bullet should look straight and neat without scrapes or gouges, like a factory one only probably without the case-crimp.

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the bullet has a cannelure

I will be reloading 7 mm rm hornady 139 sst, can you confirm that the bullet cannelure is the in the middle of the bullet, it look like a press mark. And that cannelure should be lined up with the edge of the neck?

Yes it is a press mark. You don't have to take too much notice of it, but the bullet maker has put it there for you to crimp the case end into, if you want to. So it's also a reasonable mark to just seat to until you get to adjusting the length for various other reasons.

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when you completing this step, how can you positively confirm that you did a great job ?

You make sure the final job is good by checking your work at each stage as you progress, not as something done at the end.

Size/deprime - Check that the primer flash hole is clear and each primer pocket is reasonably clean.

Reprime - Check that the top of the primer is juat barely below the level of the case head.

Charge - Check EACH case powder level under a strong light to confirm 1) that there is powder in it AND 2) that each powder column is the same height as the others BEFORE beginning to seat bullets.

Seating - Observe each bullet after it is seated; did it enter smoothly or are the bullet heels getting damaged by the case mouth. Are all the bullets seated to the same OAL depth, within maybe 10 thou anyway, or not?

Crimping - (if any) - Did the crimps cause any case shoulders to bulge outward? Do the crimps turn smoothy into the cannelure at (nearly) the same point?

Clean the cases - Remove any residual case lube with a cloth dampened with either water or denatured alcohol, depending on lube type.

If you do all this at each step of the way your final product WILL be good. Efforts to make a check after completion is almost pointless.

The major criteria for bullet seating is that they feed from the magazine & that they are not crush fit into the lands (rifling). You can then seat them deeper or shallower to fine tune for accuracy.
There are also bullet run-out guages that measure the bullets concentricity (how straight they are seated) but I think they can cause as much grief as anything else.

Don't forget to measure and make sure it is under the Max length, or it might not chamber well.

I also like to make up a dummy round, no primer,no powder, which is handy for checking re rifling clearance and magazine length etc.

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Originally posted by Bobletroutcul:
... how can you positively confirm that you did a great job ?

Hey Bob, There are a couple of quick ways. One doesn't work worth a clinton, two work pretty well and the 4th Method works great.
1. You can measure the OCL with a set of Calipers. This will drive you crazy because they will "ALL" vary in length. This is due to the distance from the "Ogive Datum Point <-> Bullet Tip Variance", which is normal. So, OCL can be misleading.
2. Sinclair makes a Thingy called a Bullet Comparitor which is a large Aluminum Hex shaped unthreaded Nut with 6 different holes in the Flats. You slide one over the Bullet so it touches the Ogive Datum Point and measure across the Bullat Comparitor to the Case Head with a set of Calipers.
3. You can do the same as #2 using a Socket out of your Tool Box. Use the Largest Socket you have which will not slip past the Ogive and measure across the end of the Socket to the Case Head with the Calipers.
4. This is the Method I use which is Seating Bullets by converting OCL to ODL and using a smooth consistent Seating Stroke. You can save the cost of the very expensive Micrometer Seating Stem Dies if you use this Method with Regular Dies - and it will be just as easy and accurate.

You will need to check and make sure the Seating Stem is pushing against the Ogive instead of having the Bullet Tip touching the bottom of the Seating Stem Cup, or it won't work properly. The latest and highest Ballistic Coefficient Bullets with their long sleek profile can be a problem.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for all the info, one last question, if the bullet has a cannelure do you have to crimp it, and if not what is the advantage of doing it or not?

Hey Bob, I hate to say this, but it depends. On my Bolt Actions which "are not" Dangerous Game Rifles, I do not Crimp.

If it is a Lever Action, Semi-Auto, Pump or a Cartridge for my Revolvers, I do a slight Roll Crimp. On the Pistol Cartridges, I do either a Taper Crimp or a Profile Crimp(not much difference between them).

Here is a recent Thread on Crimping which will provide you with more than just one answer.

Best of luck to you.