Hello,

I'm getting geared up for a 6.5-08 match rifle I'm getting put together at the beginning of the year (action and barrel work being done now, and stock should arrive around the same time). This should have a 28-29" barrel on it, w/ a 1-8" twist.

The problem I'm running into is that it looks as if these long spiky 6.5mm match bullets like the Lapua 123gr and 139gr Scenars, Sierra 140 and 142gr MatchKings, and JLK 141gr VLD's are bottoming out in the top of the seater *before* the seater contacts the ogive. I had read something about this in a reloading book, and decided to check on my die. Figured better to get this dealt w/ ahead of time.

Sure enough, when I take the seater stem, flip it up and set a bullet in point first, there is about 1/32" (what about 15-16 thou) side play, as the bullet is already bottomed out on the bullet tip. Given the variations in bullet length that are normal, this could be problematic for consistent seating depth, it would seem.

The die in question is a Forster BR seater. I'd heard of Redding Competition dies having an even more pronounced problem w/ this, so I'm not sure changing brands would 'fix' the problem. The mainstream die producers don't seem to be set up for these bullets.

So, now the million dollar question: How do I fix the problem? I've heard some reference to getting the seater reamed out, but how do I do that w/o b0rking the area that contacts the ogive of the bullet? Clamp it in a vise on a drill press table and using a small bit open up the nose area a bit? Any other ideas?

TIA,

Monte

Milanuk:

As I see the problem you have two ways to go.

1, with a lathe,milling machine,or a good drill press you can create your own custom seating stem. If you ddon't feel comfortable doing this yourself you can have the work done at a machine shop.

2, Contact Forester, share your problem with them. They will (for a price) provide you with a custom seating stem.

Use the "pointiest" (largest ogive) bullet you will use for the correct profile internally for your stem.

muck

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, the local machine shop that would be set up to do a lot of the things that come to mind doesn't seem to be to keen on doing 'small projects'. Mostly I get long-winded explanations of how it's going to take 3-5 hrs of setup time and creating special holding jigs, etc., at $70/hr shop time, for something as simple as flattening the sole of a hand plane and squaring the sides. Whether or not it actually does take that long (can't imagine it does for an experienced machinist), it pretty much is automatically out of my price range.

Fortunately, I was just cruising thru the Forster website. First encouraging thing was the picture of the HighPower Match shooter w/ a spacegun. Nice to see the manufacturers acknowledge a shooting sport other than benchrest. Second I saw the blurb about special seater stems available specifically for VLD's. Excellent. I know that as nice as Reddings are, the Forster seaters are kind of gaining a following w/ the AR shooters, as they tend to stuff long spiky bullets over heavily compressed charges, which wreaks havoc on the Redding stems.

Guess I'll be calling Forster Monday morning

Thanks again,

Monte

milanuk
I stumbled onto a trick a while back for seating cast pistol bullets. The seating stem on RCBS and Lyman dies did not fit the Lyman 255 grain cast bullets SWC nose. I did a little creative drilling out of the seating stem so that the mouth of the stem actually rested on the first driving band of the bullet. From that point on all of my pistol seating stems got drilled out so they do the same thing.
I've drilled out my 243 seating stem so that the stem contacts the bullet far down the ogive, then polished the leading edge of the seating stem.
I used some high tech equipment that I had around the work shop for other jobs. A 3/8th power drill, a pair of vise grips and a C clamp. It took me longer to find the tools then it took to do the job.
Jim

I have just drilled them deeper and then polished the edge that the drill created. Like Jim says above you can do it yourself.

Guys, I appreciate the advise. The question in my mind about doing it w/ vice grips, hand drill, etc. is 'Is this something you honestly want to just 'eyeball' for a die for loading *VLD* bullets for 600-1000yd competition?' A good stout drill press w/ a sliding cross-vise to maintain orientation, I could see. By hand w/ a power drill and vice grips, well, I'll pass this go around. I'm a little ham-handed when it comes to doing stuff w/o the aid of jigs and whatnot, so what is a dicey proposition for me may be no sweat for someone else w/ a steadier hand.

Thanks,

Monte

milanuk
Don't put yourself down.
You are only increasing the depth of the seating stem. The portion of the seating stem you currently are using to seat the bullet will still be used to seat the bullet.
Jim

I encountered exactly this problem since I shoot many, many of the Hornady A-Max's (service rifle and spacegun). I went to the Reddings to solve it. Mine are the "garden variety" Reddings that work like every other entry-level seater, not the micrometer ones with springs and sliding sleeves and whatnot. Works fine, contacts the ogive rather than the tip. Thirty bucks or so.

The concentricity issue inherent to doing it yourself would be solved by chucking it in a lathe and boring the hole in the stem. It was suggested when I asked the same question that I try an application of bedding compound or something similar to shape the interior of the seating plunger using a bullet as a dummy. Never tried it so I can't say how it might work (or not!).

Cheers!

Redial