Looking through the Sinclair book today and noticed a case mouth chamfering tool with two cutters either 30 degree for VLG and 45 degree for normal bullets. I've been loading 222 for a while now and have only been using a Redding case mouth de-burring tool to put a slight chamfer on the mouth, should I have been using the proper chamfering tool or not to bother? What do you guys think? I'm using 50 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips, are these classed as VLD bullets? Thanks.

Have you had any problem? If not just shine it on. roger

Yes I've had a few accuracy problems, it's a new gun and I'm trying to find a load for it without much luck. I just need to do things right which is why I asked the question about that tool.

If the case mouth is not shaving material from the bullet jacket as the bullet is seated, then your chamfering is adequate.

The base of the Nosler bullet is solid and will take much more abuse than the typical jacketed varmint bullet.
If you don't mind the time you can put an extra operation into the the loading process. You can expand the case neck with a tapered punch to be only .001 to .002 larger than the bullet diameter. This will pretty much avoid any chance of shaving the bullet regardless of the chamfer.

A VLD tool means that it has the gentler taper. It is not specific for VLD bullets, but rather affords more benefit for flat-based bullets. The slight taper allows the bullets to align straighter in the case, promoting straighter seating and thus less run-out. Boat-tailed bullets align petty well on their own.

If your problems aren't due to damage to the bullet's base or crooked seating, the VLD tool will probably make little difference to what you're doing. On the other hand, it won't hurt anything either. I use the VLD tool for everything, myself.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:
A VLD tool means that it has the gentler taper. It is not specific for VLD bullets, but rather affords more benefit for flat-based bullets. The slight taper allows the bullets to align straighter in the case, promoting straighter seating and thus less run-out. Boat-tailed bullets align petty well on their own.

If your problems aren't due to damage to the bullet's base or crooked seating, the VLD tool will probably make little difference to what you're doing. On the other hand, it won't hurt anything either. I use the VLD tool for everything, myself.

Good post! Like "Winchester 69", I use the VLD tool for all my reloading. Primarily because I like the cut it makes more than I like the 45 degree cut of a regular deburring tool - just personal preference, I guess.

However, I would personally buy the Lyman VLD tool as opposed to the Sinclair. I much prefer the handle (smooth) of the Lyman tool to that (RCBS? not smooth) used by the Sinclair tool. Maybe the Sinclair tool cuts better (?), but you don't need much of a cut anyway. Just for the record, it is not that often I get exited about Lyman gear, but, although we are talking about minor gadgets here, I think they got this one right.

Cabelas: Lyman Case Preparation Tools

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
If the case mouth is not shaving material from the bullet jacket as the bullet is seated, then your chamfering is adequate.

I've switched over to using the VLD chamfering tool for all of my loading. Takes the issue of shaving copper from bullets while seating them to a new level where no bullets get the bases shaved.
I seat nearly all of my chamberings with Wilson seaters, and the VLD tool helps get the bullet into the die body better than the older design chamfering tool.

Don't worry about it. As Sinclair himself says, it only matters - sometimes - for the first firing and not a lot even then.

The "normal" champfer tends to leave a slight raised burr inside the neck as it cuts. That ruff edge MAY scratch the heel of a bullet and that MAY affect accuracy, very slightly. But, even IF you have such a burr, it will be gone after the first firing.

A VLD tool is less likely to leave a burr. But, lightly spinning a small knife blade around the inside of the mouth, at the proper angle, will also remove any such burrs.

I trim and chamfer cases normally. To smooth any internal burrs, I cut the head off a small diameter, sorta long length steel screw (2 1/2"), lightly wrap it with steel wool and chuck it in a high speed drill. It will spin clean, smooth and polish the inner mouth/neck much better than any VLD burring tool can.

quote:

Originally posted by boz:
Yes I've had a few accuracy problems, it's a new gun and I'm trying to find a load for it without much luck. I just need to do things right which is why I asked the question about that tool.

This being the case, a special chamfering tool would be one of the things to look at for a fix. JMHO but your focus should be elsewhere. roger

Once again, we didn't know we had a problem until someone told us they'd SELL us a tool to fix it with.
If you can't get a .222 to shoot, I seriously doubt that the chamfer tool is your problem.

If you're a BR shooter you can get the no harm chamfer tools from K&M, and possibly (not likely IMHO) shave a quarter of a tenth of MOA off your groups. Even as a BR shooter, one of the last places I'd look for a cure to my accuracy problems would be in the case mouth chamfer. Remember, accuracy is 70% shooter 20% rifle and 10% ammo. After over 50 years doing this I look at me and what I might be doing wrong first.

Thanks for all the replies. I may be grasping at straws here regarding the VLD tool but when I pulled a bullet I did note some scoring around the base. I think my problems may be silencer related as I use one of the reflex type with an over barrel bushing which today I realised was pressing up on one side of the barrel more than the other. It looks like the bushing was reamed off centre. I'll try some rounds through it later today with the rear bushing removed. Thanks again, great site this, didn't expect all these replies so quick.