Has anyone checked reloaded rounds for concentricity? Do you find that certain dies give better results?

I use an old Bonanza Coax dial indicator to measure runout when I initially set up a die set. There is more consistency with the competition die sets than standard die sets, but I can generally adjust the dies to reduce exceptional runout.

If you're talking about that bullet bulge on one side of the case, i.e.: 458 Lott, 500 NE, etc... I've not found dies to be the problem but rather the neck wall thickness.

I've gone through the trouble of turning necks. It eliminates the "bulge", but it did not improve accuracy.

Shootaway

Try this, when you are seating the bullet, just after you feel it start into the case, back down on the press handle, and rotate the case about one third a turn, seat the bullet a little more, and then rotate it another third of a turn, seat a little more and rotate again, then seat the rest of the way.

See if that helps.

I had a set of Hornady dies in .458 Lott that were sizing way to small, when I loaded the bullet they had an hourglass shape to the case. I sent them back and Hornady told me they were within specs. I returned them, got my money back and bought a set of RCBS dies. They work fine, cases look like the should. Point is You might have a badly machined die set. try another brand.

A friend had RCBS dies and they would not resize
to his satisfaction so he tried mine and mine worked just fine. SO he bought the same kind as mine. That solved his problem.

And what use you?, Next month I'm going to buy a set of dies for the 458 Lott caliber and I had decided to buy the set of 3 dies from RCBS. My press is a Lee Challenger (Tiggertate gift) .

Oscar

REDDING!

quote:

Originally posted by Masterifleman:
REDDING!

Unequivocally.

Oscar.

I have heard the same technique mentioned by NE 450 being used with success during the sizing step.
Peter.

I have a set of Redding dies for my 458 lott and win mag.I know they make rounds that are very accurate out to 100yds.The resized lott cases do have a bulge,but only when they are resized from cases shot out my Rugers.I was thinking of trying lee dies for my lott,just to have another reloaded round to compare.I don't know if Lee will make dies for the lott.

just don't fully size them.

Shootaway- Your not capable of shooting well enough to tell the difference!_rob

I have RCBS dies for my 500NE. When seating bullets, just leave the locking nut on the seating stem rod loose, just barely touching the seating die body. This allows the nose of seating stem to float a little and gives more concentric seating. Produces a much better looking round

My experience has been the same as new guy's.

NO BIG BORE rifle could be considered a benchrester although many will shoot much less than minute of angle...and certainly much less than minute of buff.

The object is to make your dies fit the rifle CHAMBER with a minimum amount of case sizing.

Any competent gunsmith or person understanding the concepts of case sizing and reloading can fit the dies to the chamber by judicious grinding and polishing.

You can buy straight line, sliding chamber "benchrest" type seating dies or have one made.

Sometimes you have to dance around a bit to find a sizer to work if you don't want it custom made.

You also have to understand all the in's and out's, why's and wherefore's of reloading...mostly by experience or in todays world, by crawling the net.

The bottom line still remains the fact...as Rob pointed out...90% of all the hunters out there can't hold well enough in hunting situations to out shoot a standard set of dies or even sweat the small stuff, if you are popping off thumb sized bullets in hotdog size cases...it would be better to learn to shoot fast and straight at close range, with something nasty coming at you, than worry about a tenth of an inch difference in benchrest groups.

You have to understand there are differing levels of accuracy expected and inherent in different calibers and wasting time trying to make a benchrester out of a heavy hitter is ludicrous.

Besides you haven't addressed the issue of the inherent accuracy of the rifle you are using...whether the barrel is up to fine accuracy or just run of the mill whack'um then fire up the BBQ. The most expensive, best built ammo in the world will NEVER shoot up to it's potential in a rifle with lousy bedding, loose scope screws, messed up headspace, etc...

Your rifle is a system and ALL the bits and pieces need to be tuned, not just the ammo.

Luck on your hunts.

I've read some responses and feel that many are getting carried away.My aim is to make a better round-don't worry about what I want to do with it.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Has anyone checked reloaded rounds for concentricity?

We're talking about a 458 Lott here, and who do you think is getting carried away?

quote:

Originally posted by delloro:
just don't fully size them.

I don't know how that will work out.I think I'll give it a try.

quote:

Originally posted by Head Trauma:
I have RCBS dies for my 500NE. When seating bullets, just leave the locking nut on the seating stem rod loose, just barely touching the seating die body. This allows the nose of seating stem to float a little and gives more concentric seating. Produces a much better looking round

I think I'll try that too!

I never have any problem seating my 500gr bullets. I just hold it until it starts into where I can't hold it any more. It always comes out good no boldges.

A bulge could mean the case neck is sized too small and the sizing die needs to be adjusted...

I could mean the bullet is being cocked slightly while seating...the only way around this is to use a sliding chamber style seater that holds the bullet concentric while the case is pushed up...more or less...

In some cases the seater punch nose doesn't fit the bullet nose...the only way to solve that is to have a punch machined to fit the contour of the specific bullet.... or cast the shape using epoxy and the specific bullet...the rotate the round a quarter turn as you seat the bullet down in 4 increments...sometimes works great sometimes not...

The type of bullet, lead or jacketed, has a large bearing on "bulge or not" and HOW you adjust the different dies.

I've done all these different suggestions including some that have already been mentioned, and many more monkey motions besides, to get runout removed when I was shooting steel targets at long range with pistols AND rifles, and benchresting.

Presently I use one set of Lyman 45-70 dies to load 45-70, -90, -100, -110, and -120. I also load for 458 American and 458 WM...AND 458 Lott...using one cheap set of 458WM LEE dies...off the bench they all stay within 1.5" or so at 100 yds...off hand, well that depends on how much coffee I've had before shooting, etc.

I've loaded 38/357, 44sp/44mg, 38-55/38-72, 444 Marlin and a few other straight walled or almost straight walled wildcats, most of which never had a problem in the realistic accuracy department related to bulges only...as long as the chamber neck/cartridge neck were concentric with the bore...and as far as realistic hunting accuracy for the particular caliber rifle/sight combo goes.

Bottom line is...if you want benchrest quality ammo you have to have benchrest quality dies and do all the other "benchrest" actions...and then maybe you MIGHT make a few "benchrest" quality rounds...for the most part...making benchrest quality ammo doesn't mean you will have a benchrest quality rifle, or shoot benchrest groups which you seem to want.

My sage advice is to continue your search on every forum you can get to and also check out the long range forums particularly...there is more relevant information with less rancor than available on this forum...6mmBR, http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html, is a good place to start, and Long Range Hunting is another, but there are about a million links out there to choose from.

Accuracy is a function of the reloading process/rifle system and all the little nuances that are involved more than a function of bore size, per se.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but you sure can make a basically sound rifle into an excellent shooter if you do all the things that are required.

Leave out one step...try to chumpchange, cut corners, cut a fat hog and all you will end up with is a painted up, gussied up, shiny on the outside POS sow's ear...

Your choice...believe it or not...there AIN'T no easy way.

This thread funny! The neck bulges because it is supposed to by design. The Lott doesn't have a "neck" it is a straight taper from head to mouth. The so-called belling die should bulge the case as well as bell the mouth. The belling die's job to to produce a "neck" and a lead in chamfer for seating the bullet.

Like I said before, this thread funny!!!

quote:

Originally posted by ScottS:
This thread funny! The neck bulges because it is supposed to by design. The Lott doesn't have a "neck" it is a straight taper from head to mouth. The so-called belling die should bulge the case as well as bell the mouth. The belling die's job to to produce a "neck" and a lead in chamfer for seating the bullet.

Like I said before, this thread funny!!!

The case is not supposed to bulge.I have no issue with cases bulging when reloading for my 458wm.

Yes I have found that LEE DIES work the best.

Most dies today are good, but i have just always used RCBS loading equipment.

There are a number of cartridges that can be loaded with dies not made for the cartridge you are loading. Much like the 357Mag can be loaded with 38 spcl dies, the 458LOTT can be loaded with 458 Win Mag dies. All the 45-70, 45-90, 45-100, and 45-110 can all be loaded with 45-70 dies. These are rounds that normally only need the area down to where the bottom of the bullet is seated to sized, once they are fire-formed in your chambers.

quote:

Originally posted by jro45:
Yes I have found that LEE DIES work the best.

jro45,do you have Lee 458 lott dies for your lott? Does Lee make dies for the lott?

George- You deal with Wilson. Have Wilson make you an in-line bullet seater. You will need an arbor press. For that matter they could make you a sizer die also. Benchrest quality stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Pegleg:
George- You deal with Wilson. Have Wilson make you an in-line bullet seater. You will need an arbor press. For that matter they could make you a sizer die also. Benchrest quality stuff.

Thanks Dave,will do!