I did a bit of loading today to try some new loads in both 300 win mag and 375 H&H. This included some 300gr Woodleigh Hydro's. I was using a Hornady seating die with the floating alignment sleeve inside of it. As I seated the bullets, it met a fair bit of a resistance in the last bit of level throw. I was aiming for 3.600" COAL and achieved it, but ran into crushed plastic caps with a severe indent on the caps themselves from that floating ring. Anyone else run into this? I was using Norma brass (1x fired) with 75gr IMR-4350.

Try IMR-4320, 4064, WW760, BAlC2, H380 or such ball powders, your problem is compaction it appears to me, without visual inspection however. Also Im not fond of Hornady dies, love their bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by Brandon.Gleason:
I did a bit of loading today to try some new loads in both 300 win mag and 375 H&H. This included some 300gr Woodleigh Hydro's. I was using a Hornady seating die with the floating alignment sleeve inside of it. As I seated the bullets, it met a fair bit of a resistance in the last bit of level throw. I was aiming for 3.600" COAL and achieved it, but ran into crushed plastic caps with a severe indent on the caps themselves from that floating ring. Anyone else run into this? I was using Norma brass (1x fired) with 75gr IMR-4350.

Brandon,
The plastic caps pop off fairly easy, maybe try and take them off when seating the bullets, then pop them back on. It might work, it might not.
John

After powder sometimes your dealing with compaction and no room for a too long bullet..then you may need to fit the seater to the bullet with your drill press or dremal tool, This happens fairly often with all die sets as the ojive and taper don't match the seater...sent a bullet and your seater to hornday and they will do that for you I suspect, RCBS will. I had to send on back to RCBS just recently as the 300 Gr. Accubonds were crushing the plastic tips..they sent me one that was polished out to fit that long bullet....It was sticking the bullet in the seater and smashing the white plastic tip..Bt first try a powder than takes up less room in the case..

Try seating the same depth as you are now using an empty case, if it works then you used too much or the wrong powder and the bullet won't seat as it just met a dead end of compacted powder..I ve had that problem on a couple of ocassions using bulky powder like 4831 etc.

Does your 375 feed the Hydro's without the cap on? If so just remove them before seating. My dies hate the green caps and all of my rifles feed the Hydro's without them.

Cheers,
Mark.

Somehow plastic caps that pop off easily don't seem like a good idea in a bolt action rifle used for dangerous game

I agree with 458, and even the great nosler accubond my not be a good bullet in a DG bullet...A few of the tips come off in a new box...A great bullet but the plastic tips could and have jammed a bolt action...Id opt for a solid bullet or a partition in a DG rifle. The other thing is woodleigh burned down, and Geoff has no plans to rebuild Im told. Id sell the woodleighs or trade for woodleigh solids...Good bullets availability is in question for sure, and at the cost of solids, when you run out you have to do your homework on loads all over again. Just the rest of the story for consideration...

I don't disagree with the concern about the tips. I've function tested them without the plastic caps and they feed smoothly for all 5 cartridges from the mag, fast and slow.

I purchased 60 of these projectiles a bit back. Not planning to shoot them very frequently, so hopefully load development and then a solid supply thereafter. With the unfortunate Woodleigh incident this week, I've also ordered some CEB Safari HP and Solids to work up in both my 375 and 458. We shall see how that goes, I've read nothing but great reviews of them.

I appreciate everyone's input.

Most of the CEB bullets I have also have cute little plastic tips that the user can push into place.

The Woodleigh Hydros were not made at the factory that sustained fire damage. Supplies of Hydros should be unchanged.