Bullet Run Out

[goodlookin1]

Ok, I have a strange problem. I am not sure why it is happening but I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability. So here goes:

I have just started attempting to reload .30-06 cases for high accuracy and consistency. I have a Tikka T3 Lite, which is very accurate thus far. I have been able to achieve .75" groups with certain 5 shot groups with a few of my previous reloads. But anyways, now I have begun to look at other factors that affect accuracy, including primer pocket uniforming and bullet runout. Prior to reading about these, I had never given them much thought. So I bought a carbide Redding pocket uniformer and ground out the pockets of my reloads.....hopefully that will give me a bit more consistency. Now I am looking at bullet run out.

I dont have a run out gauge, so I have to eyeball it. I rolled a few of my cases on a flat surface, putting my eyes at the same level as the surface I was rolling the case on, and watched the neck bob up and down. Now, it's not the typical run out that I have read about, where it is angled a few hundredths of a degree in one direction......it's different. After neck sizing via an RCBS or Lee sizing die (I have both), they make the neck direction parallel with the case body (good thing), BUT: The case neck is not perfectly centered with the case body, so it bobs up and down....still parallel with the case body, but not centered or concentric with the case body. Does that make sense?

I tried each and every way that I could think of to fix this problem: I readjusted the neck sizing dies, I full-length sized then neck sized, I took out the expander ball in the RCBS Neck Sizer, I polished the expander ball in the RCBS Neck Sizer, etc. About the only thing I can think of is that the alignment of my Lee Classic turret press is somehow slightly off with the shell holder or something. But I would think that a full-length sizing die would fix that.....at least at the neck area (but maybe not the base of the case).

At any rate, I carefully seated the bullets with the Lee bullet seater (no roll crimp). I would just ever so slightly seat the bullet in the tip of the neck, then take it out and roll it on a flat surface, eyeballing concentricity. I realize that this is not enough for BR by any means, but at this point it's all I can do given my finances. I dont even have a BR gun, so it shouldnt matter all that much anyways.

So my question is, does anyone have any advice on getting rid of the neck bob and getting better concentricity of the case neck? I dont believe that my bullet seating is the main problem because it seems to be starting with the neck resizing process.

Thanks.

[22popnsplat]

I use the same press and in loading my typical rifle rounds my runout is less than .002. I always make sure the case holder is loose.
This method is for presses being used as a single station only

the way I load to miminize runout is to simply barley start the bullet 25% in the case and then lower the ram and turn the case 180 degrees , push the bullet a 25% deeper and then lower the ram and turn it 90 degrees . push the bullet 25% deeper and then lower the ram and turn it 180 degrees and then final set the bullet .

It now also depends on how good the die set is . As of late i have been using redding dies and a forester seating die . I often use mixed die sets , I may like attributes of one die in a set.

[J-cat]

Runout is also caused by the case itself. Some cases are just crooked and there is nothing you can do about it, even if you run them through benchrest dies.

I suggest you get a Lee Collet Neck Die and a Redding Body Die. These two in combination reduce the stress on the brass during sizing and reduce runout if you seat your bullets the way 22popnsplat suggests.