Cant' get a consistent OAL on LNL AP

[Timmm]

Started loading 223, LNL will not maintain constant length, jumps between 2.260-2.240. Have tighten base plate, trimmed casing cleaned Hornady seating die but have not been able to make two bullets the same size. I am not looking for 1000th degree perfection, would like to do better than this. Am I missing something? thanks

[Bornonthe4thofJuly]

You might have a warped shell plate or not machined true?

[A and O]

In addition to the 4th's idea.

What Bullet are you using and what seating die are you using?

[Swaydude]

I believe that it's ok. Don't use oal for the rifle rounds. You need to measure using a bullet comparer, which measures to the ogive (sp). Even with factory rounds, you'll get that difference.

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[Timmm]

Hornady dies/ 224 55gr Hornady. Also borrowed a Dillon seating Die and a different Plate, same problem. Whats a bullet comparer. Thanks

[cpatbay]

OAL will vary. Not a big deal. It's the distance to the ogive that matters.

[LynnJr]

Its called a Comparator and in the enclosed picture I am using two of them to measure the bullets bearing surface.
You would use only one for measuring seating depth and you should get a variation of less than 0.003 pretty easy.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

OAL will vary. Not a big deal. It's the distance to the ogive that matters.

^^This

[Swaydude]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llvsEsaK8-M

[Timmm]

Thanks guys, think I have it, off to Cabelas for another 50 buck tool. Tim

[RugerNo1]

If you are crimping while seating that may be your problem. When I tried to seat and crimp on the same step I always had erratic COLs so if I am crimping I use a separate step.

[Timmm]

Didnt' have a whole lot of luck with Hornady combination seating crimping die, went to the Lee crimping die, in a separate hole.

[checkenbach]

Try tightening the two allen bolts on the side of the ram that the plate head fits on. I measured the gap between the shell plate and plate head, it was .009" different on the left side(where I seat and crimp).
I found the left side ram bolt quite loose, tightened it up, now it's at an acceptable .004". You cannot have zero clearance because the case head rides on top of the plate head.
Also this link may help http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/34...ue_fixed_.html if you want to go deep, or nothing else has worked...

[slixx1320]

When you are setting up your dies you have to utilize all the empty slots on the shell holder. What you are seeing is a slight tilt on the shell plate which is giving you inconsistent OAL because you most likely set up your dies as a single stage (one by one).

Try setting your seating die to your desired OAL with all empty slots on the shell plate filled with brass. My bro ran into the same issue and filling the empty spaces, after that he got nothing but consistent OAL.

See if that helps!