Hollow points from heaven

[Kmai24]

Alright gals/guys..just started reloading xtreme 200gr HP. Been reloading round nose in 9's and 45's with no problem what so ever. I'm getting these halo rings around the projectiles. I've read somewhere (maybe from this forum) that it could be the seating stem in which I believe it is as well. I'm using hornady's seating/crimp die. Seating it to 1.22/1.23, using speer's manual from load data and it says to seat at 1.20. If I do that the ring is more pronounced. I did notice that the dies did come with 2 different seating stems, I'll switch it out to see if there is a difference. Also Hornady has a stem that's made for Hornady's 200gr xtp's. Has anyone else ran into this problem, if so how did you fix it. Thank you

[Rock6.3]

Change the seating stem. The one you are using is the wrong shape.

[Kmai24]

Change the seating stem. The one you are using is the wrong shape.

Right on Rock6.3- I'll do that tonight and report back

[J-cat]

If you seat and crimp at the same time, the seater stem will work against the case mouth biting into the bullet. The bullet, in turn, will not want to seat and instead swage into the seater stem resulting in your "halo".

If you want to avoid this, seat and crimp separately.

[Pablo5959]

Pull one to make sure your not compressing your load also.

[Kmai24]

If you seat and crimp at the same time, the seater stem will work against the case mouth biting into the bullet. The bullet, in turn, will not want to seat and instead swage into the seater stem resulting in your "halo".

If you want to avoid this, seat and crimp separately.

I did read up on that as well and it makes perfect sense. I'll try a few quick fix before buying new dies. Thanks for the tip!

[22popnsplat]

I have had that problem with some dies in the past , I chuck up the seating stem in my drill press and then with some good sand paper just cleanup the lip of the seating stem

[Bastard]

If you seat and crimp at the same time, the seater stem will work against the case mouth biting into the bullet. The bullet, in turn, will not want to seat and instead swage into the seater stem resulting in your "halo".

If you want to avoid this, seat and crimp separately.

^^^this, also I would double check to make sure that you are expanding enough.

[Kmai24]

Thanks to all for the help. Will be doing some more loads tonight.

[mchava]

Had the same issue, its from both seating stem and not expanding the case mouth enogh. I stopped seating and crimping at the same time because it would do this a lot. Now I do them in two stages, seat then crimp.

[hermosabeach]

+1

Had the same issue, its from both seating stem and not expanding the case mouth enogh. I stopped seating and crimping at the same time because it would do this a lot. Now I do them in two stages, seat then crimp.

Seat them first without any crimp...this way the bullet only deals with the force of the brass.

Then run them in with the seater backed off for the crimp

['ol shooter]

Looks like you are crimping a little heavy from the photo. I crimp mine just enough to remove the bell, and that they will drop into my gauge and seat fully. Also, you can try the flat semi-wadcutter seating stem as was suggested. I swipe the inside of my case mouths with a q-tip dipped in moly powder neck sizing lube, the excess knocked off on by tapping the q-tip on the rim of the lube container. My bullets seat "like butta".

[mif_slim]

Must be a Hornady thing. I've never experience halos on any of my reloads for the pass 10+ years... finally had it when I purchased Hornady dies.

[Bumslie]

Must be a Hornady thing. I've never experience halos on any of my reloads for the pass 10+ years... finally had it when I purchased Hornady dies.

Happens with redding dies and their universal seating plug. You need to push real slow not to get the ring.

FWIW I don't get then using my hornady dies. OP must be pushing the ram up real hard, or starting to crimp a little early.

[Kmai24]

@ ol shooter- thanks, I'll back off the crimp a bit and try the other seating stem. Hopefully that will work