What the heck is wrong with my bullet insertion??

[ElDub1950]

Resolved: See #17

Basics: 9mm, Xtreme 124g, Lee Carbide Die (only used for ~4000 rnds.

MY OAL target is 1.125 (Hodgdon says 1.15 max, 1.125 got a lot of recommendation here)

As I adjust my bullet seating die down, it adjust smoothly and normally down to 1.202. THEN, just the tiniest twist shortens the OAL down to 1.114. By tiny, I mean probably 1/32 of a turn, or less.

With repeated tests, the 1.202 spot only varies 1.202-1.204; The 1.114 spot only varies 1.114-1.118.

BUT I'm not able to do anything to hit anywhere between 1.118 and 1.200. I've got a bowl full of about 50 rnds that I need to break down, so I've repeated the attempt too many times

*I've taken the die apart and clean/inspected it twice and it seems fine. The plunger moves freely, no sticking.
*This is on a plain old single stage so there aren't a lot of geegaws to be tweaked.
*The brass I'm using for tests has all been resized.
*There's no variation from round to round when repeat testing.
*I've turned off/on/zeroed my mic dozens of time and repeat measurement of one test round is exactly the same, so I don't think it's the mic

I'm stumped. What am I doing wrong?

(Please note, this isn't a question of what the OAL should be, or what would work, the question is what's wrong that I can't adjust it between those 2 lengths).

[thenodnarb]

Just so I understand here, you are adjusting the whole die body down, or you are using the bullet seating stem to adjust seating depth when this problem occurs?

[Dark Mod]

I have plenty of Lee dies and they are always fairly consistent in the adjustment.

If your screwing down the die and not the stem that's likely the problem, since the case mouth is encountering crimp and the extra pressure causes it to feel like you've reached the end of the stroke when actually you have a little more to go. If you end up forcing it, it will just buckle the case.

If you are moving the stem and not the whole die, then my only advice would be to play with it. Start long and make minute adjustments until you get where you need, that way you only use 1 bullet and wont have a bucket with 50 rounds that need to be pulled every time you change OAL.

Id tell you not to obsess over the OAL that much, and it will probably be fine, but its a good idea to solve problems in reloading since they are typically symptoms of something else being done wrong.

[ElDub1950]

Just so I understand here, you are adjusting the whole die body down, or you are using the bullet seating stem to adjust seating depth when this problem occurs?

Just adjusting the bullet seating stem. The die body is adjusted as per instructions when not using it to crimp, the same as I've always had it set. " Screw the bullet seating die in until it touches the shell holder, then back it out three full turns"

[ScottsBad]

What the heck is wrong with my bullet insertion??

That's what Viagra is for...

[thenodnarb]

Just adjusting the bullet seating stem. The die body is adjusted as per instructions when not using it to crimp, the same as I've always had it set. " Screw the bullet seating die in until it touches the shell holder, then back it out three full turns"

I'm not completely sure then. Lee uses an o-ring around their seating stem knob as a sort of anti-backlash device. Try removing it and using the seating stem without the oring. The stem will move easily. A little too easily, but it might reveal the problem.

[9mmepiphany]

Oops, redacted

[ElDub1950]

What the heck is wrong with my bullet insertion??

That's what Viagra is for...

My "Magic Bullet" is just fine, thank you! It's this damn reloading that's the problem!

[CSACANNONEER]

What the heck is wrong with my bullet insertion??

That's what Viagra is for...

Yet another thread that belongs in "the basement" sub forum. Come on Kes, I dare you to create the new sub forum.

[Kmai24]

The OAL of your brass has an affect on the OAL of your cartridge. Some brass may be longer than others..I remembered when I was trying to get consistent oal's and was wondering why the heck can't I do it. Then with some reading it dawned on me that I was using different brass (range pick ups- mix heads stamps)

Just a thought ..

[bsumoba]

shot in the dark, but could be your bullets with varying dimensions and not necessarily your die?

[CSACANNONEER]

The OAL of your brass has an affect on the OAL of your cartridge. Some brass may be longer than others..I remembered when I was trying to get consistent oal's and was wondering why the heck can't I do it. Then with some reading it dawned on me that I was using different brass (range pick ups- mix heads stamps)

Just a thought ..

OK, I'll bite. Just how does the OAL of the empty cartridge affect COAL? The seating die still seats the bullet to the same length relative to the datum point being used to determine said length, the casehead.

[Hamourkiller]

I have gone to a two step seating and crimping system using the Lee Factory crimp die. This solves the OAL differences caused by variations in the case length.

Hope the idea helps.

[thenodnarb]

OP is not crimping.

[meaty-btz]

Dunno, ditch the lee die? I've never had good luck with the lee seating dies.