38 spcl oal issue

[ferggie]

I am in the process of loading some 38 spcl's and am having a major issue with the OAL being all over the place.
I am using a Redding Comp Pro series die set with the Micrometer Seating die.
I am trying to load 158 gr Plated (X-TREME) SWC with an OAL of 1.455".
I set the Seating die for 1.455" and I am ending up with OAL's ranging between 1.45" - 1.495". They are all over the place and it is not like it just keeps getting longer. One may be 1.46 and the next 1.475 then 1.45.
I have not hat this problem before and I use a pro set for my 45 LSWC and never had this issue.

Help please, thanks

 

[rcmodel]

My first guess would be your seating stem does not match the bullet shape.
A seating stem for a SWC should center the bullet and push on the flat end.
Not on the ogive of the nose.

If it is doing that, it would be almost impossible for the OAL to change that much.

rc

 

[ferggie]

So you are saying this nice expensive Redding micrometer die that is suppose to do the job is worthless since 95% of my reloads are SWC's?

 

[rcmodel]

If it has the wrong seating stem for your bullet shape it is.

Redding makes a wide assortment of seating stems I think.

rc

 

[Walkalong]

I load them with a flat stem. I bought an extra seater plug for my Redding Competition die, welded it full, and turned it flat. OAL stays pretty much dead on.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Take the seating stem out of the die and match it to the nose of one of your bullets. If the bullet doesn't bottom out in the stem, then it's the wrong stem for your bullets. You'll just have to order one that matches.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[T Bran]

If you just gotta have it now and dont want to wait you could probably fill the end of the plug with JB Weld and sand it flat.
If you order the seater plug from Midway it will probably be at your doorstep before the JB is finished curing =).....

 

[Josh45]

Im gonna go out on a limb and suggest measuring the OAL of your brass and your bullets just for the heck of it. I never bought Extreme bullets before but it can't hurt to take that out of the equation right?

 

[Stormin.40]

+1 on seater stem. My RCBS dies came with 2 stems, RN and WC. So far I have only used my WC stem, I tried the RN stem on some RNFP bullets but had similar problem with OAL.

I sort head stamps as well but that only helps keep OAL within 0.002. Even with changes in brass length your OAL wouldn't be effected by 0.02 although then you crimp might become an issue.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Im gonna go out on a limb and suggest measuring the OAL of your brass and your bullets just for the heck of it. I never bought Extreme bullets before but it can't hurt to take that out of the equation right?

I don't think the brass length will have any effect on the COAL. If the brass is a different length the bullet will sit at different depths in the case but that won't change the OAL because the seating die isn't using the case mouth as a gauge.

I agree using the wrong seating stem is probably the reason for the inconsistent OAL.