Stickey seating die

[T Bran]

Howdy folks,
I just started loading some .223 Barnes TSX 53 grain bullets into Hornandy brass that was fired in my 700 Rem. and neck sized using Lee dies. When I began seating bullets using the Lee seating die the bullets kept sticking in the die and getting pulled back out of the case a little. I took the die apart and cleaned it but nothing changed so I used some emery cloth and polished the seating plug pretty aggresivly still the bullets stick in the die enough to be pulled back a couple thousandths. Before I go any farther should I try a different die or brand of dies?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!
T

 

[Doug b]

Are you using a collet neck size,if so you may not be getting enough case neck tension.

 

[rcmodel]

If the bullet can be pulled back out of the case just from a seating stem/ bullet ogive mismatch?

You have bigger fish to fry.
You most certainly do not have enough case neck tension to start with to make safe loads.

I'd guess your Lee neck sizing die mandrel is too big around for .224" bullets.
You will need to turn it down smaller, or get Lee to send you a smaller one.

Seems to be a very common problem with them.
And another reason I wouldn't buy one on a bet.

rc

 

[HOWARD J]

Is this the first bullet you have used with these dies on the same 223 cartridge,??

 

[T Bran]

Thanks for the input looks like a new set of dies will cure the problem since my time is better spent reloading than fiddling arround. Any suggestions on which brands will give me the least headache ?
Thanks T

Howad J
These dies are brand new and the cases are once fired by me
T

 

[HOWARD J]

Hornady are expensive but they are a great die.

 

[rcmodel]

I have more RCBS dies & other reloading equipment than any other brand.

I know they work, and thier customer support is second to none in the industry.

rc

 

[T Bran]

Dies seem to last a long time so I dont mind spending extra to be hastle free. The odd thing about the Lee seating die is that I can feel and hear the pop when the bullet comes unstuck from the die. I guess ill look arround tonight and get a new set of dies on the way. Appreciate all the help!
T

 

[ranger335v]

I have more dies of every brand than I do of one brand, they all work for me. ??

Lee's collet neck sizer is excellant but only if it's used correctly, but then nothing's any good if it's not used correctly!

That die has a moving part and that requires a learning curve that seems to cause some people a lot of trouble; it's NOT a simple "push the case in, pull the case out" device like all others. After I tried my first Lee collet type (many years ago) I got more and retired all of my old conventional neck dies; I still have 'em, just don't USE 'em!

The "pop" sorta sounds like your seater plug has a burr on the bullet cavity edge to me. That's not uncommon with any brand of seater. It's easy to sandpaper it but the work has to be on rounding and smoothing the cavity mouth, not the whole thing.

 

[Doug b]

Lee dead length seat die and the Lee nut cracker press are fine products the rest of there stuff is cheap market hyped crap, as with any tool you get what you pay for.

 

[45ACPUSER]

My view of Reloading Dies

Will use this analogy.

Lee is like Yugo, serviceable but.....
RCBS, Hornady and Lyman are like Chevy vs Ford vs Chrysler
Forster are like Buick
Redding is Cadillac

Buy once and cry once. Look at CS.....RCBS is great, Redding too, Hornady no in same tier as Redding and RCBS, and well Lee not so much.

 

[Seedtick]

Originally Posted by rcmodel - You have bigger fish to fry.
You most certainly do not have enough case neck tension to start with to make safe loads.

I'd guess your Lee neck sizing die mandrel is too big around for .224" bullets.
You will need to turn it down smaller, or get Lee to send you a smaller one.

T, irrespective of the brand of dies you are using it sounds to me like you have a common problem with a simple solution. If I am understanding what is going on you just need a bit more neck tension on your bullet.

Depending on the type of die you are using you need to sand down your resizing button/mandrel a couple of thousandths. You can do it by spinning it in a drill motor/press and hitting it with some fine emery cloth.

HTH

Seedtick

 

[Doug b]

"You will need to turn it down smaller, or get Lee to send you a smaller one. "


And as your brass work hardens and springback increases you will need to turn the mandrel more or get another from Lee or you will again have case mouth tension problems.Why complicate the issue noobs have enough issues to deal with.

 

[EMC45]

I am a Lee fan. I would go with RCBS though. My .223 Rem. die set is RCBS. I do own some Lee dies though. Most are RCBS.

 

[ranger335v]

I have dies from all current brands and a lot that are no longer available. No matter how purty or plain they are, on average each brand works as well as any others. I do LIKE some features better than others but that's just my 'likes'. My likes don't have any impact on the precision of the ammo I can make with them; if I do good work the ammo will shoot quite well. If I don't do good work the brand of dies still won't matter so I don't pump or slam any brand of dies. Or presses. Etc. And I rarely mention what I LIKE because I know what I like really is no help for someone else unless they happen to like what I like. And paying more money for tools is no more of an assurance of the quality of ammo producable than thinking that buying a costly Caddylac would get me a better NASCAR racer than a Ford.

 

[gamestalker]

It sure sounds brass related to me. I've never had any problems with any dies regardless of the brand. I would think neck tension is palying a part in this along with something not quite right with the brass. Has the brass been measured, trimmed, and then reamed and chamfered? are you putting a crimp on the necks? If you are putting crimps on them, I'll bet 10 to 1 your issue is the crimp. You don't need to crimp bottle neck cartridges and really shouldn't unless you are having problems with maintaining OAL.

 

[blarby]

T, irrespective of the brand of dies you are using it sounds to me like you have a common problem with a simple solution. If I am understanding what is going on you just need a bit more neck tension on your bullet.

Yup.

If you have the proper tools, measure out a case.

Take a freshly fired ( so you know it isnt deformed) piece, lube it and run it.

If your die is adjusted properly, and your piece is coming out " not in spec " I would suggest a call to Lee- Their CS is awesome, and this happens with any manufactured product, from any manufacturer, from time to time.

I'm not sure if these are new dies to you, but if they are calling Lee is def. your best bet $$$ wise.

If you are putting crimps on them, I'll bet 10 to 1 your issue is the crimp. You don't need to crimp bottle neck cartridges and really shouldn't unless you are having problems with maintaining OAL.

If he crimped them, would they be moving ?

How would this crimping occur during the seating process on the upstroke of the seating die ?

If you are crimping the cases before you put the bullets in, I know why you dislike the process

 

[noylj]

I'm sorry. Too many people love to bash Lee.
1) Watch the Lee videos on how to set-up and use their dies.
2) Measure the case ID after sizing/expanding. Is the ID .223 or less? Then there is no reason other than a seating stem problem for the bullet to pull out.
Some seating stems actually fit the bullet's ogive too well and a vacuum can form. Might need a worse seating stem or drill a vent hole.
3) If you have the collet neck size die (for use with bolt action rifles only), be sure that you are actually decreasing the case neck ID as discussed in 2) above.
4) If you don't take the time to find the problem, you may just find a new die set giving you the same problems. There should never be a rush to reload.
5) If you have a problem with reloading equipment, call the manufacturer and get it taken care of. Otherwise, all I see is some else who just wants to bash Lee.

 

[bigedp51]

T Bran

You have not stated "which" neck sizing die you have and more info would help.

Die setup is important and as an example if the expander button is locked down crooked you can pull your necks off center with the axis of the bore.

Several possibilities come to mind.

1. The neck die not sizing the neck down to a small enough diameter.
2. Expander button too large.
3. Neck wall thickness is thinner than normal.
4. Operator error. (happens to me when I strain my bifocals and don't "see" the malfunction)

Before you modify any reloading die you need to measure what you have and ask yourself why you are having this problem.

I have three sets of different dies for my .223 rifle, Redding, RCBS and Lee, the lee Collet die has the least bullet runout BUT must be adjusted correctly to get proper neck tension.

When all else fails read the instructions.



And be very careful of advice given by faceless strangers on the internet.

 

[kelbro]

Is there a ring around the bullet up near the tip after you seat them?