Thread: Lee bullet seating die issues

I'm having issues with my lee dead set bullet seating dies pushing bullets in on a angle. Not all, probably 4/10 loads. Anyone know a quick fix without purchasing a new die from a different manufacturer?

Due to flat bottom projectiles?
What calibre?

VLD chamfering the inside of the neck might help, but I would get another seating die any day over the Lee.

If you don't want to break the bank for a Redding or Forster comp seater, get the Hornady seater. As you can always get the micrometer stem for it later.

In a way you have answered your own question , Lee dies are not that flash .However you have what you have and the only thing you can do is to be more careful and take it slower , and align things ( like the case and projectiles more carefully centered). It will be a case of trial and error but don't be to obsessive as technique is more important at the moment than trying to chase your tail and the God of Concentricity .

When I'm seating I always seat in steps.

*Sit the case in shell holder

*gently raise ram till projectile is just making contact with the seater

*give it a couple gentle taps to center everything

*seat about 1/4 then lower ram enough to turn the case 1/4-1/3, repeat until fully seated

Certainly had no concentricity issues with my ammo, granted flat base pills are a little more fiddly but you can still use the same technique.

agree with Danny,guide it in gently and start slowly....decent inside champher helps no end,boat tail projectiles even more so....and I personally LIKE LEE dies.... never had any issues with them over the years....I dont do the tap thing,just hold projectile and case mouth as it goes up into die and go slow,if it feels wrong,back out and have look,realign and go again.

Agree with MD. There’s nothing wrong with Lee dies, just make sure you’ve inside champhered case and take it slow and easy. Have lost count of the number of reloads I’ve done in 222,223 & 308 over the last 40+ years, flat base and boat-tail. Any cockups have been due to not paying attention to what I’m doing.

Yep, as the others have said when loading flat base bullets, set it on the case mouth and support with a finger and thumb as you slowly raise the ram until the bullet touches the seating plug - then raise just enough to start seating.

Lower the ram and rotate the case, raise the ram and seat a bit more. Repeat until you're at full depth.

One thing I've found though is that the seating plugs in Lee dies are made to suit a particular nose profile which sometimes doesn't conform to the bullet I'm trying to load. My recent attempts at cast boolits in the 30-06 was postponed as the seating plug clearly preferred long skinny pointy noses over short fat flat ones and wouldn't cooperate at all.

Simple enough to modify the plug or turn a replacement for a perfect custom fit.

When loading cast boolits I also use Lee neck expander die which can be set to give just the absolute minimum flare to the case mouth, sufficient to allow an easier start to seating.

+1 for Lee dies, but I'm not into benchrest accuracy just minute of live animal.

+ 1 for left hand finger thumb guiding the projectile sitting on the case mouth into the die. As an ex farm boy its pretty much the same technique as used in horse and donkey breeding to help the stud get his end in the right hole. YouTube has it all (slow rainy day here)

+ 1 for a very slight case mouth flare with flat bottom projectiles. A bit more is required with cast depending on diameter.

+ 1 for taking it in incremental steps and partially rotating the case a couple of times as bullet is progressively seated.

I can't remember the last time I had a cartridge with the projectile visibly un-concentric.

One day I'll drop back to one calibre, flog everything else off and buy a set of Forsters. I'll let you know if it makes a difference

Are they new cases? I had this with a batch of new cases, had never happened before that. I needed to resize that batch of cases before using them. Problem sorted.

@Three O'Three did you manage to get this sorted with the Hornady Seating Die?

I have Lee dies for 3 different rifles, but the 300 BLK doesn't seat projectiles straight. It's so bad, the neck bulges.

The man at Serious Shooters reckons it's because Lee dies resize the neck too small. If I can avoid it, I'd rather not spend $129 when $69 will do.

Pictures for reference.

Originally Posted by will.i.em

@Three O'Three did you manage to get this sorted with the Hornady Seating Die?

I have Lee dies for 3 different rifles, but the 300 BLK doesn't seat projectiles straight. It's so bad, the neck bulges.

The man at Serious Shooters reckons it's because Lee dies resize the neck too small. If I can avoid it, I'd rather not spend $129 when $69 will do.

Pictures for reference.

Sort of. I lapped the seating stem to suit the bullets I'm loading and found flaring/expanding the case mouth helps quite a bit to get the bullet started. still get the odd bullet that's a tad on the piss. Also bought some hornady dies which are way better.

Originally Posted by dannyb

When I'm seating I always seat in steps.

*Sit the case in shell holder

*gently raise ram till projectile is just making contact with the seater

*give it a couple gentle taps to center everything

*seat about 1/4 then lower ram enough to turn the case 1/4-1/3, repeat until fully seated

Certainly had no concentricity issues with my ammo, granted flat base pills are a little more fiddly but you can still use the same technique.

That.

Originally Posted by will.i.em

@Three O'Three did you manage to get this sorted with the Hornady Seating Die?

I have Lee dies for 3 different rifles, but the 300 BLK doesn't seat projectiles straight. It's so bad, the neck bulges.

The man at Serious Shooters reckons it's because Lee dies resize the neck too small. If I can avoid it, I'd rather not spend $129 when $69 will do.

Pictures for reference.

They obviously aren't.

There is a reason why so many people avoid lee.

75% of the stuff is rubbish.

The cost in wasted components is much higher than a few extra bucks for a die that actually works.

I didn't mind Lee dies, but in this case it was the die.

Got Hornady FL die and the projectiles seat with no issues now.

Originally Posted by will.i.em

@Three O'Three did you manage to get this sorted with the Hornady Seating Die?

I have Lee dies for 3 different rifles, but the 300 BLK doesn't seat projectiles straight. It's so bad, the neck bulges.

The man at Serious Shooters reckons it's because Lee dies resize the neck too small. If I can avoid it, I'd rather not spend $129 when $69 will do.

Pictures for reference.

Looks to me Like you have way too much neck tension. You need to look at the neck sizing, If you are using the collet sizing die then back it off. The guy at Serious Shooters is correct. I looks like a few people Knocking lee dies, I have never had any issue with them, the collet neck sizing die is very innovative and works very well if it is adjusted correctly. I reckon Lee gear is great value for the money.