Thread: Precision projectile seating

Seeing and hearing a lot regarding the projectile seating phase being done with a seperate press (Arbor) and a chamber type seater like a few well kmow manufactuers make.
You can even measure seating force mechanically or hydraulically.

It is supposed to deliver a more accurate and consistent product if you observe the process correctly.
As I load 99.9% of my rifle ammo for hunting and am pretty happy with the end result I cant help but be curious about new techniques that can improve my ammo. Is it even worth it?
Im a bit of a Weka and definitely like shiny new things I dont need so will probably give it a go.

Does anyone on here have any real world experience using this method. I would imagine it would benifit a lot of target shooters.

I like the look of the 21st century hydraulic press and LE Wilson dies.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Realistically what sort of grouping and es are you getting with your current methods ?
Even with my budget lee press, redding comp seating die my loads shoot well under .5 moa and I think from memory the ES was something like 20fps.
I don't think that leaves a lot of room for improvement for me.
What are you trying to achieve by going down this route ?

Originally Posted by dannyb

Realistically what sort of grouping and es are you getting with your current methods ?
Even with my budget lee press, redding comp seating die my loads shoot well under .5 moa and I think from memory the ES was something like 20fps.
I don't think that leaves a lot of room for improvement for me.
What are you trying to achieve by going down this route ?

I agree with everything youre saying and implying.
And I will admit I doubt I can improve that much on what I do now especially for a hunting load.
Just curious more than anything.




Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

Don't worry mate I find lots of ways to justify things I just wanna try

It depends on how much you Kea about accuracy.

All jokes aside, Julian the previous owner of Workshop Innovation was a strong advocate of Arbor Presses and Wilson Straight Line Dies.

Although I understand the principal I haven't been able to work out what process you would have to change if your force meter showed inconsistent results.

If you do jump into this rabbit hole please keep us posted on your findings.

The force is relative to how hard your neck is and how uniform it is. My 2C. The easiest method? Annealing. Your groups just close up.We lube our necks when sizing and then wet clean them before seating.Running 53gr Barnes in our 8 twist. Recent run of deer with holes in their eyes and ears.

@R93 I think you should buy all the kit and give it a go.
Then report back your findings.


Get a 6.5x55 swede die while your at it....

Originally Posted by Tech

It depends on how much you Kea about accuracy.

All jokes aside, Julian the previous owner of Workshop Innovation was a strong advocate of Arbor Presses and Wilson Straight Line Dies.

Although I understand the principal I haven't been able to work out what process you would have to change if your force meter showed inconsistent results.

If you do jump into this rabbit hole please keep us posted on your findings.

If I was serious about presses I doubt you could improve on the German Präzipress.

The gauge imo, will tell you considering your brass prep was in order that you would only have to change out the piece of offending brass or remedy it if possible.

I just checked runout and seating on all my loaded 260 improved ammo. It certainly wasnt as good as I remember it was when i did a control check when loading it, however still well within spec.
I dont have compressed loads either.


Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

I was shown a method YEARS ago that does a pretty darn good job of concentricity.......had folk scoff then try it and eat humble pie....
even using lee press and dies it does a VERY good job....start seating projectile,then turn it and case half way around and finish it off,takes but a second to do and as said it works.

Contact the guys that make the Annealing made perfect ( amp) Machine, they are in the middle of developing a bullet seater controlled by computer that plots the force required on each bullet to be seated in the case.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I was shown a method YEARS ago that does a pretty darn good job of concentricity.......had folk scoff then try it and eat humble pie....
even using lee press and dies it does a VERY good job....start seating projectile,then turn it and case half way around and finish it off,takes but a second to do and as said it works.

Yup I do this works surprisingly well

Been using an arbor press for well over thirty years. Originally a fine Jones Custom Products arbor press and in the last few years a 21st Century arbor press, both with Wilson hand dies. Also use a Forster Co-Ax press for conventional dies which are all bushing type dies.

It's much easier to feel seating pressure with an arbor press even without a force gauge and that is probably it's best attribute apart from being portable.

As far as concentricity goes it depends on the dies you're currently using and the particular rifle you're loading for and the chamber dimensions thereof. I wouldn't say that hand dies will be guaranteed to give you more concentric ammo. As an example, in my .308 I achieve equally as concentric ammunition as what I get with the Redding bushing and competition seater dies. In my 6.5 Creedmoor I get straighter ammo with the Wilson hand dies. Those are the only two rifles I use currently and can attest to as it's been a long time since I loaded 6 PPC and 7mm/08 ammunition.

If you want the straightest ammo possible I think the best route to take is a custom die, both hand or threaded, made from either the reamer your rifle was chambered with or one made from several unsized cases that have been fired in that rifle. Even so, the most concentric ammo with say .0005/.001 runout doesn't necessarily mean it's going shoot smaller groups than ammunition that has .002/.003 runout, at least in a factory chambered hunting rifle.

"At the end of the day", as the old cliché goes, it's all good fun experimenting and that's without getting other stuff like neck turning.

WTF! About time to buy a new PC.

Administrator, please delete posts #12 and #13.

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

WTF! About time to buy a new PC.

Administrator, please delete posts #12 and #13.

just thought you loved it that much you had to say it 3 times

Originally Posted by Friwi

Contact the guys that make the Annealing made perfect ( amp) Machine, they are in the middle of developing a bullet seater controlled by computer that plots the force required on each bullet to be seated in the case.

Seen that but I would say thats gettin a bit pricey like their annealer.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk