Thread: Seating die damaging projectiles

Today I decided I might load up some development rounds using 150gr LRABs, im loading them for a 270wsm and im having trouble seating them as the collet is damaging the projectiles, its kind of pushing down onto them and getting stuck, a few of them it even pulled the projectile back out of the case when trying to release. These are compressed loads, is it just that the bit extra effort required to compress is causing the collet to damage them or should I be looking at a different die or other solution? Have no problems with VLDs. Dies are hornady new dimension.

Hope that makes sense and thanks for any advice

Does it happen on a non compressed load?

This is a picture of a damaged one, these things are bloody hard to find ( have cleaned @dogmatix rightout of them ) and I have damaged three which doesnt impress me much, doesnt do it on a load that doesnt compress much, all my loads using them are compressing to a certain degree as they are such long buggers but its the max loads they are doing it on, im wondering if theres a collet that will be easier on them or even a completely new seating die?

Have seen it plenty of times

The 270 collet is not quite the same ogive profile as your projectile choice

Yes the compressed loads make it worse.

Some things that lessen the "crush ring" on the projectiles ogive are...

VLD chamfer the inside of your case necks for easier projectile seating

Thoroughly clean then Lube your case necks for a softer seating pressure

Lube projectiles as well for the same reason

Drop a grain of powder out or change to a faster burn rate of powder

Or seat your projectiles out longer if possible

Choose 140 NBT for more powder volume

Seat the projectile very very slowly


Just neck size your fired brass, this increases powder capacity and if you repeatedly tap a powder charged case you will see the powder level drop, then seat the projectile.

If none of those are suitable then smear bedding compound in your collet, and release agent on a projectile

Three quarters seat the projectile in a case and walk away, next day remove the part loaded round from your press.

Your seating collet will now be bedded to 150g LR Accubonds and wont damage them.

I have fired a lot of projectiles that have been damaged in the way you describe and there is no change to bc, no change to accuracy and terminal performance on game is the same.

Ps. I have only ever seen .270 hornady seater stems make this damage, and softening up the final seating pressure is the key to lessen damage

my hornady dies do this to my 223 loads, tho not quite as badly. slightly compressed

Thanks @7mmsaum thats all good advice, if I could find a constant supply of the LRABs I would definately bed a collet as you suggested just for seating them..... Actually, I just had a thought as I wrote this, I used to load plenty of LRABs for my 270win, and never had this problem, always used a cheap lee seating die too which I still have, Im going to go check if I can fit a wsm case up that die and try seating with that

Don't know if this is any help, but I got VLD seater stems for my redding seating dies. Bearing in mind these were for 7mm Berger VLDs. Does Hornady do the same thing?

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Thanks @7mmsaum thats all good advice, if I could find a constant supply of the LRABs I would definately bed a collet as you suggested just for seating them..... Actually, I just had a thought as I wrote this, I used to load plenty of LRABs for my 270win, and never had this problem, always used a cheap lee seating die too which I still have, Im going to go check if I can fit a wsm case up that die and try seating with that

Wsm case wont fit in 270 win die.

Semi-success! Cant use the lee die to seat but took the collet out and allthough its slightly different than the hornady one it works in the hornady die body and seats them nicely, it sits a lot nicer on the LRABs than the hornady one does now that i look at them out of the die bodys. Thanks @7mmsaum I must have just needed a bit of encouragement to use my noggin!

Now go order a spare hornady .270 seating stem that you can bed to a 150g LRAB ($6 approx)

Off to **Gunsmithing Tools**, Reloading Equipment, Books & DVDs - Workshop Innovation as we speak...

And if using compressed loads try a loooong drop tube. The powder settles better and deeper into the case. I use a tube around 450mm with a funnel at the top. I tip the powder in on the edge of the funnel and it goes down the tube like water draining out of a bath, ie in a vortex/swirling pattern. @7mmsaum bloody well covered.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

This is a picture of a damaged one, these things are bloody hard to find ( have cleaned @dogmatix rightout of them ) and I have damaged three which doesnt impress me much, doesnt do it on a load that doesnt compress much, all my loads using them are compressing to a certain degree as they are such long buggers but its the max loads they are doing it on, im wondering if theres a collet that will be easier on them or even a completely new seating die?

Should buff out easily!
Have had it happen with lapua miras in a 308 (used wrong seating die) shot them and they hit the same place as undamaged ones

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Should buff out easily!
Have had it happen with lapua miras in a 308 (used wrong seating die) shot them and they hit the same place as undamaged ones

But they look ugly! I like my ammunition pretty haha

And allthough a few guys have now said they shoot just as well as an undamaged one, being load development rounds im never going to really be able to believe if a good, or bad group was a result of the damaged projectile, really would like all the variables to be minimised as much as possible at load development time!