Thread: Seating Stem Deforming Projectiles on Compressed loads

I have found that my seating stem for my hornady die is creating an indented ring around the projectile, when seating projectiles on compressed loads. I have purchase the eld seating stem for these dies and it is still doing it. Is there an easy way to remedy this? I have thought of buying a seating stem, putting some bedding compound in a seating stem and seating a projectile and leaving it in there overnight to mould to the projectile. Which I think should fix the issue. However i don't have any bedding compound so dont really want to spend the money on a bedding compound just to fix a seating stem. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers Nathan

the modern super sleak designs have caused issues with this.....hornady dies have always put a wee ring around projectiles somewhere along the olgive....minor blemish that doesnt affect preformance....the dies HAVE to touch projectile somewhere.....

Originally Posted by nathang6.5

I have found that my seating stem for my hornady die is creating an indented ring around the projectile, when seating projectiles on compressed loads. I have purchase the eld seating stem for these dies and it is still doing it. Is there an easy way to remedy this? I have thought of buying a seating stem, putting some bedding compound in a seating stem and seating a projectile and leaving it in there overnight to mould to the projectile. Which I think should fix the issue. However i don't have any bedding compound so dont really want to spend the money on a bedding compound just to fix a seating stem. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers Nathan

I just changed mine for same reason they make an ELDX/ ELDM seating stem about $26 No more problem now.

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I have had the same issues, I have always intended to give the below a go but in the end just put up with the rings.

I think this would only work with the floating style bullet seaters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3E6xy0wmDk

I have just found the JB weld after i posted this, and what is shown in that video is basically exactly what i was planning on doing. Thanks for the replys. I hope it works.

Originally Posted by nathang6.5

I have just found the JB weld after i posted this, and what is shown in that video is basically exactly what i was planning on doing. Thanks for the replys. I hope it works.

Let us know how you get on. Might give it a go

I get it with the ELD X bullets in most calibers I use them in but the worst is in the 270. I have found there is no issues with performance to date so don't see it as a problem.

@nathang6.5 I had exactly the same issue with ELD-M as they have a really thin jacket, snip one with side cutters and you'll see what I mean. I started with RCBS (terrible), then Hornady with ELD stem (still bad) and finally had to go to Redding with their VLD seater and that fixed the issue completely. No more marks what so ever.

Yes I have Redding dies, with their VLD stem with a micrometer on top. No more rings either.

I've used the hot-glue gun trick with 300 blackout. 110gr V-Maxes get absolutely destroyed seated over a max load of CFEBLK otherwise.

If you really need compressed loads, get a bigger cartridge..........

Thanks for all the replys. I have ordered a couple more eld seating stems, so will see how they go. If they do not work i will try the JB weld method. One cartridge the normal & eld seating stem works fine, when not working with compressed loads, but with compressed loads it significantly dents the projectile with both seating stems. I was just working up a load for a rifle doing a couple of ladder tests a with a couple of different powders to see what speed i would get. The non compressed powder load worked best so won't have to worry with that one. However i have a bunch of 2208 and wanting to run 75gr eldm's through my 223. So i wont be able to avoid a compressed load here unless i change powders, which i would rather not as i have quite a bit of it to use. ELD seating stem for 223 should arrive today, so will try that tonight. If that does not solve the issue i will try the JB weld method and let you all know how it goes.

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

If you really need compressed loads, get a bigger cartridge..........

could go to a faster powder, what's with this speed thing or is there a prize for who can stuff the most powder in a case, compressed loads can push the bullet out in to the rifling
changing the AOL

Another possible solution is to place one of your projectiles into the chuck of a drill and apply a small amount of JB Paste or fine valve grinding paste on the projectile. Hold it square into the seating stem and polish the stem. You may need to do this two or three times so the stem takes on the same shape as the projectile.

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