Bullet Runout

[HotRod308]

I have been thinking after buying high quality Redding or RCBS match dies you think all you need to do is but right size bushing and reload ammo and everything thing is just great. Then one day your shooting along doing fine and you start shooting some what I call crazy Ivan shots. not even on call. So you go back and you get the old bullet run out dail indicator gauge out and you find out out that some of your loaded rounds are .006 run and some a little more.

So whats wrong, I removed the expander ball and put the small one in, but that means I have to use a punch or dummy round to straighten and necks that are dented inward before sizing. But if it makes it better, so be it. But while I did that I find a whole bunch of resizing lube up in the bushing, it wasn't free floating around. So lesson learned, clean my sizing die after every few hundred case, doesn't take long. Good practice.

Still my run on a few were still .005 most were under .003 some were spot on .001. But why those .005 yet. Took a flashlight looked up inside and saw what looked like brass particles. So I took the custom seating die apart. Yes, brass was there and crud up in the seating stem as well. All that crap up there probably not allowing the bullet to stay straight while being seated.

Once everything was re-cleaned, made a dummy round and bullet runout was less than .001.

Although I haven't made a new batch of ammo to check yet, I feel I just may have finally figured it out. Even my standard seating die once cleaned did way better to the point were I may have never bought a custom seating die so many years ago.

Bottom line, clean your dies!!!

[jtallen83]

SS can chime in on this, letting the shell holder float by using an O ring can help with runout, he had a pretty extensive thread with a discussion on it.

[98Z5V]

9 hours ago, jtallen83 said:

SS can chime in on this, letting the shell holder float by using an O ring can help with runout, he had a pretty extensive thread with a discussion on it.

That was in his MEC press, no?   I just started working at a place that is owned by a very avid shotgunner.  We are a MEC dealer, and I'm going after one of those presses that SS has, based on his writeups. 

[jtallen83]

1 minute ago, 98Z5V said:

That was in his MEC press, no?   I just started working at a place that is owned by a very avid shotgunner.  We are a MEC dealer, and I'm going after one of those presses that SS has, based on his writeups. 

I believe that was the thread. Might have been a separate one with an article, this one I think;

http://www.mssblog.com/2016/11/11/improving-tool-alignment-5-ways-to-float/

 

 

 

[survivalshop]

 I also floated my Pacific Press Shell Holder , though I pretty much only use it for tools now , since I got the MEC . I found that a Forster Match Seating Die & the MEC Marksmen Press , with its floating Shell Holder, all loads are 0.001" & under , some don't even move the Dial Indicators Needle & I check Sized Brass & Loaded Ammo . 

 I clean my Dies before each use , my Redding Bushing Sizing Die before I use it & leave sizing Lubricant in it when not in use for rust or corrosion resistance .

Edited August 22, 2018 by survivalshop