Have round nose seating stem but loading hollow points

[BlackdogGS]

I have 1,000 40 S&W hollow points to load but my RCBS seating stem is for round nose. I just contacted RCBS to see what they come up with. What's the fix for this?

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[Certaindeaf]

I have 1,000 40 S&W hollow points to load but my RCBS seating stem is for round nose. I just contacted RCBS to see what they come up with. What's the fix for this?

RN seating stems are most often used for seating hollow point bullets.
Seat one to see if it's unacceptable.

 

[Foreverlost]

Plan "B"

I had this issue once. Used a spare seating stem and a Dremel tool. Ground out a little metal on the face of the seating stem and added a couple drops of epoxy. Then a thin film of lubricant on the bullet is applied. Have this ready for the ram/press. Have the dummy cartridge with bullet in the cartridge. Lower the ram till the seating stem is just pressing into the bullet. After the epoxy dries raise the press ram and trim excess epoxy.

YMMV

Foreverlost,

 

[oremike]

Have you tried it to see if there is a problem? I say that because it should work fine abet with some adjustment to the seating depth.

 

[bellarum]

I picked up the Hornady die for loading the XTP 9mm because it came with both round and flat inserts

 

[po18guy]

I found a carbide burr on eBay which closely matched the nose of the bullet, then chucked it into a drill press and opened the cavity in the seater plug up, checking with a sample bullet as I went. The carbide also leaves a much better surface finish in the cavity.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I picked up the Hornady die for loading the XTP 9mm because it came with both round and flat inserts

I load xtp's with a standard Lee die-set with no damage/ change to the bullet.

 

[DizzyJ]

I would think a standard RN stem would be fine.

 

[ma96782]

Been loading many different bullet types and profiles over the years. Just Try It.

If you see a problem....then consider buying a new/different seating stem.

Aloha, Mark

 

[BlackdogGS]

Ok, here's the answer from RCBS:

Hello Ron,

Due to the numerous types of bullet profiles and bullet manufacturers, we cannot make seat plugs that are a perfect match to every bullet currently on the market. However, we can create a custom seat plug for you that will eliminate the issue you may be experiencing with bullet seating depth or deformation of the bullet during seating.

To create a custom plug, we'll need 3 sample bullets, the diameter of the seater stem, and the caliber. We make seater plugs in 1/4 x 28 and 1/2 x 20. If you need a 7mm or .30 caliber Matchmaster seat plug, please specify the length of your seat plug so we ensure we make the correct plug for you. Without this information, we cannot start the plug and your order will be delayed. Please include your name, address, and telephone number as well as the type of plug you need (1/4 x 28 seat plugs thread into the die from the bottom and 1/2 x 20 seat plugs thread into the die from the top) in your package.

The cost for the custom plug is $19.95 and $7.50 for shipping, plus applicable sales tax. If you have a Gold Medal seat die or Matchmaster seat die seat plug, the price is $27.95, plus shipping and sales tax. We will contact you for your Visa card or Mastercard details. For expediency, please do not include a check with your package, as we no longer process them. Please ship your package to the following address:

RCBS
605 Oro Dam Blvd E.
Oroville, CA 95965

 

[Mikej]

Ok, here's the answer from RCBS:

Hello Ron,

Due to the numerous types of bullet profiles and bullet manufacturers, we cannot make seat plugs that are a perfect match to every bullet currently on the market. However, we can create a custom seat plug for you that will eliminate the issue you may be experiencing with bullet seating depth or deformation of the bullet during seating.

To create a custom plug, we'll need 3 sample bullets, the diameter of the seater stem, and the caliber. We make seater plugs in 1/4 x 28 and 1/2 x 20. If you need a 7mm or .30 caliber Matchmaster seat plug, please specify the length of your seat plug so we ensure we make the correct plug for you. Without this information, we cannot start the plug and your order will be delayed. Please include your name, address, and telephone number as well as the type of plug you need (1/4 x 28 seat plugs thread into the die from the bottom and 1/2 x 20 seat plugs thread into the die from the top) in your package.

The cost for the custom plug is $19.95 and $7.50 for shipping, plus applicable sales tax. If you have a Gold Medal seat die or Matchmaster seat die seat plug, the price is $27.95, plus shipping and sales tax. We will contact you for your Visa card or Mastercard details. For expediency, please do not include a check with your package, as we no longer process them. Please ship your package to the following address:

RCBS
605 Oro Dam Blvd E.
Oroville, CA 95965

Just use the seater that came with it. If you flare the cases, a little, you won't be exerting enough pressure on the nose of a jacketed HP to deform the bullet. It isn't that complicated. And it's easy to see if there's an issue.

 

[Capn Jack]

Try this Mike it's just a piece of threaded rod to match the die rod. Grind one end of it to fit the hole in your HP bullet and push them from the inside. That way you don't deform the bullet.

 

[bionic knees]

here we are overthinking it again.

 

[oremike]

One other thing to look at/think about is are you using a 3 die set so you are seating and crimping at the same time? if so you might want to separate those operations.

 

[BlackdogGS]

here we are overthinking it again.

That's what we do here.

 

[Mikej]

View attachment 1756942 View attachment 1756946

Try this Mike it's just a piece of threaded rod to match the die rod. Grind one end of it to fit the hole in your HP bullet and push them from the inside. That way you don't deform the bullet.

I haven't had any problem with deforming HP bullets.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

Remove seating stem and check if it aligns the bullet straight. If the bullet does not center and straighten in the seater cup you risk seating bullets crooked. That can cause bulging in the case near the base of the bullet.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Ok, here's the answer from RCBS:

Hello Ron,

Due to the numerous types of bullet profiles and bullet manufacturers, we cannot make seat plugs that are a perfect match to every bullet currently on the market. However, we can create a custom seat plug for you that will eliminate the issue you may be experiencing with bullet seating depth or deformation of the bullet during seating.

To create a custom plug, we'll need 3 sample bullets, the diameter of the seater stem, and the caliber. We make seater plugs in 1/4 x 28 and 1/2 x 20. If you need a 7mm or .30 caliber Matchmaster seat plug, please specify the length of your seat plug so we ensure we make the correct plug for you. Without this information, we cannot start the plug and your order will be delayed. Please include your name, address, and telephone number as well as the type of plug you need (1/4 x 28 seat plugs thread into the die from the bottom and 1/2 x 20 seat plugs thread into the die from the top) in your package.

The cost for the custom plug is $19.95 and $7.50 for shipping, plus applicable sales tax. If you have a Gold Medal seat die or Matchmaster seat die seat plug, the price is $27.95, plus shipping and sales tax. We will contact you for your Visa card or Mastercard details. For expediency, please do not include a check with your package, as we no longer process them. Please ship your package to the following address:

RCBS
605 Oro Dam Blvd E.
Oroville, CA 95965

The first thing they say is to do what many here said to do which is first try loading one to see if you need a different one.
Did you do that yet?

 

[BlackdogGS]

The first thing they say is to do what many here said to do which is first try loading one to see if you need a different one.
Did you do that yet?

That was the very first thing I did.

 

[Mikej]

Just use the seater that came with it. If you flare the cases, a little, you won't be exerting enough pressure on the nose of a jacketed HP to deform the bullet. It isn't that complicated. And it's easy to see if there's an issue.

Something else I didn't have time to mention. Regarding the crimp...

One other thing to look at/think about is are you using a 3 die set so you are seating and crimping at the same time? if so you might want to separate those operations.

Going toward what Mike is saying here. ^

People don't normally trim straight wall brass, that's most pistol brass. Therefore brass lengths will vary a few thousandths. Setting the seater die to crimp at the same time the bullet is seated to the desired depth/OAL can seem pretty tricky. As the bullet is seated, to much crimp will tend to leave the completed round longer than you want. And forcing it is where crushed cases happen And adjusting the other way may seem like not enough crimp. Realize that the slightest resistance at the bottom of the seat/crimp stroke is enough to squeeze the flare out of the case. ALWAYS check your set-up by dropping a couple of your completed rounds in the barrel and make sure it seats all the way in, give it a tap, and it should fall out easily too. That is the "Thunk Test". I hope that comes across so you get what I'm saying?

If/When you get to loading "Roll-Crimped" cases like, 38/.357, .44 mag, .45 Colt etc, you may want to go with a separate roll crimp die.