Ring around bullet when using hornady bullet seating die

[bangbangping]

I did not pay attention to the crimp until up asked. Looks like you might be crimping and seating at the same time. If this is true, back off the seating die a half turn at least, then seat another bullet. If the ring on the bullet goes away, it is without a doubt too much crimp.

If I crimp at all, it is a seperate function

What dellet said. I'm thinking you need to back your seating die out a few turns. Try this: Back the seating die out several turns. Then raise an empty case (no bullet) and slowly screw in the die until it makes contact. Back it out 1/4 turn or so set the lock ring.

[gomeybear]

What dellet said. I'm thinking you need to back your seating die out a few turns. Try this: Back the seating die out several turns. Then raise an empty case (no bullet) and slowly screw in the die until it makes contact. Back it out 1/4 turn or so set the lock ring.

I made sure that there was no crimp being applied with the Hornady bullet seating die by the method you described. I am crimping with the Lee Factory Crimp Die in a separate process.

[dellet]

What dellet said. I'm thinking you need to back your seating die out a few turns. Try this: Back the seating die out several turns. Then raise an empty case (no bullet) and slowly screw in the die until it makes contact. Back it out 1/4 turn or so set the lock ring.

I made sure that there was no crimp being applied with the Hornady bullet seating die by the method you described. I am crimping with the Lee Factory Crimp Die in a separate process.

1/4 turn off an empty case may not be enough. 1/4 turn off a case with a seated bullet is minimal. Once the bullet is seated, the larger diameter neck will contact the die sooner than an empty case

In the photo the case mouth has two different marks. The lowest, most easily seen looks like a scratch. Halfway from there to the top of the neck there is a depression that looks like a crimp line.

I don’t think it’s possible to get a lee crimp die adjusted so poorly that it only crimps the top 1/32” of the neck.

It’s really hard to diagnose a photo. Check If the rounds you tried without powder have the same mark or not, there should be your answer. Unless you ran those through the lee die also.

[gomeybear]

Its the seating stem without a doubt causing that ring on the bullet. Ive fiddled with backing off the crimp feature on the bullet seating die quite a bit; backed it off more than one full turn and everything between and still it marks that location. Also, when loading a bullet without a charge in the case it still happens too. I’ll be contacting Hornady to see about sending a different seating stem.

[SIMJOSH1]

Crimping with Lee Factory Crimp die? Doesn't look quite as aggressive as some of mine, but with the glare it's hard to tell.. I'd say it's further than I would crimp outside of the cannelure.

Yes sir, Lee Factory Crimp Die. I was thinking it was overshooting the cannelure too. Any way of adjusting that on the Lee Factory Crimp Die?

More or less a bullet seating issue.. if your at the correct COAL.. Whats your brass length at?

From my experience... most cannalures don't exactly match COAL / trim length.

Depending on the bullet - I may have differing trim lengths. I might try a 5 shot to see if there's any difference between pushing the bullet slightly deeper into the cannalure. Then I let the accuracy dictate which method I use. H110 generally has the room to push the bullet down without significant compression.. Sometimes none at all. Just do Dellet's trick of filling a used case then placing the bullet on top and measure. This will at a minimum give you OAL with bullet sitting ontop of powder - Then lets you see where 0.010 compression sets OAL etc etc etc....

[gomeybear]

More or less a bullet seating issue.. if your at the correct COAL.. Whats your brass length at?

From my experience... most cannalures don't exactly match COAL / trim length.

Depending on the bullet - I may have differing trim lengths. I might try a 5 shot to see if there's any difference between pushing the bullet slightly deeper into the cannalure. Then I let the accuracy dictate which method I use. H110 generally has the room to push the bullet down without significant compression.. Sometimes none at all. Just do Dellet's trick of filling a used case then placing the bullet on top and measure. This will at a minimum give you OAL with bullet sittin”g ontop of powder - Then lets you see where 0.010 compression sets OAL etc etc etc....

Brass Length is at hornady book spec of approx. 1.358”

[cdl]

Ive fiddled with backing off the crimp feature on the bullet seating die quite a bit; backed it off more than one full turn.

The bottom of my Hornady seating die is 0.85" off the shell plate... Not the bullet guide that floats out the bottom, but the die bottom itself. Just saying for reference.

[SIMJOSH1]

Ive fiddled with backing off the crimp feature on the bullet seating die quite a bit; backed it off more than one full turn.

The bottom of my Hornady seating die is 0.85" off the shell plate... Not the bullet guide that floats out the bottom, but the die bottom itself. Just saying for reference.

Then your good, reference other post with bullet cannalure placement reference.. Case necks on 300 blackout aren't long enough to crimp in the cannalure . Or you need to seat below book recommendations...

[exexex]

I've also had rings. You might relieve some seating pressure and lessen the ring by making sure the inside of the neck is clean or slightly dry lubed. I've read that mica or graphite works, but I just run a fairly dry neck cleaning brush inside and get a little smoother, more consistent seating. It's easy to try before you go with the other good suggestions that require more work.

I did not see any SST-specific bullet seaters on the Hornady website:

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/dies/ ... cessories/#!/

FWIW I use the Lee FCD but don't put much of a crimp on it. Seems to work well in bolts and AR's.

[gomeybear]

Tried lapping compound recommendation; had a marginal affect on ring around bullet.

Can anyone recommend another manufacture’s 300 blackout dies that maybe won’t cause that ring? RCBS seems like a favorite around here