Comments on: Tech Tip: Try Rotating Cartridge During Bullet Seating Process — This Might Reduce Bullet Run-Out

By: Boyd Allen

Boyd Allen — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 17:59:33 +0000

The shortening of the sleeve does not have to be a precision operation, because after it is completed, you will have created clearance so that it is the case, rather than the shell holder that raises the sleeve in the die body. Also, lowering the body to make slight contact (not to much or the unhardened die body will be deformed) helps with ogive to head consistency. If your case is loose in the bottom of the sleeve, a little “precision blue painters tape” applied so that the ends but, just inside the opening and extending perhaps 3/8″ into the sleeve, can seriously improve the fit, and your results. It is a bit tricky to do, so don’t try it when you are feeling short of patience.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 17:58:04 +0000

I shoot only silhouette offhand so 1/2 MOA is plenty accurate for me although my 6.5L will do under a 1/4 MOA.

When I am reloading I run the case up until the bullet is in contact with both the top seating die and just inside the case neck. At this point since I already have my fingers right there placing the bullet I’ll give the brass 1/4 to 1/3rd of a turn to center things up that might be crooked. Seems to work like a charm and the few I measured for concentric tolerance were fine. So I just do it and never bother to check how concentric they are anymore. I just run with it.

Honestly. I haven’t found a single load yet in the 6.5L that doesn’t seem to shoot well. Or plenty well for me at least. No one is holding offhand in .1 MOA increments lol.

By: Guy

Guy — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:38:19 +0000

This is a old David Tubb trick

By: mike

mike — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:11:37 +0000

queen_stick I rotate using Wilson seating dies.
1st barely getting bullet into neck, then rotate~120, seat half way, rotate 120, then seat fully.

By: Jim Hardy

Jim Hardy — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:17:12 +0000

Going back to Max Wagner’s post, he is on the money. A precision shortening of the sleeve has worked for years. It also makes the die easy to set up from press to press. Max has done the same thing with the adjustment.

John Whidden went to this sleeve modification on his Dillon presses where he also floated the die plates. He loads very fine ammo with this progressive combo.

By: queen_stick

queen_stick — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:10:37 +0000

To the guys who rotate when seating bullets, do you do the same thing with Wilson-style bullet seaters (hand dies)?

By: fdshuster

fdshuster — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:17:49 +0000

I’ve always rotated 120 degrees/ 3 turns total. Verified results with the Sinclair gauge & see an improvement.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:30:09 +0000

Yes rotating DOES help with run out, i rotate my .308 Win. and usually have .001 to none. Like Dan says 3-5 strokes and rotating everytime makes a big difference.

By: Max Wagner

Max Wagner — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:55:14 +0000

I had a concentricity problem with my Redding Competition die as well. I was getting runouts from .0005-.004. Upon examination I found that the cartridge case wasn’t seating all the way up in to the shoulder of the sliding sleeve of the die with the result that it was loose when the bullet was being seated. allowing the case to move sideways very slightly. This apparently enabled the bullet to enter at a slight angle giving random runout. I considered removing a thou or so from the bottom of the sliding sleeve but decided against it. Instead I checked the heighth of several shellholders with a depth gauge and used the thinnest one I had. Then I set up the die so that the die body bottomed snugly against the shellholder (without a cartridge case) and proceeded to seat some bullets using cases selected with little or no runout using a slow single motion of the press handle. My runout dropped dramatically and now gives me .005-.0015 with Winchester brass and no- turned necks.

EDITOR: Max — that is a clever work-around and a very useful tip. Yet one more possible use for the Redding competition shellholder.

By: Duke

Duke — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:30:06 +0000

I rotate 90 degrees. At 180 you stll have the same angle only your top is your bottom. At 90 you fix your side to side as well.