Why so much COAL Varience..?

[IGOTGLOCKED]

I believe that consistency in the operation of the press is the key.

Run it at a cadence with smooth movements and firm positive pressure at the end of each stroke.

I have very few issues during the process of reloading. I always take my time and double check my set up prior to beginning. I don't reload if I am going to feel rushed. My cadence is comfortable and intentional, I generally am only in the 400 - 500 per hour range if I were to average it out. I don't watch or try to beat the clock and I normally don't load but about 300 +/- per session. Yet when I look at my results they seem to be all over the board.

???

[TDA]

Mixed brass and 147's may be the issue.

Some case walls appear to get heavier toward the base and some are pretty much the same thickness toward the base. And then there are the "stepped" cases from Freedom...

Since 147's seat deeper they may not seat properly in the thicker cases.

Just a guess!

I didn't read back through all of this, so if you haven't already, try a batch of brass with the same head stamp.

Edit: I've only loaded a hundred 147's so I'm not up to speed on seating issues with them. I load 115's and 124's and haven't had any issues there.

Edited April 25, 2016 by TDA

[Miranda]

wheeeeee!

there are not too many things to cause variations in COL.

the press arm not being pushed to each end of the stroke

the bench flexing

the press having parts in the press self adjust.

the number I like to see for my favorite round is a COL of 1.132

and plus or minus about .003.

most ammo is 1.132.

for a long time I used a RCBS seating Die because it was MUCH more consistant

in the OAL result. (I still use it...)

It made no sense to me that one die was clearly better..

until I realized that my lee seating die was catching the bullet a good deal

further down the on the bullet curve.

I chuckled once I saw the press may well be VERY accurate

but I was not measuring where the press was pressing.

so measure where the press is pressing.

miranda

[IGOTGLOCKED]

I believe that consistency in the operation of the press is the key.

Run it at a cadence with smooth movements and firm positive pressure at the end of each stroke.

I will focus on this advice, smooth & positive - thx TDA!

[glock34shooter]

Can you take some pictures of the bullet tips from your loaded rounds. Is there a circle at the tip? I was get a variation that I narrowed down to the xtreme plated bullets being deformed slightly by the seating die. The deformation added to the COAL of my rounds.

[IGOTGLOCKED]

Can you take some pictures of the bullet tips from your loaded rounds. Is there a circle at the tip? I was get a variation that I narrowed down to the xtreme plated bullets being deformed slightly by the seating die. The deformation added to the COAL of my rounds.

It seems the imprint is from the lube drain hole in the seating stem. I used JB Weld to create a custom fit for the 147, seems to have worked but I have only tried a handful so far.

[GearHead36]

On 4/21/2016 at 9:55 AM, Sarge said:

Is the shell plate tight enough? If it wobbles much at all when you press down anywhere it's too loose.

Does the shell plate tightness make a difference? It would seem to me that how far a case gets pushed into a die is solely determined by the sub plate, and whether there are cases on the other side providing pressure on the sub plate. The bases of the cases on my LnL AP sit on the sub plate. Do other presses do it differently?

[GearHead36]

Duplicate.

Edited June 24, 2020 by GearHead36
Duplicate