Odd scratches on bottom of bullet

[d3ydx3]

Any idea what's causing these deep scrapes into the base of the bullet? There is one each side about 180 degrees apart from the other one. This is a BBI 125 TCN. I started getting these when I switched to coated bullets on my Lee 4-die set, so I purchased a Lyman M-die and replacing the FCD with a Redding taper crimp die. The Lyman M-die has definitely helped with shaving the coating, but I'm still getting these weird cuts at the base of the bullet. 

 

Edit: forgot to mention that I'm using the Redding competition seating die because I thought the bullets weren't going in straight. I think with the Redding it would eliminate that as a possibility. 

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by pealandco

[Joe4d]

id go with a tool head alignment issue with your seating die, or you need more flare and to pay a bit more attention when placing the bullet.

[HI5-O]

Do the cuts match up with the case mouth? Looks like it is going in the case off center. Bullet feeder?

[d3ydx3]

3 minutes ago, HI5-O said:

Do the cuts match up with the case mouth? Looks like it is going in the case off center. Bullet feeder?

 

No, that's the weird thing. I'm flaring enough to seat the base deeper than the case mouth with the M-die. I've tried the other way, but just seating the bullet on the case shoulder, and the result is the same. No bullet feeder. 

[d3ydx3]

Also forgot to mention that I'm using the Redding competition seating die thinking that the bullets were going in misaligned. 

[zombywoof]

did you use a inertia bullet puller to remove that bullet?

[d3ydx3]

Just now, zombywoof said:

did you use a inertia bullet puller to remove that bullet?

 

I thought there was a very remote possibility my bullet puller could be doing it, but I figured since the scratches were going into the bullet it had to be seating and not the puller. Are you thinking it is the puller?

[zombywoof]

I always get that when I use the puller. The bullet bounces back and hits the case mouth.

[zombywoof]

Hard to see from the picture. It looks like it runs across the bottom of the bullet

[d3ydx3]

3 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

I always get that when I use the puller. The bullet bounces back and hits the case mouth.

 

Wow, I didn't even think about that. Good to know. I was worried those deep cuts were actually being done when I seated the bullet, and figured it would be awful for accuracy, etc. to shoot the rounds. 

Edited August 27, 2020 by pealandco

[d3ydx3]

1 minute ago, zombywoof said:

Hard to see from the picture. It looks like it runs across the bottom of the bullet

 

Yes, they're at the base and right around 180 agrees opposed on the base. The cuts vary across each bullet - some are deep and others are just surface scratches. Then again, when I pull a bullet with a bullet puller, it can be one or two hits or 3+ to get the bullet out. 

[zombywoof]

Try gently tapping the bullet out and see what happens

[BJB]

That's from pulling bullets exactly as @zombywoof describes. 

If you have to pull a bunch of those you can minimize that by placing 2 or 3 cotton balls inside your puller and they'll cushion/prevent the bullet bouncing back into the case mouth.

[d3ydx3]

@zombywoof @BJB the puller totally makes sense. I'll throw some cotton balls in there tonight and give it a try. For some reason my plated bullets don't show it but the coated ones do. Figure that's just because the plated are harder than the coated ones?

[superdude]

If these bullets have been pulled with a kinetic puller, that's the cause - bounce back. You'll even see it on jacketed bullets. A cushion will help reduce it, but even then it might not prevent bounce back unless you use gentle strokes just before the bullet comes out. 

 

[Intheshaw1]

Maybe seat one without crimping and pull it with a pliers and see if there is still a mark at the base.

[d3ydx3]

I put some cotton balls in the bullet puller, and pulled a few bullets - no cuts on the base! Thanks guys. Good to know my rounds aren't bad.