Bullet seating issue

[Davecoff13]

Been running into this issue lately, Dillon 550 with a Hornady seating die with  the micrometer stem. This is happening 3 / 4 times per 100. Never had this happen with other seating dies. Have one for 40 s/w and it works flawlessly. Took it apart and cleaned everything as well as polished it up ( have not tried since) . Unsure if the case is not being opened up enough by the expander ball during sizing or what. Dillon dies in the other 3 stations. This is for .223 / 5.56

Edited October 24, 2022 by Davecoff13

[Farmer]

Raise the body of the die up about two or three turns and re-adjust the seating stem. I’m guessing you may be getting into the crimping portion of the die and it’s pinching the bullet before it’s fully seated thus mashing the case. That’s a hell of a ring on the bullet. 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Farmer

[Davecoff13]

It’s just weird how random it is. The only ones that end up with the ring are the ones that are crushed. I will try that though. Going to load some tomorrow so will let you know.

Edited October 25, 2022 by Davecoff13

[Farmer]

@Davecoff13
Also take your chamfer tool and put a slight chamfer on the case mouth’s if you haven’t yet. That may also be why your getting one just occasionally. I looked a bit closer to your pic and it doesn’t look like it’s being crimped, It’s hard to tell. Best to raise the die, insert an empty brass, raise the brass into the die, then screw the die down until you feel it touch the brass. Then Back the die out 1 1/2 turns and set it. I once had some FMJ bullets that for some reason would catch the heel on the brass mouth and booger them up. A good chamfer on the mouths cleared it up. 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Farmer

[usmc1974]

.How many times has this brass been reloaded? And have you ever annealed the brass.

[Davecoff13]

This is once fired brass, that I fired new so I know it hasn’t been reloaded a bunch of times. I recently finished a batch of brass that had been reloaded 4 times and the same issue. No they haven’t been annealed.

[Farmer]

Look very closely at the mouths with a magnifier if needed and look for small teeth like marks in the brass. With factory loaded ammo it’s usually crimped into the cannalure very firmly and this puts sharp teeth into the brass that can grab the bullet while seating. 
I have brass that’s been loaded 10+ times without annealing

Edited October 25, 2022 by Farmer
Added

[Davecoff13]

Update, got some time this am. to knock out a few hundred rounds. Never touched the die as I remembered setting up the die per Hornady’s way so as to not crimp. What I did do was chuck the chamfer tool in a drill and chamfered all the brass. I started with about 20 pieces I had still in the tray from the last session that I did not chamfer. After 10 OF THOSE and crushing 4 I remembered those were not chamfered. Chamfered the last 10 and immediately noticed how much smoother the press ran. Never did it again in 300 rnds! Thanks Farmer!!! This site is so helpful, there is always something to learn even after years of reloading. Also Farmer, on some of the brass you could feel the chamfer tool chattering on what I assume was the teeth like marks you mentioned from the crimp on the cannalure. Thanks again everyone!

Edited October 30, 2022 by Davecoff13

[Farmer]