Bullet seating problem???

[montec43]

Hey all. I’m new to reloading so this may be a no brained but I noticed some scratch marks on some bullets that had been chambered in my rifle. On closer inspection, there’s a ring where I’m guessing the seating die pushed on the bullet, some bullets have subtle scratch marks on one side. Those bullets then have larger scratches further down after they’ve been chambered. Is the bullet being seated off center / tilted? Is this a problem with the seating die or does the bullet need to be held straight all the way into the die? Thanks for any help

(Had a hard time getting photos of the problem but it’s very noticeable in person)

 

[Ryridesmotox]

The rings are from the seater plug. You can polish the inside of it with one of the bullets you're going to be using to help it fit better, or just ignore it. I've not really noticed my accuracy diminish because of it, but I don't normally run a very compressed load, so I don't get rings very bad. If you're running a compressed load, it will make the ring worse. As far as the scratches, I get those if I throw it in the chamber to make sure it chambers as well, also wouldn't worry a lot about it. I suppose you could polish out the chamber of the rifle to see if that stops or lessens he scratches, but unless it cuts through the jacket, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

[Rocketmandb]

As Ryridesmotox mentioned, this is likely from the seating stem in the die. What seating die are you using?

 

[richidaho]

You can try a bit of spray lube (Hornady one Shot) on bullets before seating. Let lube dry before seating.

 

[montec43]

Not exactly sure on what die I’m using. I’d guess it’s the Dillon 308 die, taking over my dads set up so I’ve been debugging it the last couple weeks

 

[Ryridesmotox]

Not exactly sure on what die I’m using. I’d guess it’s the Dillon 308 die, taking over my dads set up so I’ve been debugging it the last couple weeks

Some pics of the equipment will help the guys here decode what you might need to change. I've only been reloading for like 10 years, so my insights dont carry the same experience as some here.

 

[drn1234]

Pretty common to have a mark from the seater.
Just look left of where you are reading to the bullets in the pic in the background of the forum (bottom left) you will see marks there too.

 

[LR51]

Polish the seater if your worried

 

[wpgk58]

Hey all. I’m new to reloading so this may be a no brained but I noticed some scratch marks on some bullets that had been chambered in my rifle. On closer inspection, there’s a ring where I’m guessing the seating die pushed on the bullet, some bullets have subtle scratch marks on one side. Those bullets then have larger scratches further down after they’ve been chambered. Is the bullet being seated off center / tilted? Is this a problem with the seating die or does the bullet need to be held straight all the way into the die? Thanks for any help

(Had a hard time getting photos of the problem but it’s very noticeable in person)

The marks are common complaint. If you are shooting similar bullets, then hone the seating stem to mate smoother with the bullet.
Mount a bullet in a vise or something that will hold it steady. Remove the seating stem from the die, and clean well. Apply Flitz or a valve seating paste to the inside surfaces of the stem and mount in a drill. At slower speed, push the stem onto the bullet and rotate slowly. You will notice the seating surface will become smoother and bright. Apply more Flitz and continue until the surface is similar to the conical shape of the bullet. It may take several bullets, depending on the quality of the metal the stem is made of. After finished and stem is smooth, completely clean the stem with brake cleaner to remove any residue of the Flitz. Pay particular attention to the top of the opening of the stem as the Flitz will collect there and will get quite hard. After fully cleaned, lubricate well with oil and reinstall in the die. This should solve your problem.
Some die manufacturers produce a VLD/ELD seating stem with higher slope to match the bullets. These are usually around $10-15 and are worth the investment. Redding, Whidden and Forester are ones I know offer this.
Happy Loading