Loose bullet seating?

[mshedden]

Just getting back into reloading after years away. I'm loading 6.5x55 using an old RCBS press and Lee dies, 140gr Hornady BTHPs.
I have 2 brands of brass, PPU and Federal. I have reloaded the PPU 3 times, neck sizing only, with no problems, after the 4th firing I got sticky bolt lift, and neck sized cartridges were difficult to chamber, so I full length sized them, and all is fine again.

However, after firing the factory loaded Federal brass ONE time, I neck sized it using the Lee collet die, and found that ALL bullets seated into that brass with much reduced pressure on the press handle. Also note that I tumbled this brass using stainless pin media that gets inside the cases, resulting in very clean once fired brass - inside of the necks came out *totally* clean. Would once fired tumbled brass be so smooth inside the neck that it would affect the bullet seating force? I measured the necks of both the federal and ppu brass after seating the bullets and if anything the Federal brass is a hair smaller than the full length sized PPU rounds, and certainly within spec. The bullets are NOT falling out of the Federal cases or anything like that, they just required very little pressure to seat. The Federal rounds chamber in my rifle just fine.

Is there a problem here? Are these rounds OK to shoot?

Many thanks!

 

[roggom]

It may not be a problem. I find new once fired brass easier to work, it may be that the brass is softer (especially FC brass). Working the other brass 4-5 times may have hardened them. I dont have the 6.5 but a 7x57 and ppu will split after a number of firing if they are not annealed.

may want to try annealing your older brass (at least a few) and see if it is any different.

As for neck tension, well unless you are using a bushing die, it will be a little tough to determine.

One down and dirty test is to load the round (no powder or primer), put the bullet tip down on your bench and see if you can push it in with moderate hand pressure. If so , you may need to adjust your die.

 

[djskit]

The neck thicknesses in the 2 brands of brass are probably different. When I resize, I use a neck bushing die so I can get the tension just right on the brand of brass I'm using. Different brands ofter require different bushings.

Measure the OD of the neck in both loaded rounds out to .001 and I bet you'll see a difference. Yet another reason re-loaders are reminded to stick with one brand of brass for precision work. The other problem being variations in case volume affecting pressure.

 

[Victor N TN]

I know in other calibers, that Federal brass is slightly softer. You shouldn't have a problem.

 

[mshedden]

Many thanks for the advice. I think the Federal brass is thinner in the neck area - it does measure .001 or more smaller than the PPU on loaded ammo.

I have some Lapua brass on the way so may standardize on that for the future.

 

[JRM83]

With the Lee collet die the thickness of the necks shouldn't matter since the neck is being squeezed around a mandrel. The inside of the case mouth will have the same diameter regardless of the thickness of the neck. In my experience the Lee Collet Die's mandrel doesn't allow for a whole lot of neck tension - just enough to hold the bullet securely.

 

[Pinecone]

You could always turn the mandrel down a bit on the collet die.

Or talk to lee about a slightly smaller mandrel. I have found them to be VERY responsive.