Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

sentry1

sentry1

Crayon Eater
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Minuteman
Jul 7, 2012
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Madison, Alabama
#1
I have a stripper clip full of what I like to call 'retard loads'. These are cases I sized and primed, and after powdering, most of them got messed up because I can't seat flat base .223 bullets worth a shit, and the necks got all jacked up in the seating die.

So, empty the powder out, now I have an empty case with a live primer. Can I just load these in my AR and fire the primer to make it inert?

P.S. What's a good seating die that will properly align flat base bullets? It's not a big issue with the boat tails, but after loading 40 55 grain SXSP rounds, I almost want to toss out the other 50 bullets.
 
#2
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

1) Yes, you can set off the primers in your rifle to deactivate them. Note: this is louder than you think it will be, and your wife will come running to the garage if you didn't warn her ahead of time.
smile.gif


2) How is your neck tension? I load flat-base bullets for plinking and they usually at least have a slight chamfer at the base to allow easy seating. If your neck is too tight, though, it could be more difficult. This may be less an issue with your seater die and more an issue with your sizer die.
 
#3
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

1) I was planning on doing it at the range. No point in unnecessarily scaring the neighbors in my apartment building.

2) Neck tension is tight. REALLY tight. I use an RCBS small base X-die. A kinetic bullet puller and 25 smacks won't knock the bullet out! I gave up after 25 swings.


Mainly what I've found is that the flat base bullets aren't stable enough stay put when I put them on the case for seating.

I even tried using a hand chamfer tool to put a better chamfer on the case neck than the RCBS 3 way cutter head gives it. Very minimal improvement in bullet staying put before seating. It ends up taking a very, VERY steady, and light touch when setting the bullet on the neck to get it to not fall off.
 
#4
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

I've never had a problem seating flat base bullets in .223. How much chamfer are you putting on the case mouth? And how much neck tension do you have?

I only have to get the bullet facing relatively point up when inserting into the die. The die centers the bullet.
 
#5
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

sounds like you need a bullet puller die and not the kinetic hammer, those little 5.56 bullts are too light to break the neck tension with inertia. A collet die will grab the bullet while you pull the case down with your loading press.
good luck and I hope this helps.
 
#7
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

A Wilson inside neck reamer for .223...it is made to ream the neck after firing. However, if you use it on a sized case, it can cut a tiny (if you stop it in time) recess that the bullet can perch on while seating. To measure the tension (in thousandths) measure the outside of the sized case and then seat a bullet and measure it. The difference is the tension. If you REALLY have a lot of tension and a hard neck it could size down the bullet a bit. In that case a military FMJ or AP bullet will help you measure. JMHO
 
#10
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

What sizing die are you using? Sounds like your necks are a bit too small. Boat tail bullets will act like an expander, which allows you to seat them. Flat base bullets can crush the case if the neck+chamfer isn't wide enough. I have no problems seating bullets with a .003" neck tension (.221" ID) and a moderate chamfer.
 
#11
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

Sounds like you may not have enough chamfer AND the neck may be sized too small. Keep it simple and adjust your sizing die and make sure you've got a good smooth chamfer.
 
#12
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

If it were me I would just get a bushing die and use a larger dia bushing for thicker brass. It would save you this trouble and you could adjust with different lots of brass for a consistent neck tension.
 
#14
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

Pull out your expander ball and measure it. It should be around .221-.222". Any smaller, and that would explain why you have difficulty seating flat base bullets.
 
#16
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

I HATE flat base .223 bullets and will not buy them anymore. Same problem. Try a Hornady seating die. They have a sliding seating stem that really helps. It guides the bullet into the die, no room for error.
 
#17
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

Wish I'd known about the Hornady earlier, I would have just bought the X-die sizer and not the seating die.

Can I buy the Hornady seating die on it's own? Midway only has it as part of the sizing/seating die combo.
 
#18
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

The RCBS competition seating die is the tits for loading flat base .223 bullets. They're kinda expensive, but it has the little window in the side, and you just drop the bullet in. It lines up and seats perfectly every time. I use 55gr Vmax bullets in my walkin around ammo, and i never have seating issues. **They come with a special elevated shell holder, though, and won't work on a Forster press.
 
#19
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

I guess it's a toss up between the Hornady and the RCBS then. The Hornady seating die is only $19, even if I got the micrometer stem, it would only come out to $42. I'm wondering if the RCBS or Redding comp seaters are that much better, considering I'm just going to be feeding an AR15 that barely gets used past 200 yards.
 
#20
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

The Hornady has the tube, which is good, but the RCBS has the tube with the window in the side, which is even easier. The comp dies are also micrometer set.
 
#22
Re: Retard Loads & Bullet Seating

with the kinetic bullet puller make sure you are hitting it on something hard, like metal plate or slick concrete floor. Hitting it on wood or anything soft and you will almost never get a bullet out.
 
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