Bullet seating dimple

afolsomb17

I have just started reloading after a couple year break and I am finding that I get a slight dimple on the case neck of my .223's after the seating process. The dimple is acuring with loading 69 and 80 grain reloads. The AOL of the case is below max and the AOL of the entire round is below max. I am matching these new reloads to my other stored competition reloads from 2 years ago and I just can't seem to get away from the dimple. I am having the problem with my RCBS and Lee seating dies. Any ideas what I may have going on here?

Rocky Raab

I think you'll have to post a picture. I can't seem to visualize what you mean by "a dimple."

JustC

do you mean a slight "bulge" at the shoulder/body junction??

if so, back the seater die body off and bring the seater stem down to make up the difference.

WinMike

I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about....I've had the same issue, but in larger bottle-neck cartridges.

The cause is almost always too much case lube. Clean your dies well; you may have to dis-assemble them to do so. Then before decapping/sizing, make sure your cases are clean and pristine before applying case lube. That may mean media-cleaning before decapping/sizing, instead of after (which I prefer anyway). This is also why some reloaders use a universal decapping die, then clean cases, then lube and size.

You might also experiment with alternative case lubes; I found the spray types were less problematic than the roll-on pad types. Also, if it's possible to neck size, instead of a full-length size in your rifle, try that too.

I know, I know....there goes a quick assembly-line reloading process!

afolsomb17

Yeah I thought that also about the lube, but the dimple or indention only happens when seating the bullet to the case. I do not have a pic but if you can imagine the portion that flares out to the main body of the case I get a indention or almost the beginning of a folding action. I will tear the dies again and clean I was also wondering if there is a air hole on the bullet seating die as there is in the case sizing die?

JustC

sounds like debris in the die.

or try backing the body off just to see if you have it down too far. BTDT

jonk

There is simply nothing in the seating process that would cause a dimple, other than a bulge as already described. The only possibility is foreign material in the die, but you say you are getting it with 2 different dies. We'll need pics.

Incidentally: OAL- Overall length. AOL- America Online. [:D]

Rocky Raab

If it's an instance of the neck-shoulder joint being collapsed downward, then the cause is the case mouth hitting the crimp shoulder. If there's no cannelure, the case mouth cannot turn inward, so the only thing that can happen is for the whole neck to be shoved backward. That collapses the neck and/or bulges the shoulder.

If both seating dies were adjusted down to touch the shellholder, that is almost certainly the cause. Back the die out a full turn, and re-adjust the seater stem to compensate.

afolsomb17

Cool Rocky now that may be the ticket thanks all for the info

Oakie

Rocky is right. I had the exact same problem with reloading the 22 hornet and did exactly what rocky said and that was the problem.

B17-P51

I would check all dimpled loads to make sure they chamber. I believe that you may be collapsing the neck and or shoulder, even though you may not redily see that damage.

gunslinger44428

I had the same problem with my 223 cases , using lee dies.I found out through inspection that it was caused by the air hole in the sizer die. I didn't really notice it till I seated a new bullet..then it stood out.It looked like die had a foriegn body in it.Mebbe back off sizer die a bit?