Bullets seated crooked

[94zcar]

I loaded up 100 more rounds today. I am a little more confident now that I shot the first 25 and they all shot fine.

About 5 of the 100 rounds I reloaded, the bullet seated crooked. if I roll them on my bench there is a definate wobble to the bullet. Some others have a very slight wobble. Should I pull these apart?

I appreciate all the help guys, I'm just getting started -Rod-

[Tilos]

If it were me, I'd mark them for identification at the range and shoot 'em if they chamber.
If not, pull them apart.

Tilos

[Replay13]

Hello 94zcar,

I'm not sure how you can seat a bullet that crooked without bending the brass or deforming the bullet by over crimping? Can you post a picture or at least explain how you are seating the bullets. And what caliber and bullet are you using? You can pull the bullets and see if they are deformed.

I have seen a few rifle bullets off 3 or 4 thousands at the most, but that is mostly form the brass thickness of the case that hasn't been neck turned.

I'm curious now,
James (Replay13)

[500KV]

Your problem could be that the bullet seating die insert doesn't fit your bullet pofile, ie.flat nose or round nose.
Most die manufacturers include seating stems for flat nose & round nose bullets.

You can fill the cavity with hot glue and use a greased bullet, pushing it into the cavity while the glue is still hot to make a custom seater for just about any bullet profile.

You might also be sure you are expanding the case mouth sufficiently, giving the bullet a chance to start without binding.

[Bawanna]

I'd pull one of the bullets and roll it by itself. I'd bet the bullet itself is not made right or cocentric.
Everything in the reloading process is made to keep things centered, I can't see being able to seat a bullet off center, the die even without the correct seater plug will want to center it.
Check the bullets by themselves.
What kind of bullets you loading?

[94zcar]

I'm loading 9mm 115 gr FMJ on a Lee Classic turret.
After expanding the case mouth, when i set the bullet on the brass, most times I can not get it to set perfectly straight. Is the bullet seater die supposed to straighten it out even if it is pretty crooked?
I did not get any inserts for different bullet profiles wih the lee dies, they are carbide and I also have the factory crimp die. I'm doing a lght crimp. I set it up 1/2 turn after contacting the case mouth as the instructions say. -Rod-

I uploaded a short vid to youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHfQkahqG4

[Bawanna]

Only the sizer die is carbide. The seater die should straighten the bullet out and seat it perfectly if the bullet enters the die mouth.
The factory crimp die should work just fine, you can't overcrimp with the Lee factory crimp die.
The bullet don't look right in the video but I can't tell whats wrong.
I'd still be looking at the bullet itself.

[Replay13]

Hello again 94zcar,
Recheck your seating die, it also does a crimp as well as seating. I would bet its over crimping and deforming your bullet before it gets fully seated. Pull a couple of those bullets and you will see what its doing to the bullet. Its really hard to tell from your video. Back up that seating die until it just barely takes the bell out then set your bullet seating stem. Also make sure your belling the case mouth just enough to start the bullet in, but not over belling. I like to de-burr all my brass the first time they are reloaded also.
Good luck and let us know, with a little experimenting you will get it set up right.
James (Replay13)

[94zcar]

Guys I loaded some more ammo today. The first thiing I did was adjust my die to flare the case mouth more as someone suggested, That took care of the problem of the bullets seating a bit cooked. I can not believe it was that simple. I also ran a flared but empty shell into the seating die... the way it was adjusted it did not even touch the shell so I know that die is just seating the bullet and the factory crimp die is doing all the crimping. I reloaded 100 rounds and they all turned out great.

Also,I pulled the bullets that seated crooked and reloaded them and they worked fine.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Replay13]

Hi 94zcar,

Thanks for the report and glad you got it fixed, good job! It is best crimping like your doing in a separate step.

I picked up some cheap jacketed bullets at a local gun shop and I just loaded 50 of them today. Two of them started hard in the case and when I looked at the case I could see the slight bulge of the bullet was only on one side of the case. I rolled all 50 of the bullets and only those two was wobbling. I pulled the bullets and measured them and both of them was over sized and egg shaped right at the base. Then I had to look at some other bullets that I had loaded a few days ago, they was Hornady XTP, but they was all straight.

I have in the past over crimped plated bullets seating and crimping in the same step, and deformed them. We all learn by mistakes and from others.

Thanks again for the report,
James (Replay13)