Thread: Precision projectile seating

Did a small sample size experiment today regarding seating and loads.

I formed 5 lapua water weight sorted, 260 cases with the hydraulic die into 260 improved.
Checked case runout after sizing and there was hardly a flicker on the DTI.
I loaded some berger 130 vlds that had between 2 and 4 thou + or - variance in bearing surface length out of my sorted packets.
Anything 2 thou or more I use for checking zero etc and usually only have around a dozen per 100 count. Same with anything loaded that has a bit of runout.
Bullet runout on all 5 once loaded was under 1.5 thou

Marked each round accordingly.
The only difference in the loads would hopefully be bearing surface length and a tiny bit of runout.
They all seated well and were all pretty much spot on for length using comparator.
Put them in my pocket and headed up the range originally to test some loads for other stuff.
I loaded the rounds from my pocket into the mag and fired them over the radar at a 200 yrd target. I put the cases in order as I fired them out of sight so I couldnt see which was which.
Unfortunately the first round didnt register.

0. Did not register - 2 thou bearing surface
1. 3123 + 2 thou xtra bearing surface
2. 3123 + 2 thou xtra bearing surface
3. 3101 - 4 thou bearing surface
4. 3132 + 3 thou xtra bearing surface

Might be a fluke as it is only a small sample size but interesting how it worked out as expected on this occasion.


They all grouped bloody well.
I now doubt I will be adding a hydraulic seating press or any flash seating dies to my collection.



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