Redding Reloading
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generally has a smaller entry and a shallower angle
of contact to better conform to the long, slender
VLD ogive profi les. It will also have an appropriate
depth of back drill beyond the contact point so the
bullet’s meplat or tip does not bottom and become
deformed.
Conversely in many handgun applications with
straight wall cases a full wadcutter style of bullet
may not be seated with a traditional seat plug
which also will contact along the ogive but below
the meplat. Here companies off er a unique seat
plug which is fl at and actually seats by contacting
the broad fl at meplat of a wadcutter style of bullet.
As centering the bullet is not as easily achieved
an ample case mouth fl are or bell is a benefi t. Th e
unique Redding expander for straight wall cases
discussed in the last article excels in this type of
scenario with a full wadcutter style of bullet seated
off the meplat. It provides not only a fl are of the
case mouth but also a small shelf to squarely set
the bullet for seating as well as a true internal
sizing of the case walls to the proper bullet seating
dimension. When there is no internal tapered
section to center the bullet this expanding action is
critical for loading a properly seated and concentric
round.
In either case the role of the seating die is
ultimately to allow the case to be pushed up and
onto the bullet by the action of the ram moving
upward. Many seating dies also contain a crimp
mechanism. Either producing a roll crimp or a
taper crimp depending on cartridge and mode of
head spacing. Some newer seaters have no crimp
as more bullets are produced lacking a cannelure
and therefore provide no means to apply a
traditional roll crimp.
Many companies also off er accessory seating
stems or devices, which add the precision of a
micrometer to better control seating depth to
their standard seating dies. Th ese may work in
conjunction with the existing seat plug or may
be a complete unit like those pictured here from
Redding Reloading. Th e micrometer not only
makes for very accurate and repeatable depth
adjustments but also provides a quicker set up once
the readings for specifi c bullet types are established
and recorded.
In the case of the Redding Bullet Seating
Micrometers they may be used with a number of
diff erent die sets within a given bullet diameter.
In such a case, the same stem may be used with
11 diff erent listed die sets from 17 Mach IV
to 22 Hornet. Each bullet-seating micrometer
corresponds to the seat plug number in the
standard die confi guration. A quick check of the
catalog shows similar application. An interesting
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