Problem seating 180gnSP-SSP bullet for 357Max

[JRiddle]

I just got some time to make some ammo for my T/C 357Max.  I made it to the 'home-stretch' but found when I go to seat the bullet, it's deforming the soft points (Hornady 180gnSP-SSP).  I'm using Lee carbide in .38/.357, so the seater is profiled for round or swc type bullets.  I tried to swap a seater out of one of my rifle dies, but they're made differently than the pistol seaters, so that won't work.  Any body run into this before, and got a solution...or even someone that's hasn't run into this, and has a solution?  I just want a solution, as I got this barrel about a week ago, and have yet to hear it speak.  I am going to call Lee tomorrow to see if they have a different profile seater, though I doubt it.  I just thought someone here maybe could help.  Many thanks.
JR

[burntmuch]

Could you take the seater plug out & drill a hole in it so the point gos into & the seater pushes on the copper past the exsposed lead.

[stimpylu32]

JR

For whats it worth , I've never found that the tip shape ( flat , twisted or normal ) made any difference in how a bullet shot , I have completely flattened soft lead points and they shot as goood as any of the perfict ones .

stimpy

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

From the LEE website:

Bullet Seating Plug

The bullet seater plug that comes with the die set is as close to generic as we can make it. If you find that the bullet seater plug deforms the nose of the bullet you are trying to seat, we can make a custom bullet seater plug to fit your bullet. For this we would need a sample bullet, payment of $8 and an additional $4.50 for Shipping & Handling. Current lead time is two days to one week.

Many times, you can fix this yourself through the use of a drill press. Secure the seater plug under a 3/32" bit and drill further into it. The distance should never be increased by more than 1/4". If this does not solve the issue, we recommend sending it to us.

Our address is:

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway "U"
Hartford, WI 53027


Bill

[quickdtoo]

The problem with the wrong seater plug shape is it doesn't seat the bullet straight since it can't center on the bullet's ogive as do rifle seater plugs, anything over .003" runout will affect accuracy.  I use an RCBS 35 Remington seater die for seating pointy bullets in my Maxi, but I already have it, my Lee die won't work well unless I modify it as mentioned by drilling it so the point can get past the lead tip as burntmuch mentioned or order a custom seater plug from Lee as Bill suggested. You can also make one with epoxy putty in the current plug.

Tim

[stimpylu32]

JR

For whats it worth , I've never found that the tip shape ( flat , twisted or normal ) made any difference in how a bullet shot , I have completely flattened soft lead points and they shot as goood as any of the perfict ones .

stimpy

I suppose I should clarify my statement , I was talking about pistol cartridges in general , and for all practical purposes the 357 MAX is a pistol cartridge , even though it did have some great sucess in the silly-wet circles , it was never designed to be a benchrest round to the point were run-out would be a major factor .

Now in a bolt gun with a match chamber and match dies , ya it could hold its own , but in a break action with a factory run chamber it will be a Min of Deer rifle , but no real one hole tac-driver .

Just my take on it , your mileage may very . 

stimpy

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Here's what I did to my LEE .357 bullet seating plug for the SSP. Not something everyone will have in their toolbox but I used a #5 centering drill to recess the stock Lee plug. It's very similar to the Hornady plug that is included with their die set.


Bill

[JRiddle]

Thanks for all the good ideas.  I kinda took burntmuch's idea and ran with it since it was the first I got, and I was chompin at the bit to make some ammo.  I took my seater plug to my few houses away neighbor who is a retired tool maker, who has a backyard shop with enough machines to build anything.  He modified my plug in about 15 minutes and it works to perfection.  He charged me a quart of hash that I'll be making the end of this month, not a bad deal.  Guess I'll need to get another plug from Lee so I can also seat my regular 38/357's, but no big deal there.  Again, thanks for all you guys input.
JR

[cwlongshot]

Glad you got this to work.
 I chucked mine up in my drill press and made my own spitzer seater!!

CW

[Dezynco]

Glad you got it to work.  I had the same problem with the same bullets.  My dies are RCBS, so I snitched the seating plug from my 7.62x39 dies to seat the 180gr SP/SSP's.  Worked perfect.

I'm with Stimpy though, the nose of the bullet won't affect accuracy much, but it sure is UGLY with the bullet tips mashed flat like that!