Station 4 - Bullet Seating

Erratic seating depth of the bullet.
1.  Variations of less than 20 thousandths of an inch are due to variations in cases and bullets. This is not a problem.
2.  Build up of lead shavings and/or lube in the seater or crimp dies.
3.  Bullets having erratic dimension.
4. Use of improper seating plug for the type of  bullet being used.
5.  Variations in case types and/or lots (sort your brass).     
6.  Refer to loading manual for dimensions.

Shaving brass when bullet is seated or crescent shaped brass falling on shellplate.
1.  New brass.
2.  Too much flare.

Shaving lead/lube when bullet is seated.
1.  Case not belled enough with funnel.
2. Case was cleaned too long. Case mouth must be deburred.
3. Wrong bullet diameter for caliber.

Bullet loose in brass.
1.  Bullet is under sized.
  a.  Measure diameter of bullets.
2. Incorrect powder funnel, i.e., if the funnel is too big it will make the mouth of the case oversized.

Bullet tilted after seating.
1. Case not belled enough.
2. Wrong seating stem or die for bullet style or caliber.
3. Missing or wrong locator buttons, i.e., case not centered below the die.
4.  Uneven casemouth opening.
5. Using a nominally incorrect bullet. i.e., .38/357 bullet in .38 Super.
6. Die and stem not square to shellplate.
  a.  Snug lockring with case and bullet in die.

Seating die deforming top of bullet.
1.  Seating stem not matching the style of bullet.
2.  Soft lead.
3. Lead and/or wax build-up in die.
4.  Case not belled enough.