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Modifyinig a bullet seating stem

1379 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  45TAJ, 
Kentucky Fisherman
After loading probably several thousand rounds of 6BR, I finally pulled the bullet seating stem from the top of my Wilson seater and stuck the tip of an 80gr Berger FB up into the seater stem. It's a very "pointy" bullet, so it wasn't a huge surprise to see that the seater is pushing against the tip of the bullet, not against the shoulder where the bullet becomes full diameter.

I've read that in a situation like mine you should take a small-diameter drill and carefully open up the inside of that seating stem until the stem can bear against the full diameter of the bullet, not just the tip. I also understand that some guys have contacted die makers and paid them to build a new stem that matches a particular bullet profile.

If you've done this yourself or asked Wilson to build you a custom stem, I'd love to know what I don't know. Thanks!
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L
I havent had it done, but this is Wilsons PH NO.
866-752 6531. The 80 Berger is a shelf item,
they may just have a dedicated stem for it.
LDS
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jimp
I had the same issue with a LEE 204 seating die, it would bend/crush/break the tips on some bullets. Called LEE and the CS guy told me to drill out the nose cone on the seater part to enlarge it. Solved my problem but I did question the method a bit, but it did work.
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Kentucky Fisherman
Larry Scott said:
I havent had it done, but this is Wilsons PH NO.
866-752 6531. The 80 Berger is a shelf item,
they may just have a dedicated stem for it.
LDS
Click to expand...
I tried that number yesterday, Scotty. Got some Wilson Tool & Die (or something like that) in Minnesota, I think it was. I launched into my problem with a 6BR seating die and they didn't have a clue. Finally I stopped and said, "This is L.E. Wilson, right?" Nope.

So, then I looked up the correct phone number for L.E. Wilson, called them, and chose the option to take me to customer tech support. Figured I'd talk to a real person. Got a recording that invited me to send an e-mail and they'd respond. Riiiiiiiiight. Some companies need to slow down and take some lessons from the likes of the Harrell brothers and Ken Markle. Wilson, if they reply at all, will probably suggest I order their VLD seating stem. What I'd really like is for them to say, "Mail us 2-3 of the bullets and we'll make you a custom drift for $NN."
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4
T'were it me, I'd meas the dia of the seater, target abt 60% being max final I D.
I would also step drill with abt .115 - .125 for point clearance.
I realize this should not be taking a lot of guff but I want some wall thickness for strength.

I made several seating depth gages by doing same thing with some brass rounds.
If this don't make sense, call me at 843 441 2600. I'm just sitting here bone knitting and exercising between naps...😎......
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K
You might try chucking a bullet in a drill put some lapping compound on the bullet take the seating stem out of the die and lap the in side of the seating stem. It may take a couple bullets to change the angle.
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4
Those jackets are pretty soft...
Just sayin'.
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