RCBS competition seater

while loading 69 grain SMK's over 26.0gr varget in my .223, its a compressed load and then I seated some Tipped Matchkings, I got deforming just below the "tips" I think the "hollow part" of the bullet gave way under the seating pressure.

I thought this die came with the proper seating stem. I'll check with RCBS.

Only the tipped MK's did this and I only loaded 3 just to see what they would fly like.

Gawd dang, how much neck tension do you have?

More of theoretical question, is it solely due to excessive neck tension OR could it be because the powder was compressed to the max?
I have a hard time envision the metallic part of the copper jacketed bullet is so structural weak it collapses with a moderate amount of opposing force.

Some bullets are very thin in jacket near the tip. Not sure how those bullets are but Nosler LRAB one of the biggest complaints I have seen is seating. Use the right stem to fit the ogive of the the bullet and it becomes a non issue. That was one of the things when people started using Berger VLDs deforming the tip of the bullet with a non fitting stem. Then you began seeing VLD stems available. Also seating pressure on the tip of the bullet leads to varied seating depth especially with hollow point bullets

whatever the FL die gives me. i sure aint turnin no necks. its mixed brass, will end up on your range at the challenge/ ill try to post pics

Tipped 69 grain


regular 69 SMK

Dayum Buzz...there is a little more bullet, why don't you go ahead and shove it down in the case too They look seated WAY deep to me.

Looks that way to me as well. Buzz, is this the load you shoot in your Remmy 700? Also just a thought, the ogive of the tipped bullets will further from the tip as compared to the regular MK. Did you measure ogive to lands?

This is what happens when you use OAL instead of ogive to lands measurement when loading secant ogive bullets.

here are the results, target 1, left diamond are the deformed tips, HUMMMMMMMMMMM. the rest are 2.27oal.