Seating die alternatives for Shehane?

[John Weigel]

Pulling out hair over inconsistency of my Whidden seating die for 284 Shehane. But there doesn't seem to be any alternative. The Whidden is a strange design, being very tall, yet wobbly at joints, with a moving sleeve. It works slightly better if I stop halfway down the seating process, remove and and spin the projectile 180 degrees, and finalise process - but is still with unacceptable results. Although I don't worry so much about runout, it is concerning to see the nearly perfect alignment of brass necks betrayed by 5-7 thous total variance of projectiles at ogive post-seating. But it is the 4--5 thou variation in seating depth at static settings using 180 hybrids that has me close to throwing things around the reloading room. I wish Wilson made a Shehane-dedicated seating die, but alas. My google skills are at least average, but despite the widespread use of Shehanes overseas, no sign of seating dies. I should say that I'm a Whidden fan, and I use their sizing dies and other gear, no worries. Hope someone has a suggestion.

[cheech]

Firstly I trust you’re a seasoned reloader not here to doubt ability

Do you have variance in projectile ogives ? Also variance of headspace ?

Both of these things can display variance of base to ogive measurements

Best of luck

[John Weigel]

Headspace extremely consistent. 180 hybrids sorted by base to ogive. Its a genuine problem, anyone out there shoot Shehanes? What die do you use for seating? Only custom reamed? Help!

[CamoWhamo]

You could buy a Wilson In-Line seating die blank from BRT and your gunsmith can use the same reamer that he used on the barrel to make a seating die.
You'd also need an Arbor press (about $230 these days).

[John Weigel]

Thanks CW. It does seem to be the only alternative. I use arbor presses for seating currently - and Wilson cartridge-specific seating dies are simple, precise, and repeatable.

[willow]

No issues with my 284 Shehane seating die from Whidden's. They're not the best feeling seating dies out there, but it's doing it's job without issue.

[Old Trev-39]

You can get variation in seatin depth due to the variation of the position where the seating stem sits on the projectile. Sorting base to ogive does not fix this. you have to sort base to this position after sorting base to ogive. I have found at times up to .007" difference in this measurement. As the position of seating stem on projectile determines finished seating depth, variation here gives you the difference in seating depth you are talking about.
Cheers,
Trevor.

[DaveB]

Hi John, I also shoot a Shehane and was having the same frustrations until I realised the taper of the boat tail was contacting doughnuts in the brass which tended to push the projectile back forward to varying amounts depending on neck tension. Tried reaming the doughnuts but that was difficult to get consistent results. In the end had my gunsmith move the lands further forward so now I don't worry about doughnuts at all and more consistent bullet seating. I like the Whidden products but also surprised no-one else caters for Shehane.

[John Weigel]

Old Trev. Good point. I may be underestimating the anatomical variation in 180 hybrids - in this case, leading to variation in distance between seating stem contact point and measurement contact point closer to ogive. I'll work on figuring out how to secondarily sort projectiles on your suggested basis. Appreciate the suggestion.In the mean time I'm managing to minimise the problem by seating a batch of 50 with setting that produce desired depth (2.464-2.466) base of cartridge to measured near-ogive point on projectile, then, after in incremental shortening of seating die setting, adjusting the remaining, too-long cartridges up to 4 thous until all are within desired range. Seems the best solution would be fore someone to develop a new, probably much wider seating die/seating stem arrangement that articulates with projectile much closer to ogive than current design allows. Thanks everyone for imput. My Shehane barrel shoots very well, so long as I stay in the unfortunately narrow seating depth node. Re the Shehane seating die. I've made some modifications to seating die to increase rigidity, improving runout slightly. DaveB, although I do turn, I don't have donut issues as yet, four firings of brass so far.

[Brad Y]

Wilson blank reamed with chamber reamer was the way I went. Never an issue. I ran a no turn neck and donuts were a problem with 180vld’s. Hybrids were ok. Extend the throat if needed.

[6.5x55ai]

Yep, likewise. Wilson blank from Stuart E, die reamed at the same time the barrel was fitted/chambered.