Bullets Being Shaved During Seating

[fattybinz]

I'm a new reloader and I've run into a problem that I just can't solve. Started out by getting this Lee kit. Was getting ready for my 2018 hunts...loaded 30 rounds of a load I had developed: 7mm rem mag, 140gr Accubonds remington brass, 68.2g R22, Winchester primers. Practiced with all of them and they shot about .8 - 1 moa at 300 yards. Went to load up some for my hunts and all of a sudden I noticed a bunch of copper shavings around the bullet right at the case mouth. I loaded a bunch of them anyways and tried them out. The POI changed about ~3 inches and accuracy dropped to 1 - 2 moa with the occasional flyer that missed the 8-inch wide/high target completely at 300. Tried to find the problem:

- Assumed that maybe I wasn't chamfering enough (although I was doing it the same as the first ~500 rounds I had loaded with no shavings). So I over-chamfered and waaay over-chamfered...still produced shavings. Lubed the bullets a bit before seating. Less shavings, but still a lot.

- Thought maybe I got a bad batch of bullets, but it was the same box I used for my 30 practice rounds that were fine. Tried a different box just in case. Shavings.

- Took apart my dies and cleaned them. Measured my expander ball and it measured .2825", which is good. Inspected my shell holder and tried a few rounds without the little round pin that holds the holder in...so the shell holder was loose. Still shavings.

- Bought new brass and loaded them, just to see if it was my resizing die or resizing process that was somehow producing too narrow of a case mouth. Still shavings on the un-resized new brass.

- Took my dies to a buddy's house and he put them in his Lee press. He resized and loaded a few rounds. No shavings. He resized and prepped (trimmed & chamfered) a few cases which I took home and loaded. Shavings.

- The only difference between my buddy's rounds and mine was the press and the way the dies were installed in the press. I was using these bushings, while he used the standard lock rings. So I used the lock rings...still shavings.

So I think I've narrowed it down to the press, right? I've inspected the threads to see if there is damage or an obstruction causing a misalignment. Tried to inspect the ram. It is sturdy when all the way up. Is there something I should be looking for to determine if something is wrong with my press? Is there anything else I could be missing? Any help would be appreciated; this has been super frustrating.

 

[cahunter805]

Sounds like you have definitely tried a lot of options and narrowed it down. I would call Lee and see what they have to say. There may be something bent or out of spec with your press.

 

[Bigjay73]

....

 

[ImBillT]

Shell holder?

Have you loaded any other ammo in your press to see if it happens on everything.

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

1. Have you cleaned your dies recently?
2. Have you checked your press arm to make sure that it's not loose? I could imagine that the bullet not pressing straight would cause the same problem.

 

[MThuntr]

What chamfer? Toss the Lee chamfer and get the RCBS or Lyman VLD chamfer. I've only encountered bullet shaving when I didn't chamfer.

I agree, clean dies real well. Your case may not be fully square if the shellholder is loose causing one side to engage an edge. Maybe call Lee to see if they suggest anything. Hopefully they'll hook you up with new dies or a new shellholder to test.

It could also be how your bullets are starting into the case as you lower your press arm. Maybe try guiding the bullet as squarely as possible. As a last resort, Hornady makes seating dies that guide the bullet up as you lower your press arm. they even make VLD seating plungers to help.

 

[nuevo_eph]

Huh, I just assumed this was a bit normal. It ALWAYS happens on my TTSXs but they still shoot fine.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Huh, I just assumed this was a bit normal. It ALWAYS happens on my TTSXs but they still shoot fine.

I load 5 different calibers of TTSX using Lee dies for 4 of them and haven’t ever experienced this. YMMV

 

[Addicting]

I load 5 different calibers of TTSX using Lee dies for 4 of them and haven’t ever experienced this. YMMV

I am using a VDL Chamfer tool and the .284 150G TTSX and get small shavings. I haven't taken them to the range yet but don't see it causing a problem.

 

[cahunter805]

I am using a VDL Chamfer tool and the .284 150G TTSX and get small shavings. I haven't taken them to the range yet but don't see it causing a problem.

Many times the shavings are from the chamfer. It’s due to the case neck being undersized but it really shouldn’t hurt anything if it’s just a tiny bit of shavings.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

It may be my imagination but I always thought I could correlate the shavings back to how straight the bullet was lined up when I seated it. If I was in a hurry I tended to get a few shavings but have never noticed a problem.

 

[huronmtns]

How many loadings on the brass. Maybe the cases need to be annealed and have work hardened to a point where the case neck is not expanding easy enough for accepting the interference fit of the bullet.

 

[cahunter805]

Many good suggestions have been given already!
What I find interesting is that when he used his buddies press it didn’t produce shavings. This for me rules out most of the regular things that could cause shavings.

 

[Bluejeep]

I have ran Into this before and believe huronmtns is correct.

How many loadings on the brass. Maybe the cases need to be annealed and have work hardened to a point where the case neck is not expanding easy enough for accepting the interference fit of the bullet

I annealed my brass and the problem went away. Funny thing is the shaving problem only happened when I loaded TTSX bullets. No issues Sierra.

 

[Bluejeep]

Just reread your post and saw this

Bought new brass and loaded them, just to see if it was my resizing die or resizing process that was somehow producing too narrow of a case mouth. Still shavings on the un-resized new brass

I always resize new brass, just to make sure everything is the same dimension and imo it should always be done

 

[Addicting]

It may be my imagination but I always thought I could correlate the shavings back to how straight the bullet was lined up when I seated it. If I was in a hurry I tended to get a few shavings but have never noticed a problem.

I tested this thought tonight and found that taking my time to ensure the bullet was as straight as possible going into the die produced no shavings.

 

[belly-deep]

I’ve had shavings before. VLD chamfer fixed it.

 

[huronmtns]

I’ve had shavings before. VLD chamfer fixed it.

I will second that!

 

[Cerebral Stalker]

He resized and loaded a few rounds. No shavings. He resized and prepped (trimmed & chamfered) a few cases which I took home and loaded. Shavings.

- The only difference between my buddy's rounds and mine was the press and the way the dies were installed in the press. I was using these bushings, while he used the standard lock rings. So I used the lock rings...still shavings.

So I think I've narrowed it down to the press, right?

Seems it would have to be the press or a difference in execution between you and your buddy, since he did the loading at his place. You've pretty much eliminated all the other variables. If he lives close, I would go over again, and I would personally load some myself using his press. Then let your buddy load some. Make sure everything else you use is yours (even the shell holder), except the press. If you both still produce shavings, it would have to be something involving the press. If one of you produces shavings, and the other doesn't, all that's needed is a technique change.

 

[Don Fischer]

Think I'd borrow the buddy's dies and try them in my press. That should tell you if it's the dies or something else. Probably not in need of annealing. If that was the problem I'd think it would have happened at your buddy's house also, you said it didn't. Could be the expander on your FL die is a bit undersized. Also if you can get ahold of a BT bullet, try that. Sometime's small problems are easier to live with than fix. And then the answer to small problems sometimes is right under your nose and you kick yourself when you find it!