Trouble with Hornady 450 die.......

[randyf]

I just received my die set last week and got started on some 450 loads.

I have having trouble with the bullet seating die.......it is different from any RCBS or Lyman die I have used before.
There is a sliding sleeve inside the die......if you have these dies you know what I mean.
When I try the load the bullet in the case it is catching on something inside the die ( probably the lip of the sleeve?).
If I give a lot of effort there will be a loud snap and the bullet will go in.
Sometimes I also get some brass or copper shavings falling out of the die.

Am I doing somehing wrong?

[Siringo]

I am assuming that you are sizing and expanding the cases with the same dies. I may or may not flare (I do expand them though) the mouth -- depends on the bullet, but the Hornady 250 gr sst has a nice rounded base so it usually seats easily.

When using the seating die, put a case in the shell holder and run the press ram all the way up. Screw in the seating die in the press and run it all the way in until it stops. This is were the case is contacting the internal crimp (which we do not use) and the sleeve is all the way up. Back off the die one turn. The case should not contact the internal crimp. The sleeve acts to align the case with the bullet. The case needs to be inside of the sleeve, otherwise the bullets will not seat straight.

After seating the bullets, use the separate taper crimp die.

[BD1]

The big weakness in that seating die is the foolish little metal clip that retains the sliding sleeve. I don't know what they were thinking. It can catch on the rim of the case and/or the sleeve. Then it eventually breaks off. I wound up making a new one that doesn't project out of the groove at all and keeping it in place with a little piece of tape.
BD

[Siringo]

This is true. Especially when using 284 cases and .451 bullets. Tight fit in the sleeve and you really have to jerk it out -- breaking the little wire.

[claimbuster]

Nubee here, but I've been loading 450's with Hornady dies for over a year now. I'm using Hornady brass and 250gr. Flex-Tips with no problems what-so-ever.