Difficulty seating 17 hornet

[bburrell]

Hi all. It has been a while since I have made a new or even commented with a post. I am trying to reload some 17 hornet. I have a co-ax press and redding seating die. I try to adjust my die per Redding instructions (rest on shell holder and then back off one turn) but I am way over the max OAL. When I drop my die down to where it just touches the shell holder and screw in the seating plug until it won't go any further, I can get +/- 2 thousandths of the max OAL for the cartridge. This gives me no room at all to adjust my seating depth as any longer and it will not fit the magazine, and any shorter is impossible because of the maxed out seating plug. I called Redding and they have sent me two different seating plugs, but the result is the same. I called Hornady to see if their seating dies might work, but they told me it would be the same as the Redding and that the Forster press would require a custom die with a longer body. I have called Forster and they do not have any idea why the die won't work as their shell holder has the same depth as a traditional shell holder. I don't think that I am the only guy out there reloading for the 17hh with this problem. Any ideas? Burt

[Bill K]

Has to be with you dies and the seating rod/stem.
I have both Lee Precision and RCBS dies for my 17 Hornets and have no problem seating the bullets and die adjustments. Bill K

[bburrell]

Thanks Bill. Of those two - Lee, RCBS - Which do you prefer?

[Jeremy(WI)]

I use a RCBS Summit press with Hornady dies and haven't had an issue

[Tparrish]

You could try screwing the die in until it contacts the case mouth, then back of a little.

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by bburrell

Thanks Bill. Of those two - Lee, RCBS - Which do you prefer?

I use both and really can't tell any difference. The lee's work just fine and are a little less money than the RCBS. So take you choice. I am sending you a PM re: the dies. Bill K

[Varmint Shooter]

I use the LE Wilson seating die for the 17 Hornet.

[df06]

I use RCBS dies on my 17 H and have no issues.

[bburrell]

Allan, All three seating stems are the same length. The original is square on the end that goes down into the die body. The second one is beveled. The third is beveled even more. As Redding explained to me, the beveled end would allow it to drop down lower. However, they all stop with about 3.5 threads left at the top of the seating plug. Much like they ran out of threads on the inside of the seating die and can not go down any further. I am not an engineer, but I think the seater die either needs a longer stem or a few more threads need to be cut on the inside of the die body.

[hemiallen]

Ok, yes the threaded hole the seater fits into could be the issue, especially nor screwing in all the way. Another thought....

If you can , drop in another 17 caliber bullet in the die body before installing the seater stem. Maybe cut the tip off or remove the plastic tip if a BT type bullet, to "lengthen" the stem temporarily, to make it not get jammed in the die body- Actually a straight, flat ended 17 caliber "plug" would be best, made with a hacksaw.

Just put a round into the press and run the ram to the top, install the die body, drop the bullet ( plug) in, install the seater assembly and start running it down. If you feel resistance before you run out of threads, that should solve the mystery. If it's too long at first to get the seater stem to start in the die body, shorten the bullet. Don't tighten it to seat the bullet in the ammo deeper, just do this to test the fact the stem is too short- die body isn't tapped through like it should be. A test, not a fix.

Sorry, another discombobulated thought, lol


If that works the die Mfg might realize it's the die body.

Good luck

Allen