Hello. Working up a 300BO load using 110gr VMax and H110.  Started loading new Starline cases with 19.3 grains.  This isn't listed as a compressed charge but its pretty full in the case.  I am using Hornady Custom dies.  I put in a sized case and raised it up, then when I felt resistance when screwing in the die, I backed it out a turn then locked in it.

When I am seating the bullet I am seeing a ring groove on the bullet about halfway down to its shoulder.  Its faint but there.  What is causing this?   I don't think I can attach a picture since my account has lapsed.

Going to double check the stem.

you can post a photo by using imgur.com

create an account, upload pics, and copy/paste this into the thread....

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As for the ring - seat the bullet a tad slower.
There are two different seating plugs in the die set. They probably make one the correct profile for the 110 gr but it’s not the ones they included.

The light ring mark has not altered accuracy for me.


Barnes 110 & 120 don’t mark like these.

Sounds like the seating die stem is profliled for a less "chubby" bullet and is contacting the ogive.  You could knock the edge off the inside of the stem with a Dremel, or in my case RCBS ground a stem to fit the ogive of the bullet in question.

Thanks for the replies.  I am noticing there is a bit more neck tension on these never fired cases than my reloaded cases,  having to put a bit more pressure to get them to seat.  Which would explain the ring I guess.  I was using the standard stem that was in the die, but I realized there is also another stem, #397109 which is for 208gr A-Max.  They don't seem to make one for the 110gr specifically.  I think I will call Hornady and ask them what is what.

Called Hornady, they said I was using the right stem.  They recommended making sure I was doing adequate prep on the neck, even if its brand new.  And he mentioned trying a "trick" when seating the bullet, since I am probably getting some pressure from the powder charge as its pretty high in the case.

And he made me realize I need to do more stuff when reloading these rifle cartridges compared to banging out bulk .45 ACP or 38 spl.  Which I should be doing for any cartridge I think but measuring more things to verify dimensions on the brass. Need to double check neck ID and see where that is at, I think I'm getting too much tension.

Do you ever lube the inside of the neck on a rifle case?

Reloading VIRGIN brass or Ultrasonically cleaned brass removes the by-product of firing which acts like a lubricant when seating the bullet.
Then IMHO all VIRGIN brass needs to be size to ensure a case mouth is concentric and that you have a consistent neck tension.
And, other prep like chamber and deburring the case mouth is basic reloading 101.

I did run it through the sizing die.  I probably did not do enough on the neck though, I will have to give them all another shot with the neck brush and hit it with the chamfer tool.

I would start well below 19.3gr.
I've had different batches of H110 that behaved very differently.

I have had to, especially on recently annealed brass.  Any lube qualities seem to have been burned off.

I also had the same problem you did with the Hornady seating die.  It was so bad with solid copper bullets that it would pull the bullet part way back out, or sometimes grab it and pull it out altogether and I'd have to smack it free from the die.  I even tried lubing the top of the bullet a bit but no difference.  What a PITA.

That was the first time I had any issues with the dies, and I think the issue is not taking care of the next properly and getting way too much tension.  Trying to seat the bullets was far more difficult that it should have been, I will update after I run some more rounds.

My lazy butt did proper neck prep on the brass and the issue was resolved.  


Note to self, do all steps on virgin brass.

I sized it and it was fine there, but I didn't take care of the neck.  Live and learn.

May I ask, what was the "trick" they told you to try?

Reloading is a neverending hobby. When I started out, I bought a Lee kit at a local shop. The owner took the manual out of the box and showed it to me and told me to read it 3 times before I did ANYTHING else. And I did. First round I ever made was for my Garand, I thought it was so cool I took it and showed my wife.

That was 20 years ago and I'm still learning. I read these forums and others a lot and have at least 5 manuals on hand which I refer to all the time. Hornady's 11th edition and Lymans 50th are in front of me right now, working up a new load for my 6.5 Creemoor. Every cartridge is a new journey.

It was just that when you are loading a case with a lot of powder, where you will start getting possible compression when seating the bullet, to rotate the filled case around with you fingers to help the powder to settle more.  Did that help Not sure since I had already done the neck prep I should have done in the first place.

I did the tapping as well.  I was loading these with the pan off my RCBS electronic scale since they are test loads, when I get the load I'm looking for I will be using my 550 and powder drop on that.