When loading for pistol rounds, for the last few years I have always seated and crimped the rounds in two separate steps.   When seating pistol bullets, i'll set the seater stem of the seating die really deep and screw the die body in to adjust the seating depth.  This has always worked fine making pistol rounds.

I was making up some .223 ammo today and had several rounds (using the above method for adjusting the die) that were off canter when seated.   Basically ruined the brass.  

Then, on a brainstorm, I set up the seating die body almost to the point where it would crimp the case, and screwed the seating stem only as deep as needed to seat the bullet.  What I was hoping this would accomplish is the seater die body would support the case and help align the bullet as the bullet was being seated.   Like magic, this adjustment made my off-canter problem go away..

After 25 years of reloading, I learned something today.  

Just wanted to share.    

So you're saying you read the die instructions?

No ........ wait ............................ ummm ............. I'm so confused.

Sounds about right.   In another 15-20 years I'll probably get bored and....


flip through the unopened manual.  

I have ADD to the max, but luckily I'm pretty mechanically inclined.  As a result, I can usually figure stuff out quicker than I can read and retain any type of instructions.

Especially with the way some instructions are written.

How long have you had all those shop and garden power tools that won't work, and are you the kinda guy that leaves negative ratings on item reviews?