DIY Bullet Seating Stem

[Ranch Dog]

As part of my round ball project, I had to make a bullet seating stem for my Lee die set as the distance between the ball and a spec cartridge is just too different (stem too short). I keep 1/4" carriage bolts handy, 3 1/2" in length, as some of my round flat bullets don't lend themselves to the length of the factory seating stems either. I use the smooth shank of 1/4" carriage bolt.



With the die set up per it's instructions with the seating stem removed, I raise the cartridge into the die with the ram. With the depth "feature" of a caliper, I measure from the top of the die to contact with the cartridge.



With my Lee dies, I subtract 1/4" from the measurement and mark the bolt from the top surface down the shank. Cut it with a hacksaw.



Not much effort from here. In that I shoot flat nose bullets and the round balls have flat nibs on them. I file it flat.



The Lee case debur and chamfer tool does a great job of beveling the edge of the flat surface.





From here, all you have left to do is drop the bolt stem into the die and adjust.

[Steve]

cool. I like DIY ideas.

[daboone]

Yankee ingenuity at it finest. When I get back in town the local hardware store will be my fist stop. Thanks for sharing.