SmallCaliberCentral

Purchased a collet die set for the 204 and got everything set up today. I am having a problem with my seater die. Die is screwed down to the shellplate plus another 1/8 turn. While seating bullets, about every third one it shoves the bullet way down in the case. I think what is happening is the tip of the bullet is catching the seating stem of the die and the tip of the bullet is not getting centered and so the edge of the stem is shoving the bullet way down in the case. This is happening with 40gr Bergers and I think the hollow point is hanging up on the edge of the stem and not getting centered. I have some 39gr Sierras also and I am wondering if the plastic tip will help center the tip of the bullet up into the stem and cure this proble? Not sure if I should shamfer the stem where the bullet tip enters. Any advice?

I had an issue with 26gn varmint grenades when they went up on an angle. As you said, the tip was catching, and the die actually deformed the tip.
You'll need to sit the bullet as straight as possible (a little lean won't hurt) on the case mouth, then raise ram gently.
I've read on another thread here that a VLD inside chamfer will aid in sitting the bullet there but haven't got the tool. I just use a little pressure to get it started by hand so it doesn't fall out.

Any easier/faster methods/mods would be appreciated. Can be a little fiddly

Are the case mouths getting distorted on the deep seated ones? If the bullet is catching on the edge of the seater cup it is ~ 0.10" canted to the side. This would definately damage the case mouth, or has in my experiance when it has happened.

Are you using a compressed charge? I am curious if the case mouth has enough tension and the powder is pushing most of the bullets back out of the brass with a few that have enough grab holdint the bullet deeper.
I have had the Lee collet die give me tension problems with some brands of brass even though I have took a thousanth or two off the mandrel. Thin brass that has been shot 1/2 dozen times with no annealing seemed to give me the most trouble.

Just tossing out a few thoughts...

"I think what is happening is the tip of the bullet is catching the seating stem of the die and the tip of the bullet is not getting centered and so the edge of the stem is shoving the bullet way down in the case."

That's exactly what's happening. I had the same problem with hollow point bullets.
It was suggested to me to try and chamfer the edge of the seating stem hole, but I just bought a better die...problem solved.

When the bullet is shoved down too far you can tell the case mouth is distorted just a bit on some telling me the bullet is not centering up straight in the cavity of the stem. I am running 27.4grs of H4895 so its not a compressed charge. When this first happened I thought maybe I needed to run the collet die tighter and use a little more force and it wasn't squeezing the necks down tight enough but thats not the case.I can take a sized case and start a bullet with my finger and its tight. You can't push it in at all. I'm also using a 22* deg VLD tool to chamfer the mouths.

I think I will chamfer the stem just abit and try it and also try to set the bullets in the case really straight and see how it goes. If not, I'll just have to get a Forester seater.

"I'll just have to get a Forester seater."

Forster benchrest or redding competition are great seaters, and would be a great investment. That's what I did.
With these seaters, the bullet is aligned in a sleeve as it is ran up in the die. No worries about starting the bullet straight in the mouth with your fingers. Just set the bullet on top of the mouth and run it up in. Perfect every time.

I have tried almost every 204 die set on the market and settled on the Redding Dies. I have used the Lee Collet Die Set and they do work well, although i am not really impressed with the Lee seater die. In my opinion the best die set for the money when reloading for the 204 Ruger is the Redding Deluxe 3 die set. We keep them in stock and they are $62. It will be the last die set you would ever need to buy for the 204, Redding offers a lifetime gurantee on all their products. As mentioned above the Redding Comp Seater is very nice also, although they are a little more money. Let me know if you have any questions, I am always happy to help in any way that I can.

Brad

Had a problem with my Lee seater, too. Bullet tips were long enough that the die wasn't catching the ogive. Simple fix; drilled the stem hole a little larger and deeper and then chamfered the hole. Works great, now. Seating is consistent.

Put a slight chamfer on the seating stem and loaded about 20 rounds today and it worked great. Hopefully its fixed.

Good to hear. You should find it will give you consistent loads, now. Runout should be under .002" with that die.

I think its producing fairly consistent loads. Today was my first time ever loading for the 204 and my 4th load produced a 10 shot group of.500 with the CZ.

First day and getting good groups.

A little more tweaking and you'll be makin' 'em smaller yet.