Redding competition bullet seating die worth the money?

[Koa]

Is a Redding competition bullet seating die worth the money?

 

[Guy Miner]

Depends what you're trying to do.

I've found that going to a match-grade bullet seating die is the single biggest improvement I made in trying for more accurate handloads. The match type seating die will minimize bullet run-out.

 

[rick smith]

I use either Redding or Forster both with great results.Rick.

 

[6ppcar]

I think the Wilson Straight Line Seating Die is the best, I've been using them for years.

 

[Guy Miner]

Agree - those things are great! But it means a fellow has to go to the whole arbor press system. I took the plunge a few years ago for my precision loading, and it's been well worthwhile.

 

[Koa]

Thanks for the responses guys! I am trying to minimize runout. Right now I'm still using the lee dies I began reloading with about a year ago. I was loading some 30-06 over the weekend and decided to roll one of them down the bench to see if it had any visible run out. Boy did it! I'm not sure if it was because of the expander ball when I resized, the seating die, or a combination of the two.

I'm trying to decide if I should jump right into some benchrest dies or go for an intermediate set first. My shooting could still use a little work, but I'm trying to eliminate all the variables so I can tell when I'm improving. Any thoughts on this one? What would be a good set of intermediate dies to go to from the lees?

 

[edh]

I'd go with the Forster. Their standard bench rest sets are usually on sale for ~$53.00 at Natchez or Lock Stock and Barrel. Unless you are shooting competition with a full on bench rest rifle, these are all that you will ever need.

Ed

 

[MNsportsman60]

For the non reloader (yet) what is bullet run out? Sorry for the newbie question.

Steve

 

[rick smith]

The lack of straightness of bullet to case normally measured in thousants of an inch.Rick.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Total run out includes the the offset of the tip of the bullet from the centerline of the cartridge, the offset of the neck centerline from the centerline of the cartridge. The way it is measured will usually include the amount of out-of-roundness in the body of the case and/or neck too.

Here is a picture of an instrument that can measure it:

Note that it is shown measuring cartridge neck run out and/or out-of-roundness. Runout shows up as a difference in measurements taken 180 degrees apart in the rotation of the case. Out-of-roundness shows up as differences between measurements at other angles.

Andy

 

[MNsportsman60]

Again, I apolgize in advance for what may seem like a stupid question, but shouldn't running the brass through the die (full or just neck) take care of that problem. My total reloading knowledge comes from having read the Hornady Handbook of cartridge reloading (3 rd edition) that was given as a gift a long time ago. I have not personally reloaded metalic so I get that out of the way right away. There seems to be so many ways to skin the cat (reloading) that it becomes confusing.

Does the runout occur because the chamber/bore is not in perfect alignment and that is the way the fired brass comes out or is a function of the dies or reloading process or both?

Thanks again for your patience.

Steve

 

[rick smith]

Can be differences in thickness of the brass, bad chamber, ram not centered in the press bad dies or any combination of those.Rick.