Reloading dies

[Salchi Papa]

I’ve mainly used RCBS dies I have a set of Hornady but lately I’ve been thinking about better dies. This is primarily for rifles but what are the benefits of some of the more spensiff dies? I see forrester and some others that are over $200 but what does the extra coin get me? I don’t much care for the micrometer dial on top I don’t believe I need that but that aside is it worth spending the extra? Will I gain any accuracy, consistency, uniformity?

 

[JD338]

It would depend on what you are going to be loading for and what your shooting needs are.
Having tighter tolerances are great for better QC but only if the rifle and optics are up to the task.
I have used RCBS dies for 50 years and shot some pretty impressive groups with them. Same with Redding dies.

JD338

 

[Salchi Papa]

It’s primarily hunting rifles in 243, 7-08, 308, 270, 30.06, 30-30 and 7mag all factory. I can shoot some longer distances at my range but up to 300yds and have a once in a while place to shoot 600 but very rarely will. I also have not had issues at all with my dies but noticed there are some differences even with the Hornady ones with floating seater but I can’t say it makes a difference cause I don’t see that gun shooting better than others

 

[ElmerThud]

Once brass prep is done correctly (Not SAAMI/CIP sizing, but to the 'Headspace' on your rifle) the only issue is bullet seating & I found for this, by far, the best way to go is using an arbour press & Wilson seating die. Not so expensive to buy & I found, well worth the cost.
I have RCBS competition dies & they're good, but now only use the F/L resizing die... the seating die is fine but an arbour press with Wilson die is better. Slower, but better!
I use a Sinclair arbour press & it's fine.

 

[Salchi Papa]

So what I was mainly thinking about is seating dies. I’m looking into the RCBS matchmaster and the Forster benchrest.
My reasoning is I have a tikka t3 30.06. I’ve tried Sierra GK, Hornady SST and IL Speer Hot Cor and BTSP; switched powders from w760 to imr4350 and now h4350 and best I can get is just under an inch. Which is fine for the rifle as a deer gun which is what it is but I have a few other rifles all of which I can get 1/2” or less from if I do my part. On avg with the 30,06 I’m getting around an inch. With w760 I switched primers from fed210 to wlrm and had gas leaks. Winchester is swapping them for me but I also had an increase in accuracy groups. All groups are 5shots @100yds
I bought the rifle used but in excellent condition but no idea of what it’s been through.

 

[JD338]

Have you done a deep clean on the bore with copper solvents?

JD338

 

[Salchi Papa]

I have I use Boretech eliminator as my regular solvent.

 

[TackDriver284]

Been using Redding dies ever since, when I first started reloading, I used RCBS standard dies, and nothing wrong with RCBS, but I preferred to use Redding since it worked very well for me. I use standard full length on virgin brass, and use bushing full length after firing. I like the micrometer feature on the seater dies to be able to read and adjust in .001" increments.

 

[JD338]

I have I use Boretech eliminator as my regular solvent.

Good choice. I use it too.

JD338

 

[bdbrown66]

If you are mainly concerned with seating accuracy, you might want to look at the Frankford Arsenal Universal Micrometer seating die. I've been using it for about 2 years, and it gives much more accurate seating depth (measured from the ogive) than a standard seater which is pushing on the nose of the bullet. Handles everything from .22 to .338, IIRC. I've been very pleased with it.

 

[FOTIS]

I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.
I consider Lee dies to be cheap (as in affordable) and you would not believe the groups I have gotten out of them.

 

[FOTIS]

Good choice. I use it too.

JD338

As do I.

 

[michsteve]

I have quite a few on the RCBS matchmaster competition seat dies. I love that cut out, you drop the bullet in and if self centers itself so you don't have to hold the bullet when trying to seat it.

 

[Salchi Papa]

Good choice. I use it too.

JD338

Great minds think alike….and so do we

 

[Salchi Papa]

I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.
I consider Lee dies to be cheap (as in affordable) and you would not believe the groups I have gotten out of them.

I agree with this cause I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed so I think you’re right. I’m leaning towards the rifle being the culprit here only cause the others I load for are clover leafs or close enough to it

 

[Salchi Papa]

I have quite a few on the RCBS matchmaster competition seat dies. I love that cut out, you drop the bullet in and if self centers itself so you don't have to hold the bullet when trying to seat it.

But do you get any benefit in accuracy by using that die?
I honestly like the Forster die cause the case support is asap but I load everything now with RCBS plain Jane and my 308 dies are Hornady custom grade but that gun shoot clover leafs

 

[Dr. Vette]

I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.
I consider Lee dies to be cheap (as in affordable) and you would not believe the groups I have gotten out of them.

It's hard to beat a Lee collet die for neck sizing IF they have one in your size. Many cartridges don't have one listed, though if you're like me you find one that's close and therefore usable.
Body die to bump the shoulder, followed by a Lee collet for the neck.
It works great.

 

[Salchi Papa]

Honestly before I go all out and spend several hundred on seating dues Ive got Ramshot BG and hunter I’m going to try first. I also yesterday made an older load of imr4064 with 150gr boolits to see if they shoot tighter

 

[TackDriver284]

I have I use Boretech eliminator as my regular solvent.

Same here, also have Copper and Carbon remover for more aggressive cleaning

 

[JD338]

So what I was mainly thinking about is seating dies. I’m looking into the RCBS matchmaster and the Forster benchrest.
My reasoning is I have a tikka t3 30.06. I’ve tried Sierra GK, Hornady SST and IL Speer Hot Cor and BTSP; switched powders from w760 to imr4350 and now h4350 and best I can get is just under an inch. Which is fine for the rifle as a deer gun which is what it is but I have a few other rifles all of which I can get 1/2” or less from if I do my part. On avg with the 30,06 I’m getting around an inch. With w760 I switched primers from fed210 to wlrm and had gas leaks. Winchester is swapping them for me but I also had an increase in accuracy groups. All groups are 5shots @100yds
I bought the rifle used but in excellent condition but no idea of what it’s been through.

What bullet weight(s) have you tried.
It might be worth a try to use a different weight, one that your rifle prefers.
As a side note, have you tried Nosler BT's? It's been my experience that if a rifle doesn't shoot BT's, it's going to be a problem rifle.

JD338