whidden dies

[jimbires]

I didn't mean to get your thread off track . I didn't want to see you guys buying more die sets trying to fix the PRC problem , if this thread was pertaining to the PRC's .


back on track .
I think it's the Whidden dies that are , I'll call them semicustom . they have a few different spec dies for each cartridge . these range from minimum spec , to max spec , with a few in between . you send in fired brass they measure it up and sell you the die set that best matches your needs . this should be about as good as it gets , without having dies cut to your specs .

 

[walkinhorseman]

I have a 308 F-TR rifle built by Jim Borden. He told me to tell Whidden to make the dies to his chamber print. That sizer is properly matched to the chamber for adequate but minimal sizing. After a half dozen FL cycles, you still can't see the case head line on the the brass. Trying to match factory chambers to production dies is a crap shoot. SAMMI tolerances apply to both. Minimum tolerance chambers and maximum tolerance dies can be troublesome. Bullet runout can be introduced in the sizer by the expander ball. Bonanza started using a rubber washer in the expander stem to float it, minimizing case neck misalignment. Redding offers a floating expander ball that also mitigates case neck misalignment, hence bullet runout.
Alex Wheeler is a top shelf gunsmith. I shot with an F-TR shooter who had Alex build him a match rifle. His match rifles are very competitive.

 

[slickrem]

I hear ya.

People have mixed reviews about these dies, don't know what to make of it. Gunsmiths, shooters, F class shooters.. etc. Making a custom rifle with a tight chamber with drawings of the reamer? I guess would be easier and better than factory production rifle and a fired case really can't show what a drawing can, I get the crap shoot deal. I guess the main thing you're happy about is minimal working of your brass, and the rig you have makes it shoot very well and not the die.

How does a drawing help with a used or worn reamer?