Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Bullet seating dies

I'm looking for a new bullet seater for the 7-08. I have been using RCBS dies, as I have been happy with 3/4 inch groups. Now I want something better. I have been looking at the Redding or Forster competition dies. Any experience with these or other sugestions?
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<br>I use a wilson hand seater for the 22 hornet and think it is about the best out there. I think it would be to much hassle to use one in the 7-08. Anyone use one of these?

I like the Redding three die sets. I make a witness mark on top of the seating die and can make small consistant adjustments with those. The competition dies are good I'm sure but a little pricey IMHO.

I actually very much like the RCBS Competition Seater. Also like Redding and Forster's offerings too.
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<br>Anymore,when in doubt,I purchase Reddding. I have yet to be disappointed.................

I use Redding Competition bullet seating dies for all my long range and prairie dog rifles. I love them. They make straight loads and it is easy to repeat a seating depth. I think you will like them and you can find them at reasonable prices if you shop a little.

I like the RCBS Competition seater, but I'm sure the Redding is equally good based upon my experience with their other dies. The RCBS Comp die seats as straight as can be expected, typically giving me somewhere between unmeasureable and 0.002" runout. They also have a slot in the side through which the bullet is dropped.
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<br>The downside to the RCBS Comp die is that it is totally black and the graduations on the adjustment stem are very hard to read. I've been thinking about putting some whiteout or something similar on the barrel and dial and then wiping it off the surface but haven't gotten around to doing that yet.

I use a standard RCBS seating die for my most accurate rifle a 6mm Rem International on a 40X.
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<br>I think you might spend your money better on a RCBS Case Master or neck turning equipment.
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<br>Even better lot control of cases will work at little cost. But if you have the buget and a fancier seating die reflects a good attitude then get one. There is nothing like holding back on something and letting that stop you from improving. It's just that I don't think such a seating die will do that much good.

Don
<br>I became a believer in good seating dies when I started using the wilson die for my 22 hornet. I was getting consistent 1 inch or better 5 shot groups with a standard RCBS die. When I switched to the wilson, those groups became consistent 3/4inch or better. That was changing only the seating die.
<br>Sorting brass certainly is worth it, but the best brass won't help if the bullet is off center. Besides, when putting 2000 rounds a year through the barrel, the cost of a better die is little compared to the components.
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<br>I will also add that this rifle will be used for 600 yard shooting, so every little bit of accuracy goes a long way.

Why can't a standard RCBS seating die seat bullets just as straight?

The standard RCBS seating dies I have don't support the bullet at all before or while it is being pushed into the case. A bullet can be started at an angle. This causes one side of the neck to expand before and more than the other side. This is usually not obvious on most cases, but some show the problem real well. Seems that on a lot of straight walled cases, you can actually see one side expanded more than the other. In other words, you can see where the base of the bullet is on one side of the case, and can't on the other. Assuming that the brass was straight to begin with, this means that the bullet is not in the exact center of the case. There is more than enough room for the round to chamber in the rifle, so most don't even notice it.
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<br>The wilson hand seater, on the other hand, fully suports the bullet and case during the whole process. You can drop a bullet into the top of the die, and it falls slowly through because the tolerances are so close. There is no room for the bullet to be anything except straight.
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<br>What does this mean for the average hunter? Not much. The cheapest dies made can still make ammo that shoots under an inch. There is a reason they are cheap. Tolerances are not as good as competition dies, but good enough for most uses. I am not a benchrest shooter, but would be very suprised if you saw any of them using the standard dies from any of the die makers.

Redding Competition seaters are my favorite. However, regular Redding seaters seem to seat bullets as concentrically for me. I think the main factor in seating a bullet with minimal run-out is the sizer die. Here, I orefer Redding competition bushing dies, but I have had excellent luck with regular Redding does as well. I was not getting good results with my 30-06 using RCBS Competition dies. I simply switched to a Redding bushing sizer, and I now get excellent runout.
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<br>Blaine

I like the Forster Ultra seater. When used in conjunction with my Lee collett neck dies I consistently get bullet runout of .0015" or less.

I dropped a 100 gr Sierra into the seating die backwards with the seating punch out and it had enough clearance so that I could move the tip of the bullet slightly with a wire.
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<br>However this rifle will shoot 10 shots at 100 yards into .375" or less! It will do it all day, hot barrel one minute a a shot!
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<br>Everything counts but even necks going into the seating die count way more. This seating die has a nice tight seating punch and it supports the case firmly also.
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<br>So get the Wilson dies or whatever. Holding back on something that you want will not get better groups.
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<br>I predict that the Wilson type die will not make any difference unless the RCBS seater has been damaged or it was made wrong.

Don
<br>None of the 15 or 20 RCBS seating dies I have had support the bullet or case during the seating process. They are only supported(somewhat) at the end of the stroke, and by then it is too late. Maybe yours is not their standard die? In any case, you are getting great accuracy out of your dies, but not all the standard dies give that good of results.
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<br>The dies from wilson have a tight chamber that the case fits fully into before the bullet ever starts into the case. The bullet is pressed into the case from above through a hole barely bigger than the bullet itself. The problem with these dies is the time and energy involved in loading rounds with them. This is why I want to find a good seating die made for a press.

KI
<br>Your point, "but the best brass won't help if the bullet is off center" is true enough, but the best way to decentralize a bullet is to push it into a case that has not been neck-turned, IMO.
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<br>I use Vickermann seaters for almost all calibers and found they did help in consistency...
<br>art

How about something old but available again??? I have been using a new "Vickerman", inline, window type, seating die. This is an excellent old stlye custom die. VERY easy to use, very little runout. I have old ones, but just got a new one from GMW at www.castingstuff.com. I have no idea what calibers he has. You would have to contact him to find that out. He purchased the manufacturing rights and is just starting to make them. Dozer

Dozer
<br>Thank you for that info!!! Wynn Vickerman was an old family friend and I did not realize they were back in production. They are great seating dies, IMO.
<br>art

I used RCBS sizing and competition seating dies, some were great some not so great.
<br>I switched years ago over to Redding sizing dies and Redding competition seaters, and never had to look back. Run out for all my loads now are between 0-.003.
<br>For my .338 I use a Forster competition seater for same results, because Redding did not make a competition seater for that round.