Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles if starting over, which reloading dies?

Every 4 loadings, or so. When chambering gets tight, the shoulder gets bumped.

As Jordan mentions about every 4 loadings, but it can depend on the load and particular rifle.

I use Redding NK dies because they are less sensitive to variations in neck wall thickness than LCD's and size necks very straight. In some instances straighter than the LCD even when I segregate brass for uniform neck wall thickness. Most of the time I no longer measure neck wall thickness until I size a case that ends up with a crooked neck, which always turns out to have a large variation in the wall thickness. Saves a step measuring wall thickness and I get a large batch of brass instead of smaller batches of segregated "secondary" brass.

Plus two out of the four LCD's I own don't size enough neck tension to hold the bullet firmly............

^^^^This

I started reloading 35 years ago, and we bought what was at the store (RCBS). I've come to appreciate what I think is good value from Lee. I especially like having a shellholder in the die set as well as their fancier sets where you can get a collet die, LFCD, etc.

I let the rifle tell me what it wants. I load for a friend's 308 that does great with neck sized brass for repeated firings, but I have a couple that do their best with the shoulders bumped a wee bit every time.

That’s a really easy fix. Chuck the mandrel in a cordless drill, put a drop of oil on it, wrap in 320 grit sandpaper & spin for about 20 sec. then mic it to see how much you took off. I take off .001” & try it then another .001” if that’s not enough. I’ve never had to take off more than .002”.

You shouldn’t have to do it but that along with deburring/lubricating the collet fingers are needed to get good results.

I’ve also started skim cutting the necks on almost all my brass. Most necks are all over the place, even on the supposedly good brass. I have some Norma 7mm rem mag that the necks were awful but some 300 win mag I just got is pretty good.

I'm hoping the switch to a honed FL die does it all in one step with minimal sizing and near zero runout. I'll probably have to anneal every time or 2nd time to keep the bump the same as well.

That's what I've read on here and I have to get around to trying it!

Thanks for the info on the measurements!

About half of the rifles I load for I PFLR with Redding FL dies, just bumping the shoulders back a tiny bit each time, .001 usually, and have good results with concentricity.

If I was starting out, I'd buy Lee collet dies and Redding body dies. I've been using Redding seaters and results are okay, but I am trying out Forster seaters on my .22 cenetrfires to see what I can see.

For handgun dies I'd use Redding exclusively, and mostly for the expander. The only other handgun dies I've used were RCBS and their expander left a tapered area in the case neck such that it was easy to tilt bullets during seating. Bear in mind that the last set of RCBS handgun dies I bought were back in the 70's so maybe they've changed that. In any case, the Redding die has a short straight portion that expands the neck evenly in circumference with a slight flare right at the case mouth. This guides the bullet in more straightly and gives a nice square ledge inside that helps to support and square up the bullet base before and during seating. From what I can feel a Lyman M die acts the same way so I use those for cast bullet loading in rifles.

I am buying Forster now. I have a Co Ax press and seem to get less run-out with it than I did with my Rock Chucker. I think the press has more to do with it than the dies. I recently loaded up some 30-06's with RCBS dies and the Co Ax press. All were very good on run-out. Those loaded with the Rock Chucker had to have their run-out corrected.

Buy the best dies you can afford... that's not Lyman...

Same as the others RCBS and now Lee and Forster. The RCBS have worked for me for over 50 years. If I want less run out I would consider honing the dies to your rifle or custom dies from Whidden, C4HD or others. Or go to a full benchrest setup like the Wilson or Harrell dies and an arbor press. I would only up grade if there is a problem and then only that specific die be it a sizer or seater. I have been surprised by Lee dies many times. For some I can only get the collet die as a set with a seater. I loaded half with Lee half with Forster Competition seator and I could not tell the difference. Whatever run out there was is probably operator error and the only way I could reduce it would be to cull cases tighter and/or trim necks, not worth it for hunting ammo.

Thanks to all of you who responded. I have always been impressed by Redding’s quality. I have never tried Forster (may need to change that). And the only reason I have leaned toward RCBS is the vent hole in the full-length sizing dies. Only talking rifle dies here, but appreciate the handgun die comments. I guess another answer to neck and shoulder dents (besides minute amounts of Case lube) is the use of bushing style neck dies and a bump body die. I will give that a try on my 223 brass. It seems like the answer to my original question is Forster and Redding.

LEE

Some of the best groups out my rifles were made with Lee dies.

Now that being said, the RCBS X-die that eliminates the trimming of rifle cases is the best idea in a very long time. I have a set for every rifle caliber I reload for except 300 black out. The X-die is a MAJOR time saver for lots of brass as in .223. For hunting rifles it works just great. Have I had the depriming pin break on the X-die, YES, which absolutely sucks. But other brands also break too.

The Lee depriming unit with a single hardened pin that just slides up and does not bend or break is the best part of that particular die. That pin bends or breaks to often for the money paid to have that happen. Its old and outdated. Lee is a huge improvement on a progressive like my Dillon 650, its a godsend to have that Lee die that wont break.Why pay more? If they do exactly the same job even better?

Had I known then what I know now about the economy of a tool I would have easily started with Lee dies. I do have RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Hornady, Dillon. They are all good for what they are. Some sets were given to me but I know how much they cost.

With Lee RGB dies (green box) for $19.00 shipped from Amazon is gravy for a beginner. You basically get a "micro seater" with the Lee anyway as it is simple to just screw it up or down without spending more money on something. Other die makers wont just redesign to eliminate that....but they are "in it" for the money so....

As far as smoothness that would go to Redding.

Best

Heavy

+1

Easy to fix. Polish down the de-capping rod or order a smaller one from Lee. I also polish the fingers to not mark the case and size smaller if I need too.

Carbide or diamond drill will create a vent in any die. But far easier to use dry lube such as mica, imperial with only what is on your fingers or a blue shop towel, or Hornaday one shot spray lube. I have dented my fair share with an RCBS lube pad or using STP for lube. No I haven't tried Astro Glide but most of the others.

Forster....

Redding or Forster. Good forever with just a little care.