Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Dilemma regarding my existing die sets

I'll state right out of the gate that I don't have a concentricity gauge. With that lead, here's my dilemma. I started reloading a dozen or so years ago, and was using RCBS dies for my two primary big game rifles. They worked okay but I never felt that I was getting the greatest consistency. Since that time, I've acquired the following dies for each of the two rifles: Forster FL sizing dies and BR seaters, as well as Lee collet dies, and Redding body dies. I have an assortment of brass for each of the rifles (primarily Hornady, Starline, and Lapua). I should also note that I don't currently have a way to measure brass thickness. Given the price and availability of components these days, which of those die sets would you choose first? I know I could load up ammo using both setups and let the rifles tell me what works best. And perhaps I'm just chasing my tail by not having a couple of key reloading tools like a concentricity gauge. Fire away, so to speak...

Forster FL BR die set is the easy button.

I don't have a concentricity gauge and don't feel I need one. I have loaded and hunted for most of my 62 years with RCBS dies
mostly. My reloads are certainly better than my eyes can shoot. I know serious long range and target shooters use a number of
things to get most consistent reloads but you can get acceptable loads without them. If I need to sort brass I just weigh it. My
Remington , Winchester Privi Partizan and Hornady all weigh about the same. Federal usually runs heavier. Just load and shoot
and you will see what helps and what doesn't matter. Good luck.

I use the Forster BR seater, Lee Collet neck die and Redding body die as my ‘set’ for several different cartridges. Very happy with my results.

This

I feel the same way, just a hunter, happy with a one inch or better to hunt with. My longest shot is 250 yards.

Like Hanco I'm just a hunter so I'm satisfied with anything subMOA.
Used RCBS almost exclusively for over 50 years. Bought a Casemaster about 5 years ago because I read on the internet that it would improve my loads. Turned out all of my reloads were running <.002 runout (except for 1 necksizer but that is another story). Now the Casemaster gathers dust.
Your technique has a lot more to do with reload accuracy than the brand of tools you use.

Same. Hasbeen

Thanks for the input, folks. I probably wasn't as clear with my first post as I should have been. I am going to be working up completely new loads for the two rifles using Hammer bullets. In "normal times," I would test things out by using one or two of the different die sets. Given the shortage of components, I posed my question to see if there was an obvious die set that you all would suggest I use in order to minimize the amount of materials I go through.

I pay pretty close attention to my reloading techniques, and I feel like I've done about all I can with the RCBS dies. It probably didn't help that a few months ago I borrowed a friend's die set and loaded up a dozen rounds using my same techniques. My previous 1.5" groups shrunk to .5" in my .308. I know the RCBS dies can produce adequate ammo for most of my hunting needs, but I happen to like seeing how much I can wring out of my hunting rifles. That's the reason I ended up with the additional die sets.

I think I'll give the Forster setup a go. I'm sure at some future date, I'll have to give them side-by-side testing -- just because.

Theres nothing wrong with RCBS dies. Forster is a decent upgrade. Lately I've been buying the Redding Master Hunter sets of dies. This set has the standard FL sizing die and their competition seater.

What were the dies you borrowed? You seem to have liked the results you got with them.
I am a big fan of Forster dies.

Ironically, "newish" RCBS dies. The two RCBS die sets that are not cooperating with me came with a whole reloading setup I purchased from a friend 15 years ago. He bought all of it new in the mid to late 70's, and then didn't use it much. I have no idea if there were QC issues back then, but I do know that I cannot get my old .308 and .30-06 dies to produce decent ammo. Because of that, I picked up the Forster die sets (along with the Lee collet and Redding body dies on sale). I'm sure I could have gotten good results with another RCBS set, but those two old dies made me a bit gun shy. I've already got a batch of Forster rounds in the loading block.

drake, if you got very good results with "newish" RCBS dies, why not contact RCBS and let them know your dillema?? They are very easy to work with. One of the reasons I choose RCBS dies. I also urge you to bite the bullet and buy a concentricity gauge. They are extremely useful tools and will help you find errors in your die set up and other issues that lead to poor TIR and a lack of precision. I am just coming back in from the shop dealing with an issue with poor run-out from some recent brass I got for a new rifle. Some of this brass is producing as much as .012" TIR. Just a simple visual inspection shows the brass neck thickness to be uneven./not uniform. I switched to a different batch of brass and TIR shrank to .001-.003", right where I like it. I did not check the brass yesterday when I worked up some loads because this brass had been fired in a different rifles chamber. After firing that brass in my new rifle, I then set up my dies for appropriate shoulder set back and then check TIR. You'd be surprised what a difference good brass makes on keeping run out low. A lot of guys suggest Forster dies or some other unnecessary tool, but many never prove how their rifles shoot:


I'm also wondering what the verdict was on your new Forster die set. Did you get the excellent accuracy/precision you were hoping for, or do you need to borrow your buddies RCBS set again?

MD wrote a very worthwhile article to read on sizing cases straight in GG1. I don't want to quote him he'll probably resond at some point.

Not all dies are the same and sometimes less expensive can surprise. Some work great with certain types of brass and not so much with others. I've been down the road you're on. Your next purchase needs to be a concentricity gauge. It's either that or stop thinking about it and shoot. I own like 4 sets of dies each for my 2 favorite cartridges.

You know your a loony when you have like 500$ plus worth of dies for the same cartridge. I'm laughing at myself right now.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

I have to amend my post above. The Casemaster gathers dust until I run into a problem. When you can't achieve the accuracy that you want you have to eliminate the variables one by one and the Casemaster helps eliminate several. Sizing, seating, brass anomalies, etc.

My preference is Redding body die, Lee collet, and Forster seater. My concentricity gauge shows I can load the most concentric ammo with this combination. Regardless of brand, I find pulling an expander through the neck contributes to concentricity and neck tension issues.

my preference is a Lee Neck sizer and a Redding Body die...and a Lee Seater...

to me dies are some of the cheapest things a reloader can buy, considering your return on your investment.

after buying some Redding Body dies, I finally used my head a little more...

Like a body die for my 260 Rem, I just take the spindle out of a 7/08 or 308 die and viola... I have a 260 body die...

and a 260 die with the spindle removed makes a great 243 body die....

you get the picture.

Almost all my reloading for hunting rifles in the past 55 years has been with RCBS dies. With a little tweaking of the expander /decapping spud, run out less than .002 can be achieved. Just turn the rod 1/8 turn at a time and check until you hit the sweet spot.Yes I have concentricity tool.

Great post buddy..

It also really helps if you run a case all the way in so the decap pin is in the flash hole before you tighten the lock nut on the decap spindle.
Or use JB's method of expanding the neck on the upstroke. I usually FL size using a smaller for caliber decap spindle like a 270 spindle for 30-06. That way you can deprime without expanding the neck. Then put in the 30cal spindle and expand the neck in a separate operation.
All different ways to skin the same cat ;-).