Looking for die purchase advice

[Tac-O]

With my Lee dies, I always measure a max of 0.0015 runout. With my Redding dies, I had to send them back because they were galling my necks and leaving a weird raises ring around the shoulder and the runout goes as high as 0.003

There are plenty of others here who vouch for the quality of Lee dies that measure very low runout

 

[QuietTexan]

I tend to believe those that recommend rcBS, lee, hornady, and the like don't measure runout and/or don't have the shooting skills to see the difference.

Please tell me more about my shooting skills based on my ownership of "cheap" dies.... I do so want to hear this.

 

[gohring3006]

You can use any cheap FL die you want without expanding the necks if you run it thru a properly set up mandrel.
I used to put my die sets together with
Lee collet
Redding body
Hornady seater.
A FL die and a mandrel is all that's needed on any press to get good run out. Proper set up of course.

 

[Beluebow]

The comments about run out.


Obviously no one wants any run out, but the fact of the matter is, run out is so far down the list it's a non factor with hunting type rifles and long range. I see folks turning their nose's up at .0025 run out and knowing dang good well they can't shoot the difference between that and zero run out at long distance.

 

[gohring3006]

The comments about run out.


Obviously no one wants any run out, but the fact of the matter is, run out is so far down the list it's a non factor with hunting type rifles and long range. I see folks turning their nose's up at .0025 run out and knowing dang good well they can't shoot the difference between that and zero run out at long distance.

So, what do you look forward in die purchases?
How shiny?
How cheap?
Some of us don't really care if the improved run out shows up on target.
I reload more for the precision rabbit hole and how good I can make ammo. I judge that with my chrono and my concentricity gauge. I grade myself that way.

 

[Beluebow]

So, what do you look forward in die purchases?
How shiny?
How cheap?
Some of us don't really care if the improve run out shows up on target.
I reload more for the precision rabbit hole and how good I can make ammo. I judge that with my chrono and my concentricity gauge. I grade myself that way.

I own Whidden, Redding and RCBS along with a few custom dies. I'm interested in a die that sizes brass to fit my chamber/reamer specs first and foremost. A tho or two runout isn't a deal breaker for me.

I grade myself by what shows up on target..... If a concentricity gauge gives you confidence in what you do, then by all means use one!

 

[gohring3006]

I own Whidden, Redding and RCBS along with a few custom dies. I'm interested in a die that sizes brass to fit my chamber/reamer specs first and foremost. A tho or two runout isn't a deal breaker for me.

I grade myself by what shows up on target..... If a concentricity gauge gives you confidence in what you do, then by all means use one!

If I do all my stuff right, the target is just documented results.
The report of my findings, in a sense.

 

[motrapper]

I have Redding Lee Hornady but find myself moving to Foster with new calibers

 

[Mike Matteson]

Im a huge fan of using a mandrel to set my neck size/tension. I typically just use a FL sizing die, remove the expander from it, use it to size my brass and bump shoulders just .002", and then using a mandrel to size the neck. It leaves very consistent and uniform tension/grip on the bullet and won't stretch out shoulders or induce neck runout like expands can or do. You can get by with lesser expensive dies this way too.

Yes as you step up into reloading for the quest of a more accurate rounds. There more work to achieve it. More equipment is needed to create a more prefect round. The match shooters show the way, and we can learn from them. I for one, want and work for a tighter groups. If I could get it down to a single hole @ 100yds with a 5 shot group. Then I got it done. I'll never get there, but it's fun to work on. When I started reloading some 60 years ago, I could build my own rounds with cases, powder, primers, and bullets. Better what you could get in the stores with more choices. Back then is was far cheaper too. To each is there own. You don't have to do anything, As I had said a ways back, I am changing out my RCBS dies for Redding Bushing FL dies. Now back to wish I had done it before. So I get to spend again.

 

[Wolf76]

Please tell me more about my shooting skills based on my ownership of "cheap" dies.... I do so want to hear this.

Ok, I'll play along......
Based on your response, I suspect you misread what I wrote. Let's go back to the basics.

Definition of "Tend":to be likely to behave in a particular way or have a particular characteristic:
*Note: it doesn't say "Always"

The use of "and/or" has a meaning. In this case, it could mean:

(A) That one doesn't measure runout

OR

(B) That one doesn't have the
shooting abilities to detect the differences

OR

(C) Which is both A + B
It doesn't say you're a bad shooter because you use cheap dies.

I clearly didn't comment on Your shooting skills "and/or" reloading die choices (as I know nothing about you or even mentioned you). You may or may not be consistent with what I wrote. If you're making cheaper dies work well, please share how you're doing it.

In the interest of not derailing this thread, please PM me directly if you want to share more feelings

 

[DWier]

Yes as you step up into reloading for the quest of a more accurate rounds. There more work to achieve it. More equipment is needed to create a more prefect round. The match shooters show the way, and we can learn from them. I for one, want and work for a tighter groups. If I could get it down to a single hole @ 100yds with a 5 shot group. Then I got it done. I'll never get there, but it's fun to work on. When I started reloading some 60 years ago, I could build my own rounds with cases, powder, primers, and bullets. Better what you could get in the stores with more choices. Back then is was far cheaper too. To each is there own. You don't have to do anything, As I had said a ways back, I am changing out my RCBS dies for Redding Bushing FL dies. Now back to wish I had done it before. So I get to spend again.

IMHO the reason to buy high-end dies (Whidden, Forster, Redding) is spend once, cry once. Even as a beginner.

 

[MagnumManiac]

How many of you guys are running rifles with a plunger ejector for your precision loads?
I have run countless tests on my F-class rifles that runout on the bullet tip is less likely to cause a difference on target at 600 than the case misalignment from a plunger ejector.
My cases aren't a snug fit in the chamber…there's no need to be.
In regard to dies, I can achieve very good results on case sizing from RCBS dies, but I use Forster or Redding Comp Seaters, which align the bullets very well, I haven't measured bullet runout in a very long time.
I sort bullets and cases, but runout is far from the top of my list of what works.

I use RCBS, Redding and Forster dies. All of my pistol/handgun dies are Bonanza.
All of my RCBS and Forster dies have honed necks and altered expanders or custom expanders. My Redding dies have only ever needed polishing, the die necks run about .0025"-.003" under bullet diameter and the expanders run .0015"-.002" under.

Cheers.

 

[gohring3006]

How many of you guys are running rifles with a plunger ejector for your precision loads?
I have run countless tests on my F-class rifles that runout on the bullet tip is less likely to cause a difference on target at 600 than the case misalignment from a plunger ejector.
My cases aren't a snug fit in the chamber…there's no need to be.
In regard to dies, I can achieve very good results on case sizing from RCBS dies, but I use Forster or Redding Comp Seaters, which align the bullets very well, I haven't measured bullet runout in a very long time.
I sort bullets and cases, but runout is far from the top of my list of what works.

I use RCBS, Redding and Forster dies. All of my pistol/handgun dies are Bonanza.

Cheers.

I look at it in tolerance stack. I try to eliminate everything I can in tolerances.
But I have reserve with the ejector, and the bolt being pushed on at different pressures when using the mag for repeated rounds. I think it could produce flux in SD and giving different antinode positions, I just haven't had time to go down that rabbit hole.

 

[QuietTexan]

How many of you guys are running rifles with a plunger ejector for your precision loads?

Removing was one of the best decisions I ever made on bench guns. No more brass rolling around or getting launched.