Wilson Inline Seating Dies

[Alaskan338Lapua]

Lets hear all the pro's and con's of Wilson Inline Seating Dies. Anyone had any problems with thier brass not fitting correctley and having to send the dies to wilson? Any problems with them rusting even though they were oiled? How do they stack up accuracy wise against the more common threaded dies? Don't be bashful.

 

[boomtube]

Wilson seaters do a good job if the rifle, shooter and reloader are good enough to know the difference.

They can do virtually nothing for factory rifles using off-the shelf brass.

 

[Alaskan338Lapua]

Have you ever had any problems seating VLD bullets or any sort or marring the ogive?

 

[distantfoe]

I've used the seating dies exclusively for 5+ years. They do rust, but no problems with vlds.

I've used them in the pursuit of producing low runout rounds. They're super easy to use and adjust, just measure the "stem" and adjust seating depth accordingly. They're just as versatile as a micrometer seating die just a lot cheaper. Wildcats are not a big deal, just have your smith ream with the same chamber reamer as your rifle.

 

[Mikecr]

I use wilson for seating 223 50blitzking, 6br 95berger, 6xc 105jlk, 6.5wssm 139lapua.
Haven't had an issue with the seating plugs(neither bottoming bullet tips, nor marring).
Haven't had fitting issues(the 6xc & 6.5wssm were blanks cut with my reamers).
They do surface rust from handling(I've never actually seen oil prevent rust). But they don't rust inside, unless you store em in a bad environment.

I setup mine with the mic tops.
If Wilson seaters aren't as good as any, I'd be surprised.

I also favor Wilson neck sizing dies. Now, they might not be 'the best'.
But I have alot of bushings and hand dies are what I'm used to.

I use screw-in dies on a big press for body sizing, and neck expansion.

I'm sure Wilson would provide any mods needed on standard cartridge dies. If a wildcat, then you would probably need to provide the reamer set and pay a fee.

 

[TOM H]

I use Wilson seaters for 99% of my reloading the other 1% since Wilson doesn't make them in some calibers I use a Neil Jones arbor seater. Testing loads etc I'll seat at the range that allows me to adjust seating depth and if a load doesn't look good I don't have to pull bullets.

I've been using the Wilson/Jones dies 23 years now never had a problem with rust and I don't oil them. I'll wipe them off and run mop inside plus I keep them in the orginal box covered. Most of my rifles have been rebarreled so they work for my rifles.

I'll give you a list of my Wilson seaters--17machIV,17Rem,221 FB,223,223AI,243,243AI,
22-250AI,6RemAI,6.5x284,280AI,300RUM,30-06,270,7mag,6ppc,6br,22ppc,22Br
7x57,222,222mag,6x47,270WSM,300WSM,30-338mag.

i've been using the arbor dies so long hard to get use to anything else. Well good luck

 

[Alaskan338Lapua]

So far so good. How would they compare to the redding competition micrometer dies? Even with the interchangable bushings and the micrometer they are still threaded dies which allows for alingment problems when screwing them into a standard press. I see that wilson offers steel bushing as opposed to the titanium nitride that redding offers. Do the steel bushings wear out any faster than the tiN bushings? Lastley, as stupid as this sounds........how do you get the brass out of the wilson neck sizing die afterwards. Is there a punch or something similar? Thanks guys.

 

[Alaskan338Lapua]

Also, would you reccomend using a standard, say redding, resizing die and then a wilson inline seater. Or both redding or both wilson?

 

[Mikecr]

I don't know of any problems with Redding's offerings. I use their body dies and bushings. I think it comes down to your luck with shellholder/press/die alignment.
This is less concern with hand dies, which are completely free to self center.

Wilson neck sizing dies don't use an expander(which you should immediately remove from any die and throw away). There is simply a decapping rod which is also used for case removal. After sizing, you turn the die upside down and with an easy press on the decapping rod, the case frees from the die, as pushed at the flash hole, into a relieved die holder. Flip it back over, remove sized case, drop in another and press against case head till it stops at die flush(or bushing dropped around case for partial NS).
A couple flips of a wrist, a little timing, and soon your whipping through em faster than hell.

With steel bushings you better lube the necks a touch, or they will heat & wear.
Once I know what works for each cartridge, I invest in TiN bushings(Wilson/Reddings are interchangable).

As far as type combinations,, Whatever getserdone.
No rules here.

 

[TOM H]

So far so good. How would they compare to the redding competition micrometer dies? Even with the interchangable bushings and the micrometer they are still threaded dies which allows for alingment problems when screwing them into a standard press. I see that wilson offers steel bushing as opposed to the titanium nitride that redding offers. Do the steel bushings wear out any faster than the tiN bushings? Lastley, as stupid as this sounds........how do you get the brass out of the wilson neck sizing die afterwards. Is there a punch or something similar? Thanks guys.

Wilson doesn't make titanium bushing and they been sell their dies for over 50yrs and I never had a problem with their steel bushing. Sinclair makes Carbide bushing for the 6mm they run $40 each you can get on the Br site and they tell you who else makes those type bushing think it Shadetree. Normally the Wilson only sized about 1/2 the neck think the Redding does the whole neck and I never lube the neck. All I ever do is run steelwool around the neck and I use a body die for sizing also RCBS form /trim die works.

As you get more into the arbor type dies like Wilson for neck sizing most bushing come in size like .301" .244" etc . Jones bushing dies you can order .3015" or .2625" bushing plus he uses a bushing for his seater (set of his dies runs over $200) and he makes threated dies also here is his site http://www.neiljones.com/so you have lots of options on neck tension .

Sinclair also sells shims (10 from .003" to .020")for the Wilson seater allows you to move the bullet out further without having to adjust stem each time and they sell extra seater stems/cap so if you want to shoot two or more different type bullets it alot easier than adjusting each time.

Mikecr explained how the Wilson neck die works. Wish i could help with other dies but don't use them very much. Well good luck

 

[distantfoe]

Wilson neck sizing dies don't use an expander(which you should immediately remove from any die and throw away).

What do you do for dents? I just use a floating carbide button from redding, doesn't seem to cause a problem with runout.

 

[Alaskan338Lapua]

Has anyone else ever tried to use redding bushings in wilson dies? Are they compatable? Lets get a vote going, Wilson neck sizing and seating in an arbor press or Redding competition bushing dies in a standard threaded press and why?

 

[TOM H]

Has anyone else ever tried to use redding bushings in wilson dies? Are they compatable? Lets get a vote going, Wilson neck sizing and seating in an arbor press or Redding competition bushing dies in a standard threaded press and why?

I don't want to be a wise guy but if you get on the Br site they solve that problem with a Hood Press ($300) it's set up for threaded and arbor dies also Sinclair makes a press stand fits Reddding,RCBS,Hornady etc press that allows for use at range. Harrell make a clamp on press that works for range use.

Alot of BR shooter are using a threaded SB 6ppc die for sizing then arbor for seating. Only reason I started using arbor die was got into BR shooting other wise more than likely be using a threaded die.

Wilson use to make FL sizing die and took a pretty good arbor press for sizing B-Square use to sell one some use a press that seats bearing.

Problem with the Wilson is you have to FL at some point so threaded press is needed so takes a extra investment in reloading and I'm sure if you check with some of the gunsmith that post here their rifle accuracy may not be with Wilson dies.

I just got a Redding Comp seater for the 243AI so far groups are the same but the die was almost $100 better be good I'm still in ther learning stage.

 

[Alaskan338Lapua]

Thanks for the advice. Just out of curiosity is the shooting range on rampart range road still open? i was stationed at Carson for a few years and I always enjoyed making a weekend going out there by garden of the gods. CO is a very nice state.