Bullet Seating Die Options

[4thefunofit]

I love micrometer seating dies but reloading for over 10 bottleneck rifle cartridges it can get expensive. You can convert any a standard hornady to micrometer seater for not much money just by buying the mic knob and screwing it on.
I bought one of those FA multi-cal micrometer seating dies a few weeks ago and have been testing it. Just 6 creed and 243 win so far but I'm impressed. I resized with Forster FL (non bushing dies) with expander removed. Then expanded the neck with a .262 21st Century mandrel. I'm getting 1 to 2 thou total runout with Lapua 6CM brass and 2-4 with Hornady 243 brass.

That sounds really encouraging. I'm not going to be doing any competition shooting, but I'd like for this rifle to be as accurate as I can make it. Thank you.

 

[muleystalker]

You don't need a neck die, just buy a full length bushing die or just a full length. Neck sizing dies are not used as much these days like they used too, most people shooting BR Nd F-class and other high accuracy comps have gotten away from it. You can shoulder bump with a full length sizing die.

 

[4thefunofit]

You don't need a neck die, just buy a full length bushing die or just a full length. Neck sizing dies are not used as much these days like they used too, most people shooting BR Nd F-class and other high accuracy comps have gotten away from it. You can shoulder bump with a full length sizing die.

I have the FL already, and the FA seating die is on its way, so I guess I'm good to go. After waiting so long for it already, I'll keep the neck sizer set on backorder just to see how it all plays out. I suppose these things happen, and it's just my bad luck, but it would be nice to know how the order was lost. Thanks.

 

[jeb405]

I recall reading a while back of studies done on bullet runout on a standard die vs one that fully supports the case before the bullet enters like Redding or Forster micrometer die. If I remember correctly if they used the standard seater and seated the bullet about halfway, then lowered the ram and rotated the case 180 degrees then finished seating they greatly reduced runout approaching the more expensive dies performance.

John.

 

[4thefunofit]

I recall reading a while back of studies done on bullet runout on a standard die vs one that fully supports the case before the bullet enters like Redding or Forster micrometer die. If I remember correctly if they used the standard seater and seated the bullet about halfway, then lowered the ram and rotated the case 180 degrees then finished seating they greatly reduced runout approaching the more expensive dies performance.

John.

Good to know.

 

[muleystalker]

I recall reading a while back of studies done on bullet runout on a standard die vs one that fully supports the case before the bullet enters like Redding or Forster micrometer die. If I remember correctly if they used the standard seater and seated the bullet about halfway, then lowered the ram and rotated the case 180 degrees then finished seating they greatly reduced runout approaching the more expensive dies performance.

John.

I have been doing this for 30 years with great success. I also do it while sizing also. One thing with sizing, you want to keep your dwell time the same on every sizing, and don't be too quick on the stroke, let the brass sit in the die for a few seconds.