.338 RUM ; Which dies?

[casilva43]

I have a .338 Rum and a RCBS reloading press. I am new to reloading, actually I have never tried it. I have ordered the new 300 grain .338 accubonds from Nosler.

Which set of dies do you reccomend?

a) Hornady...they have that sleeve which makes sure the bullet seats straight
b) RCBS..b/c that is the same press I have
c) RCBS competition dies....b/c they have more precise measurement but are waaay more expensive

Thoughts??

 

[boomtube]

"Which set of dies do you reccomend?"

This won't be as satisfying as a firm pronouncement to "get brand X, they are the best" or "don't get brand Y, they are junk", all of which would only be well intended B.S., but here it is; just get something that has your cartridge pasted to the end of the box and you will be fine.

Dies are quite simple devices and there really isn't much difference in what any of them can do for you. Standard dies are quite good and you have a LOT to learn. It will be a looong time before the more costly "compitition" die features would do a thing for you.

 

[GNERGY]

I use the Hornady dies with the sleeve in it for straighter bullet seating.
My 338 Ultra mag shoots 5/8 ths groups at 300 yds with the Barnes 225 gr TTSX. I think it makes a difference.
Tarey
I have the Hornady dies in 4 other calibers also.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I dont know what is best but I know what I think is the best. I like Hornady dies, they are easy to adjust and once I adjust them they stay put. I started reloading with RCBS and I tried some redding to. The hornadys are just so dam smooth.

 

[boomtube]

"My 338 Ultra mag shoots 5/8 ths groups at 300 yds with the Barnes 225 gr TTSX."

Goodness, that's truly amazing. You would clean up at the factory class rifle BR competitions, and do it with common big game hunting bullets loaded with common dies too!

 

[Bart B]

My 338 Ultra mag shoots 5/8 ths groups at 300 yds with the Barnes 225 gr TTSX.

What other group sizes does it shoot? Or is that 5/8ths of a foot?

I suspect that's the smallest group you've shot. No rifle and ammo combination shoots the same size groups all the time.....unless you put about two or three hundred shots in each group. Then they'll all be very close to the same size.

 

[Bart B]

I have a .338 Rum and a RCBS reloading press.

Which set of dies do you reccomend?

I'd get the Redding type S full bushing dies. These dies are what Sierra Bullets uses to reload fired cases testing their bullets for accuracy. RCBS also makes bushing dies that are equally as good. Just order a bushing about 2 thousandths smaller than a loaded round's neck diameter.