I'm considering purchasing a K&M Precision Arbor Press and Wilson Inline Die for my .338 Lapua Magnum with the goal of getting a bullet seating press that I can use both at the reloading bench and the range when finding optimal bullet seating depth. I would appreciate feedback from those that have gone this route on whether I should spend the extra $89 and get the standard force pack and indicator dial. Will I see an appreciable increase in the quality of ammo to justify the extra $$$ or is this something that will drive me nuts trying to get the seating tension to be roughly the same for each round? Thanks in advance for your thoughts/feedback.
K&M Precision Arbor Press - Feedback Please
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Axl
Well-Known Member
I have the K&M with the force pack. I prob. would get it without the F.P. If i were buying today. I used to write down the dial gauge readings but don't anymore. You can easily "feel" the difference when seating, and can set those few aside. I have very few that are different, when using good brass all on the same firing and prepped the same. It is a very nice press and great for doing seating depth at the range. I seat them all long at home, then take my comparator and K&M with me to the range.
Make the switch to an arbor press
I highly recommend that you guys give an arbor press a try for seating your bullets. You have no feel at all seating on a regular press and its tough to get really good oal due to slop in the linkage. With an arbor press and wilson die you can feel the bullets seat and you can cull odd ones...
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CanisLupus
Well-Known Member
I agree with Axl that you can 'feel' differences in seating with an arbor press. That is one of the beauties of an arbor press, IMO.
However, 'feel' is subjective. I do not write down my gauge readings. Through experience, I just know that I should expect to be within a range of specific numbers when my process is 'consistent' and 'stable.' If something in my process changes (whether deliberate or not), I may be able to 'feel' a difference in seating force, but it sure is nice to quantify it. I don't know about you, but my 'feel' is not the same all the time (I'm human)…especially when seating at my reloading bench versus at the range, due to many variables. Numbers allow me to establish a more objective baseline for how my seating process should be performing. My ability to 'feel' from bullet-to-bullet, day-to-day is just not reliable. What's another $89 to obtain actual numbers to reference? To me, in the grand scheme of things…it's nothing. YMMV.
I trust you will be happy with the arbor press, force pack or not. Have fun.
matt_3479
Well-Known Member
The only reason to seat them long then reseat are the range would be for seating depth testing then once powder charge has been figured out or narrowed down? I'm also thinking of buying one. Once load development is done, you just seat everything at home on the arbor or single stage at this point? I'm assuming still on the arbor due to better consistency
CanisLupus
Well-Known Member
@matt_3479 ...I have seated long, then reseat at the range for seating depth testing as you described. It's not the only reason though...some competitors will seat long, then do final seating at the range before a comp to mitigate potential cold-welding effects.
Once load development is done, everything is still seated on the arbor press. It is just a part of the process...for me, anyway.
Once load development is done, everything is still seated on the arbor press. It is just a part of the process...for me, anyway.
matt_3479
Well-Known Member
Thank you. Been debating for a long time. After lasts 2 years building frenzy, I figured maybe this year finish upgrading some loading room equipment…. Plus maybe 1 build lol
I started using one this past year.
I liked the dial gauge because it would give me the ballpark numbers.
And then every once in a while one would be way out of range, which i could feel, but it was nice to see it as well.
I found it accurate within about 10 pounds of force. For example all of the loads were 35-45.... it isn't exact down to 1 pounds of force.
It showed outliers though. But to be honest that was with old brass. All premium brass that had been treated the exact same all were very consistent.
I liked the dial gauge because it would give me the ballpark numbers.
And then every once in a while one would be way out of range, which i could feel, but it was nice to see it as well.
I found it accurate within about 10 pounds of force. For example all of the loads were 35-45.... it isn't exact down to 1 pounds of force.
It showed outliers though. But to be honest that was with old brass. All premium brass that had been treated the exact same all were very consistent.
Axl
Well-Known Member
Yes. That part was in my head, but didn't make it to my typing index fingers!
I have the plain press and that is all I have needed to get me on target at 1000 yards. If I was looking for small groups at 1000 I might start paying attention to seating pressure, at this time it does not matter. I can hit a 26" inch plate at 1000 consistently and that is good enough for me.
Gentlemen, as always, good thoughtful comments/feedback. Greatly appreciated.
Based on the above feedback I think I'll go ahead and get the standard force pack and indicator dial. I understand the indicator dial can be removed if I find it is not used much but it may be handy when going through a new box of brass.
Based on the above feedback I think I'll go ahead and get the standard force pack and indicator dial. I understand the indicator dial can be removed if I find it is not used much but it may be handy when going through a new box of brass.
Axl
Well-Known Member
If you already have a dial indicator you can use it on the K&M.
Also If you want to order direct from K&M I have a coupon code from a previous order. It's K22M22 good for 22% off good till 1 July 2022
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Have the K+M press with Force Pack, would highly recommend. Get a mic seater, it's worth the extra $50 or so for ease of adjustment during testing. If you want to go full-rabbit hole the non-mic die is cheaper to add later, and you can still get shims from Brownells to be super-anal-retentive in adjusting the non-mic die.
I also thought the same way you did at first, oh I'll take this to the range with me. One honest bit of feedback about that - the LE WIlson in-line dies I use are more difficult to adjust than standard mic seater dies, and have more parts (base, chamber, seating cap, and the press as separate parts). So if you're looking to be able to re-seat bullets deeper at the range then a Forster mic seater and a Lee hand press are a very viable option just to nudge bullets deeper. One rig with no removeable parts, very similar control over seating depth. I use that set up to knock the pressure ladder down to the best of the 4 coarse depths.
If I was trying to final tune in 0.002 increments the arbor press and die hassle would be worth hauling it out there, but a hand press is good enough for the big jumps.
I also thought the same way you did at first, oh I'll take this to the range with me. One honest bit of feedback about that - the LE WIlson in-line dies I use are more difficult to adjust than standard mic seater dies, and have more parts (base, chamber, seating cap, and the press as separate parts). So if you're looking to be able to re-seat bullets deeper at the range then a Forster mic seater and a Lee hand press are a very viable option just to nudge bullets deeper. One rig with no removeable parts, very similar control over seating depth. I use that set up to knock the pressure ladder down to the best of the 4 coarse depths.
If I was trying to final tune in 0.002 increments the arbor press and die hassle would be worth hauling it out there, but a hand press is good enough for the big jumps.
